Toenail fungus is an infection that can take a long time to completely treat. Alongside other skin infections, toenail fungus can spread to all your toes if you don’t seek treatment quickly.
There are many options for treating toenail fungus, which include using anti-fungal oral medication, topical solutions, and laser ablation. You can opt for surgical removal of toenail fungus if the infection is severe and unresponsive to the aforementioned treatment options.
You are reading: Colloidal Silver for Toenail Fungus
The wide variety of treatment options and products available both in pharmacies and online stores makes it hard for one to determine which treatment works and those that don’t. Colloidal silver is gaining traction as an effective treatment option for toenail fungus. Read on to know more about colloidal silver and toenail fungus.
Colloidal Silver
Colloidal silver refers to the tiny silver particles suspended in a colloidal base. The silver particles are as small as 100nm in size meaning that you can’t remove them using a normal filtering process. Due to their small size, these silver particles are also known as “nanoparticles” and are invisible to the naked eye.
This preparation was a popular traditional form of treatment due to its antifungal, antibacterial, and antiviral properties. Many used it as an all-purpose source of treatment for different illnesses and infections. In recent days, colloidal silver has seen its popularity grow as people use it in treating stubborn fungal infections.
How Effective is Colloidal Silver in treating Toenail Fungus?
A 2008 study carried out by the Kyungpook National University of Daegu’s Department of Microbiology in Korea confirms that colloidal silver can treat toenail fungus. The study, published in the Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology demonstrates the effectiveness of colloidal silver as a treatment solution against fungal pathogens.
The authors of this study claim that colloidal silver’s antifungal properties make it very powerful in treating fungal infections. Besides, it has minor side effects and allergies since it’s 100% natural.
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The study came to this conclusion after focusing primarily on Candida and Trichophyton, two of the most common pathogens that cause fungal infections. The study also confirms that one can use colloidal silver to treat a wide variety of fungal infections such as athlete’s foot.
When compared to other treatment options for toenail fungus, the study found that colloidal silver is equally effective. The study also found that this treatment solution is more powerful than some popular antifungal drugs. Therefore, those affected by toenail fungus can use colloidal silver to treat toenail fungus.
Proper Use of Colloidal Silver on Toenails
Now that you’re aware that colloidal silver is more powerful than other commonly prescribed antifungal drugs, it’s important to know how to properly use it. There are several methods that one can use to treat toenail fungus using colloidal silver. The most popular method is soaking your feet in warm water mixed with colloidal silver for 20-30 minutes daily.
Alternative Treatment
If you’re on a tight budget, you’ll have to directly apply the colloidal silver on the toenails with the fungal infection. To ensure that this method produces optimal results soak your trimmed nails in warm Epsom saltwater. You also need to have filed your nails down.
Soak a cotton ball in colloidal silver once you’ve filed and cleaned your nails. You should repeat this process for every infected toenail. It’s vital to wear a surgical glove when placing the soaked cotton balls over the infected nails. Secure each cotton ball with a bandage.
You should leave the bandage and cotton ball overnight then clean off the toenails when you get out of bed. Repeating this treatment for several weeks while trimming the infected nails will produce optimal results. Toenails don’t grow very fast, so you’ll have to be patient after trimming.
To ensure that both these methods of treating toenail fungus will be effective, you’ll have to be consistent. Use the recommended treatment method for at least a month. However, you should note that visible results may take longer since a healthy toenail will take time to grow back.
What You Need to Know Before Using Colloidal Silver
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Using the traditional method of soaking infected feet in a solution of warm water and colloidal silver will be costlier than the alternative treatment. This is mainly because you’ll use more colloidal silver to make the treatment solution. The alternative treatment is less costly since you’ll use less colloidal silver.
You also don’t have to worry about this treatment option interacting with other medications. Colloidal silver is a topical treatment that doesn’t interfere with other medications you’re taking.
Individuals with pre-existing conditions such as diabetes or chronic liver disease can use it comfortably. Nonetheless, it’s advisable to consult a dermatologist or doctor before using this solution to treat any infections.
Downsides of Using Colloidal Silver
Besides the traditional method being more costly, there are other downsides of using colloidal silver. One shouldn’t take this treatment solution orally since there’s no resulting benefit to the body. There’s literature that suggests people take colloidal silver orally.
There are serious side effects that are common when taking colloidal silver. Using colloidal silver can cause the skin to develop a permanent blue-gray discoloration known as argyria. This condition occurs when one takes silver orally leading to its build up in the body. You only need to apply this topical solution if you’re battling toenail fungus.
Verdict
Studies show that colloidal silver is an effective topical solution in the treatment of toenail fungus, a stubborn infection to the nails. Treating this infection with colloidal silver removes the fungus from the infected nail and allows the healthy nail to grow back. The treatment lasts for approximately a month and ensures that the infection goes away quickly.
Moreover, colloidal silver doesn’t interact with any other medications making it suitable for use by people with pre-existing conditions such as diabetes and chronic liver disease. However, it’s not advisable to take it orally since it can lead to argyria. You need to speak to your dermatologist or physician before using this treatment option.
Source: https://ecis2016.org
Category: Scientific Information
