Have you ever wondered why your parents made a big deal about you wearing your own shoes into public showers at the pool or the gym? They must have known about a very contagious fungus called dermatophytes that can get caught underneath your nails causing pain, foul odor, discoloration and many other displeasing symptoms. 

Much like mushrooms, a fungus we have all encountered whether on a hike or even on our pizza, this nail fungus uses damp and warm environments to grow and multiply. Mushrooms can be cute and harmless in the wild but dermatophytes will get under your nails, use them as a shield and begin to grow from the inside out. Unlike mushrooms, this fungus can be living inside your own shoes and home. Although there are many ways to relieve the pain and smell of nail fungus it can take up to 6-9 months for your nail to grow back healthy.

We can use both pharmaceutical and natural ways to treat and eliminate this fungus. Topical treatments are the most effective way of treating nail fungus. The topical cream will work to make the nail weaker allowing active ingredients to travel under the nail and kill the infection.  If you are wanting to go the more natural rout, most likely trying to avoid a long list of symptoms usually associated with pharmaceutical packaging, there are many oils and house hold products that can be used.  Vinegar can be diluted with water and used as a foot bath. The nail fungus infection will change your pH to the alkaline side of the spectrum allowing the fungus to reproduce, vinegar is on the opposite acidic side of the spectrum and will create an environment the fungus can’t survive or reproduce in.  Alongside vinegar foot baths oils such as tea tree oil, almond oil and copaiba oil have anti-fungal properties. In nature, these properties ensure trees and plant life don’t come completely infested with mushrooms, in your life it can ensure the same. Combined with vinegar to help kill the infestation, oils will help keep it from coming back and reproducing. 

Another treatment includes an active ingredient in many topical treatments called undecylenic acid. It is an organic fatty acid that will inhibit the fungus ability to create enzymes and survive. A similar ingredient, acidophilus, can be bought at the store and creates acidity similar the vinegar. You can create a soak by mixing it with a liter of dark beer. The beer will soften the nail and the acidophilus will go under the nail and inhibit the growth of the fungus. When dealing with nail fungus infections a good acidophilus beer soak and a cold can of beer might not be a bad idea. ZetaClear is another extremely good solution to cure nail fungus. You can read ZetaClear reviews online or go to the official ZetaClear site to read patient reviews. ZetaClear contains all the ingredients that are required to cure nail fungus. The best thing about ZetaClear is that it doesn’t have any side effects. 

I have also done some research on a plant with thick yellow, knotted roots and hairy purple stems called Goldenseal. Also, known as orangeroot, this plant has been used medicinally for ages all over the world. It can be used for digestion issues and other types of infections. Sadly, because of these plants amazing medical advantages it has become an endangered species of plant. Lastly, a very expensive cosmetic laser surgery is also an option. Since it is considered cosmetic it can be very costly and is still in the experimental stages of development. It does not damage the nail or cause pain but should be considered after all other treatments have failed.