Early research suggests the treatment may be helpful in treating fungal nail infections, but there’s currently not enough evidence to recommend it as a routine treatment. Essential oils – prospective candidates for antifungal treatment? https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10412905.2019.1604437 Many people develop a fungal nail infection at some point in their life. It’s not usually serious, but can be unpleasant and difficult to treat. Laser treatment is a possible option if you have a fungal nail infection that’s particularly stubborn. The laser emits high doses of light energy, which are used to destroy the fungus. Due to legal regulations, we are restricted in our statements regarding the effects of certain ingredients in our products.

Treatment may also be unnecessary in mild cases of fungal nail infection. It’s also unlikely to cause any further problems so you may feel it’s not worth treating. Antibacterial Effect of Aloe vera (Aloe barbadensis) leaf gel against Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31391416/ Most fungal nail infections occur as a result of the fungi that cause athlete’s foot infecting the nails. A Review on Antifungal Efficiency of Plant Extracts Entrenched Polysaccharide-Based Nanohydrogels. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8232670/ Treatment kits are available from pharmacies that contain a 40% urea paste, plasters and a scraping device. The paste softens the infected parts of the nail, allowing them to be scraped away so they can be gradually replaced with healthy nail.For more severe or troublesome fungal nail infections, antifungal medication may be recommended. Antifungal medication A fungal nail infection is unlikely to get better without treatment. However, if you’re not bothered by it you might decide it’s not worth treating because treatment: The effect of Aloe vera ethanol extract on the growth inhibition of Candida albicans. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32662608/ A small sample of the infected nail may need to be taken and sent off for testing before treatment starts, to confirm that you do have a fungal infection. A procedure to remove affected nails completely isn’t usually necessary, but may be recommended if the infection is severe or painful and other treatments haven’t helped.

As it can take a long time for antifungal medication to work, some people may prefer to use a treatment that involves softening and removing infected parts of nail over a few weeks. If the treatment is working, you should see a new healthy nail start to grow from the base of nail over the course of a few months. The old infected nail should begin to grow out and can be gradually clipped away. Antimicrobial Properties of Plant Essential Oils against Human Pathogens and Their Mode of Action: An Updated Review. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5206475/ If you want to try laser treatment, you’ll have to pay for it privately because it’s not available on the NHS. Be aware that the treatment may need to be repeated several times for up to a year, so it could get very expensive. How to prevent fungal nail infectionsOnce no more infected parts of the nail can be removed, ask your pharmacist for antifungal nail paint to prevent re-infection as the nail regrows over the next few months. Removing the nail Keep using the treatment until your GP says you can stop. Stopping too early could result in the infection returning. Softening and scraping away the nail These fungi often live harmlessly on your skin, but they can sometimes multiply and lead to infections. The fungi prefer warm, dark and moist places like the feet.

Melaleuca alternifolia (Tea Tree) oil: a review of antimicrobial and other medicinal properties. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16418522/