7 Effective Home Remedies For White Spots On Toenails

White spots on toenails are more common than you think. According to a study, nearly 40 million Americans report having white spots on their toenails each year.

These spots are usually indicative of a nutritional deficiency. However, in some cases, they may also be due to a fungal infection.

Fortunately, there are several home remedies for white spots on toenails.

In this article, we will be talking about what causes white spots to appear on your toenails and how you can get rid of them with the help of home remedies.

Let’s begin.

Why Do You Get White Spots On Toenails?

If you notice white spots on your toenails, it is likely that you have punctuate leukonychia.

There are other types of leukonychia, as well. These include longitudinal leukonychia, striate leukonychia, and total leukonychia.

These differ in appearance and will present themselves in different ways on your fingernail and toenails.

Punctuate leukonychia has a variety of causes.

For instance, leukonychia can be the result of trauma caused by biting nails, wearing footwear that hurts your toenails, and pedicures.

Day-to-day nail injuries can also lead to leukonychia. Other causes include:

Heavy metal poisoning
Use of sulphonamides
Chemotherapy treatment
Iron deficiency
Diabetes
Liver cirrhosis
Zinc deficiency
Hyperthyroidism
Kidney disease
Psoriasis
Eczema

In most cases, leukonychia is not indicative of a serious medical condition and can be treated through simple home remedies for white spots on toenails.

Which Home Remedies Work For White Spots on Toenails?

There are a variety of home remedies that can be used for treating white spots on your toenails. We have short-listed some of the most effective ones for you. Have a look:

1. Baking Soda

We’ll start with a home remedy involving a readily-available ingredient – Baking soda.

Baking soda has alkaline properties and can be used to prepare an anti-bacterial mixture of sorts.

If you have recently injured your toenail then baking soda can help you get rid of any resulting white spots by speeding up the healing process.

To use this remedy, you will need the following:

Baking soda – ½ cup
Peroxide – ¼ cup
Vinegar – ½ cup
Epsom salt – ½ cup
Water – 4 cups

Once you have the ingredients, mix them all in one bowl to create a mixture. Next, apply some vinegar to your injured nails.

Wait for a few minutes and then apply the baking soda mix. You can cover your nails with a bandage. Do this every day for at least 2 weeks to get good results.

2. Tea Tree Oil

Tea tree oil also serves as an effective remedy for white spots on toenails. This oil possesses antimicrobial properties that can help treat white spots.

Tea tree oil is particularly effective if the white spots are the result of a fungal infection.

To use this home remedy, mix 6 drops of the oil with some olive oil (15 ml should be sufficient).

You can apply this mixture to your toenails with the help of a cotton swab and wash it off after 15 to 20 minutes.

Repeat this once or twice every day until you see an improvement.

3. Dietary Supplements

In many cases, leukonychia is the result of a vitamin C, Iron, Zinc, or Calcium deficiency.

This can be easily remedied by improving your diet to include these vitamins and minerals. The following foods serve as a rich source of these nutrients:

Oranges
Lemons
Apples
Leafy vegetables
Chicken
Dairy
Oysters
Nuts
Sardines

You can also consider taking Vitamin C, Calcium, Iron, and Zinc-based supplements.

4. Lemon Juice

Lemon juice has proven to be effective against leukonychia.

It contains a high amount of Vitamin C which can improve the health of your toenails and remove white spots. All you need here is lemon juice and some olive oil.

You can begin by squeezing a lemon, then mixing 1 to 2 teaspoons of lemon juice with some olive oil.

Once the mixture is ready, apply it to your fingernails with the help of a cotton swab.

You can wash off the mixture after half an hour using lukewarm water. Do this every day until your nails do not have white spots anymore.

5. Coconut Oil

Coconut oil works well for treating white spots that result from nail injuries or fungal infections.

It carries antifungal and anti-inflammatory properties that can help treat leukonychia.

Unlike other home remedies, this one is particularly easy because it does not require any additional ingredients.

All you need to do is use a few drops of the oil to massage your nails.

Instead of washing off after 15 to 20 minutes, we suggest you leave it on overnight. Repeat this daily to get the best results.

6. Yogurt

Yogurt is a rich source of naturally occurring microbes. These are particularly helpful in treating a toenail fungal infection.

All you need for this home remedy is a bowl of plain yogurt. You can soak your feet in the bowl for 15 to 20 minutes before rinsing off with lukewarm water.

Repeat this once or twice a day until you see an improvement.

7. Garlic Oil

Garlic oil works as an excellent home remedy for white spots on toenails. It contains a component known as allicin.

This can help in the treatment of white spots and any infections affecting your toenails. You can take some garlic oil and mix it with some vinegar.

Around 4 drops of garlic oil should suffice. Apply this mixture to the affected area and put a white bandage on it. You can repeat this process every alternate day.

Some people also apply minced garlic to their toenails and cover them with a piece of cloth until the paste dries. The residue can be washed off with lukewarm water.