Nail fungus can appear anytime, either on the nails of your hands or on your toenails. The medical term for this kind of infection is Onychomycosis.
This kind of infection is usually caused by dermatophytes. This is basically a type of yeast that has a tendency of spreading easily all over the nail structure.
The fungal infection usually begins when the nail is damp and provides the perfect environment for the fungal infection to grow.
Fungal infections are one of the most common nail-related problems that you will probably ever have to face.
In fact, the odds are that it will definitely appear at least once in your lifetime.
This holds true for the vast majority of people all over the world regardless of their age.
A fungal infection does not pose any significant risk to your health but it still should not be taken lightly.
This is because its presence can be the causative factor for brittleness, weakness, and perhaps even the total loss of your toenail.
Apart from that, some individuals might even feel considerable pain when they start wearing certain kinds of shoes and socks with infected toenails.
Moreover, with the passage of time, you might also notice a slight yellowish tint on your nail that will decrease the aesthetic appearance of your toenails.
Fortunately, this is a condition that can easily be cured quite naturally, thanks to various home-based remedies— the most commonly used of which is turmeric.
It has several anti-fungal properties that make it a highly effective agent in the fight against toenail fungus.
Why Is Turmeric So Popular?
Curcuma longa is the root of the Turmeric plant. It belongs to the ginger family known as Zingiberaceae.
While it has many uses in the kitchen, it really comes into its own when used as a homemade remedy.
Turmeric has always been greatly valued for its health-related properties even since ancient times.
It has been used as a condiment and a colorant for thousands of years in most oriental countries.
This is due in large part to its potent anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and antibiotic effects.
The combination of all of these properties together makes for a very powerful anti-fungal treatment.
As far as various fungal treatments for toe and hand nails are concerned, turmeric root has shown some pretty interesting effects.
How Should You Use Turmeric To Fight Toenail Fungus?
There are multiple benefits of treating your toenail infection with turmeric root.
Not only will it easily fight off the fungus, it will also alleviate the brittleness associated with it.
Apart from that, it will also help your nail to regain its natural color and sheen.
The main active compound in turmeric is curcumin. It exerts a profound anti-bacterial and anti-fungal effect n the affected area.
The anti-bacterial properties are equally important because fungal growth can lead to secondary infections.
Curcumin helps put an effective stop to the rapid increase of dermatophytes and yeast growth. If it is used long enough, it can also reverse their effects as well.
Furthermore, it also offers extra nutrition to the nail’s surface and cuticle areas. This way, it makes your nail healthy and strong so that it does not break easily.
If your nail has become weak due to continuous contact with wet surfaces and chemicals, turmeric treatment will also reverse these effects.
A large number of antioxidants, vitamins, and mineral content will also counteract any damage to your toenails.
How To Use Turmeric Root To Treat Your Fungal Infection
A simple paste made with turmeric powder mixed with clean water can be used to treat the infection but for best results, you should consider adding coconut oil to the mix to increase the potency of this home-based remedy.
Coconut oil is also packed with many anti-fungal and anti-bacterial compounds.
They are absorbed through the nail and help stop fungal growth—or at least slow it down.
Preparing Your Powerful Anti-Fungal Remedy
You will need the following ingredients to create a thick paste:
- 4 teaspoons of organic coconut oil (45g approx.)
- 4 teaspoons of turmeric powder (30g approx.)
You should melt the coconut oil. (Please note that you should use only one hundred percent organic oil only) .
After that, you should mix in the turmeric powder into the melted oil. Now, continue to blend the mixture till there is a creamy consistency to the paste.
Once the two ingredients are mixed properly, you should store them in a glass container.
Applying The Turmeric Paste
Take a flat spatula and spread the turmeric and coconut oil mixture liberally over the infected nails. Now, leave it be for at least half an hour before rinsing it off.
It is also a good idea to apply this mixture on the heels of your feet as well as the area between the toe joints.
This will prevent the fungus from spreading to other areas that are susceptible to this infection.
You should use it at least once a day every day i.e. until there is a clear and visible change in the appearance of your infected toenails.
What Else Should You Do To Make Sure That The Infection Does Not Recur?
If you want to eradicate toenail fungus from your life completely, it is important that you should consider a lifestyle change.
Fungal infections love damp and dark places. And these conditions allow them to thrive to the extent that they can infect the whole foot.
This is why you should always practice good hygiene habits and wear well-ventilated shoes.
Not changing your damp and sweaty socks can lead to a recurrence of the infection.
You should also avoid sharing personal hygiene items such as:
- Nail files
- Soaps
- Nail clippers
- Nail polish
- Towels
If you want a pedicure, make sure that you only go to highly reputed parlors where hygiene considerations are paramount.
Finally, you should consider improving your diet so that your immune system will easily shrug off such infections.
Conclusion
In light of the above, we can see that using turmeric for nail fungus, is an excellent idea. If used properly, it can help you to get rid of even a really stubborn fungal infection.
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