Nail fungus conditions can affect both toenails and fingernails, although it's more commonly found on the toenails. There are prescription and over-the-counter commercial preparations to treat the fungus, but tea tree oil is a natural product with antiseptic and antifungal activities that can also be effective.
History
Tea tree oil is derived via steam distillation of the leaves of the Melaleuca alternifolia tree found in Australia. The whole leaves of the tree have been used in Aboriginal folk medicine for centuries to treat cuts and skin infections. Capt. James Cook named it "tea tree" because he used its leaves as a substitute for tea and to flavor beer. Australian soldiers in World War I were given tea tree oil as a disinfectant and its healing properties were put to use during World War II for skin injuries. The oil was first used in surgery and dentistry in the mid-1920s.
Identification
Nail fungus infections, also called onychomycosis, may start out as a white or yellow spot under the tip of your nail, but as it speads, the infection can cause the nail to discolor, thicken and be distorted and to develop crumbling edges. Infected nails also can separate from the nail bed, a condition called onycholysis, and lead to pain and a foul odor, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Cause
Fungi called dermatophytes and yeasts and molds can all cause a nail fungus infection by entering your nail through weak areas or cuts in your skin or nail bed. Since fungi love warm, moist conditions, they tend to thrive in areas such as the feet that are covered by socks and shoes. Another reason the toes are a favorite target for infection is diminished blood circulation to the toes, which may make it harder for your body's immune system to detect the fungus. The Mayo Clinic says you're more at risk if you are older, male, have a family history, perspire heavily, work or play in a damp or humid environment, have athlete's foot, the skin condition psoriasis or diabetes.
Significance
Fungal infections can be painful and cause permanent damage to your nails, but even worse, they can spread to other parts of your body if you have a suppressed immune system. They also place you at a higher risk for cellulitis, a potentially serious bacterial skin infection.
Treatment
Tea tree oil contains chemicals known as terpenoids. Australia established standards for these chemicals in commercial tea tree oil products, requiring them to contain 40 to 50 percent terpinen-4-ol and less than 15 percent cineole to be medically beneficial. According to the U.S. National Institutes of Health, there is no proven effective dose, although clinical trials have used solutions of 5 to 10 percent tea tree oil in gel or cream applied to affected areas twice daily for four weeks. A solution of 100 percent tea tree oil is used most often for nail infections.
Warning
Side effects from topical applications of tea tree oil can range from mild contact dermatitis to severe blistering rashes, made worse in people with pre-existing skin conditions such as eczema. If you're allergic to other plants in the myrtle family, balsam of Peru, or benzoin, you shouldn't use tea tree oil. You should also use caution if you have an allergy to eucalyptol, since many tea tree preparations contain eucalyptol. You should never use tea tree oil internally, as it may cause a host of side effects including a severe rash, hearing loss, reduced immune system function, abdominal pain, diarrhea, lethargy, drowsiness, confusion, or coma. Some of these symptoms have also been found in laboratory animals that used large amounts of tea tree oil on the skin.
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