Foot fungus may be relatively common, but that doesn’t mean that it’s easy to live with. If you have a yellow toenail, even if you don’t wear sandals or go out in bare feet, you may want to do something about it immediately. If you’ve seen tea tree oil pop up as a potential solution, we’ll look at how people use it and whether it works.

Why Tea Tree Oil?

Tea tree oil is naturally antifungal and antiseptic. It’s made by harvesting, distilling, and condensing the tea tree oil leaves before separating out the oil. Some people claim that this oil can promote healing of a yellow toenail in Austin, TX, which could help you clear up a thickening yellow toenail.

How Do You Apply Tea Tree Oil?

Most people will put just a drop or two of tea tree oil into another oil, like coconut or oil, and then apply the solution on top of the toenail and to the surrounding skin. For best results, you should apply it at least twice a day. You could also soak your feet in a baking soda solution to make it easier for the oil to soak into the infection.

What Are the Side Effects of Tea Tree Oil?

In general, the side effects of this process are either nonexistent or mild. Your skin may turn red or become slightly itchy.

Does Tea Tree Oil Work?

It’s hard to say whether tea tree oil works, as the body of official evidence is rare. Some people may attribute their healing to tea tree oil when it was really their body’s natural defenses. If you do decide to try this method, you should give it at least 14 days to decide whether or not it worked.

Visit a Podiatrist in Austin, TX

In general, toenail fungus is not a severe medical problem. Even if the tea tree oil doesn’t work, it’s not likely to affect your overall health. However, if the toenail does continue to thicken and discolor over time or if there’s no improvement with your home remedies, it’s time to visit a podiatrist in Austin, TX who can develop a targeted treatment plan to keep your feet healthy.