When fungi infect one of your toenails, the nail becomes infected. With a toenail fungal infection, also known as onychomycosis, the toenail may be dull or dark in color, painful, odorous, brittle or ragged and the shape of your toenail may have thickened or be distorted. There are different methods for treating toenail fungus, including treatment with Listerine.

Listerine Methods

Listerine is used to treat toenail fungus and it works for some individuals. It's important to keep in mind that only one of your toenails may be affected by fungus, so don't place your healthy nails in the solution. Depending on the severity of the toenail infection, it can take three months or longer to see improvements and eliminate fungus. There are different methods you can try: The first method is to soak only the toenails with fungus daily for 30 minutes. Remove from the Listerine, and dry the toes completely. The second method is to fill a spray bottle with Listerine and spray the infected toenail three times daily. The third method is to mix Listerine with vinegar. Listerine does contain alcohol, and if you have cuts or open areas on your toes, a pure Listerine solution may burn. To prevent this, a 50-50 mixture of Listerine and vinegar can be used as a soak for the infection.

Effectiveness

Whether you try Listerine or Listerine and vinegar, or prescription drugs for toenail fungus, it's important to remember that completely clearing up the infection can take months no matter what method you use. There's no guarantee that using Listerine as a toenail fungus treatment will completely work for you. Each individual is different, and depending on the severity of the infection, further treatment advice may be needed. There have not been any published scientific studies on the effects of using Listerine for toenail fungus or an accurate documentation of data on the number of people who have used Listerine and if it worked successfully or unsuccessfully. Since there are dyes in Listerine, be aware some discoloration of your skin may take place, most commonly if you use blue Listerine.

Reminder

Generally, a group of fungi called dermatophytes cause fungal infections, but different molds and yeasts can also cause an infection to develop. Each of these organisms live in moist and dark environments. Public gyms, swimming pools and shower stalls are places you can be affected by the fungus. Toenail fungus can easily be spread from person to person, and to other body parts. Do not share shoes or socks.

Source:

Mayo Clinic: Nail Fungus Symptoms

Treat-Nail-Fungus.net: What Do Dark Toenails Mean?

Home Remedies: Symptoms for Toenail Fungus

More Information:

Cure Nail Fungus: How To Treat Toenail & Fingernail Fungus

Earth Clinic: Cure Nail Fungus

The People's Pharmacy: Listerine for Toenail Fungus