nailed it?
Nail fungus is a frustratingly common disease – Approximately 10% of people are expected to And it can be difficult to deal with because the medication has to penetrate the nail deep enough to reach the infection within the nail bed.
Also, because nails, especially toenails, grow slowly, treatment tends to be expensive and time-consuming.
Now, a Harvard-trained, board-certified dermatologist shares an inexpensive trick to deal with unsightly nail fungus at home.
“If you have cheap, brittle toenail fungus, use Listerine. Listerine, the same brown color you use as mouthwash, has antifungal properties and can help remove stubborn fungi on your fingers and toes. It helps with treatment.” Dr. Neela Nathan recently said on TikTok:.
“Brown” Listerine, officially known as Listerine Original Antiseptic Mouthwash, contains the antifungal compounds menthol, eucalyptol, and thymol.
Amber oral rinse is praised for: kill lice to insect bite treatment to remove dandruff.
For fungus, Nathan suggests applying Listerine to a cotton ball, applying it above and below the affected nail and letting it dry.
You can also soak your nails in the solution for 15-20 minutes several times a week. Fingernails should be treated for 6 months and toenails for 1 year.
“This is an affordable alternative to prescription topical antifungals, which are very expensive and not very effective,” Nathan says. “To get rid of severe fungi, see a dermatologist who will prescribe oral treatments.”
Prescription medications such as Lamisil and Sporanox generally have a better success rate than antifungal creams and gels, but side effects can include diarrhea, abdominal pain, mood changes, and in rare cases, liver damage. there is.
Nathan also recommends Two or three times a week, soak infested toenails in diluted apple cider vinegar, which has antibacterial and antifungal properties, for 15 minutes.
Dr. Scott Walter, a board-certified dermatologist near Denver, favors a three-pronged approach.
She suggests soaking infected nails in a mixture of equal parts Listerine, white vinegar, and water for 15 minutes twice a week, then applying Vicks VapoRub daily.
Like Nathan, Walter also likes the original Listerine. He says they're less likely to stain your bathtub than green or blue varieties.
