Alternative Medications For Toenail Fungus

About 12 percent of people in the United States have toenail fungus, according to the American Academy of Dermatology. The two most common forms of fungi are yeast and dermatophytes. Several alternative medications are available to help treat toenail fungus, but conventional treatment should be pursued if alternative methods don't work.

Burdock

Burdock can be used to help treat toenail fungus, according to a 2005 issue of Natural Health magazine. It has also been used as a topical remedy for skin problems such as acne and eczema. You can take burdock root through a capsule or fluid extract, according to the magazine. The University of Maryland Medical Center says that this herb can trigger side effects and interact with other medications and supplements. Burdock can damage the fetus if pregnant women and can also enhance symptoms of hydration, making it worse for people suffering from it, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Before taking any herb, speak with a health-care professional.

Vinegar

While no direct evidence through controlled clinical trials supports the claim that vinegar can help treat nail fungus, the Mayo Clinic suggests that vinegar can help to inhibit the growth of bacteria in nail fungus. The Mayo Clinic recommends that anyone suffering from nail fungus should soak their feet in a mixture of both one part water and two parts warm water. Rinse feet dry when finished. If the skin becomes irritated, consider increasing the amount of water to the mixture.

Vicks VapoRub

According to the Mayo Clinic, Vicks VapoRub, like vinegar, has not undergone clinical trials to assess the effectiveness on nail fungus. However, the Mayo Clinic says that it has worked in some incidents involving nail fungus. More testing in this area is needed for specific results. The magazine Natural Health reports that Vicks VapoRub can be used on nail fungus, but results will vary.