Coconut Oil and Nail Fungus
There is a lot of buzz around coconut oil and all the wonderful things it can do for the human body.
But there is a secret benefit that you may not know about that this everyday item has.
Not only can coconut oil cure is toenail fungus due to its antioxidant properties but is also great for boosting your body’s immune system [1].
Another benefit of using coconut oil for your fungus is that it can be used at the comfort of your own home. Treating a fungus is a cumulative process.
If you wait now it will be harder later to cure. Unfortunately, a lot of us wait to cure this issue until it is too late and the infection becomes severe.
In this article, we will discuss how you can use coconut oil to eradicate a nail fungal infection. Additionally, we will give you some ideas on what to mix with coconut oil to make it more potent.
How to Use Coconut Oil on Fungus-Infected Nails
Using coconut oil is as easy as using other natural treatments for fungus. Below is a step-by-step process on how to properly apply coconut oil to your toenails for maximum effectiveness.
Begin by washing your feet with soap and water and then dry your feet. Take a small amount of coconut oil and use your hands to massage in the oil onto the nail and cuticle. Do this twice a day.
Consuming Coconut Oil for Toenail Fungus
Coconut oil can be applied to the nails topically but also ingested internally for more fantastic health benefits. Coconut oil is derived from coconut milk and has a myriad of health benefits for those that consume it.
But why has coconut oil become so popular and gain a reputation for being a great health food?
Well, for one it is high in healthy saturated fats which contains vital fatty acids such as lauric acid, linoleic acid, and caprylic acid [2].
Here are some of the health benefits of these fatty acids:
When lauric acids are digested by the body they create a substance called monolaurin. Both lauric acid and monolaurin can assist in killing pathogens like bacteria, viruses, and fungi [3].
These substances can kill bacteria such as the yeast Candida albicans, a common source of yeast infections in humans [4].
Both, consuming and applying coconut oil will likely benefit your health because it will increase the likelihood of success of getting rid of the fungus.
Coconut oil has been used for years for skin and health conditions as a natural remedy but you may be asking what is a quality coconut oil?
How to Choose the Right Coconut Oil
With the increase in popularity of coconut oil, more companies realized the opportunity and tried to capitalize on this. The result is that there is an abundance of choice among coconut oils.
But one thing to know is not every coconut oil is made the same. There are key characteristics you should search for when purchasing coconut oil.
You should look for the following features of coconut oil:
- Organic
- Unrefined
- Cold-pressed
- 100% Purity
Organic products have proved to have more health benefits than their nonorganic counterparts.
Another benefit of getting coconut oil that is unrefined and cold-pressed is that there is a higher quantity of antioxidants present in the product. This is due to when coconut oil goes through a refining process or heated it loses a lot of its potency and nutrients.
Lastly, the most obvious is looking for 100% purity. The importance of this is to ensure you are getting 100% coconut oil without any other filler products/substances that could impact the health benefits of coconut oil.
A popular brand of coconut oil that fits these criteria is Island Fresh Superior Organic Virgin Coconut Oil. This coconut oil is organic, virgin, cold pressed, and supports nails, hair, and skin. Additionally, it comes in a 54-ounce container which results in about 130 servings which is much larger compared to other brands of coconut oil.
Increasing the Effectiveness of Coconut Oil
Coconut oil is a great option for toenail fungus because unlike other OTC treatments, it can be combined with other substances to increase the effectiveness.
Suggestions:
Anti-fungal foot soak – An anti-fungal foot soak is a foot soak designed specifically to stop fungus infections in its tracks. Toe Fungus Journey recommends Purely Northwest’s Tea Tree Oil Foot Soak which is constructed for athlete’s foot and toenail fungus. Just soak your feet in this solution and then apply the coconut oil after you dry your feet.
Apple cider vinegar – Apple cider vinegar is great to pair with coconut oil. It can be used for in a foot soak or can be applied directly to the toenails to increase the effectiveness of coconut oil. Just put equal parts water to apple cider vinegar, soak for 10 minutes, dry feet, and then apply coconut oil.
Essential oils – One of the most popular essential oils for toenail fungus is tea tree oil. Tea tree oil can be added to your foot soaks as well or applied directly to your nails. We recommend performing a 10-minute foot soak with warm water and a few drops of tea tree oil. Then apply the coconut oil to your nails as you normally would.