Posted on by Catherine Omondi

The most effective toenail fungus treatment products usually contain powerful antifungal ingredients. For example, Herbiar’s formula uses undecylenic acid, a potent ingredient that fights fungal infections. But here’s the thing: it’s not just about the main ingredient. Many of the best treatments also include natural ingredients and essential oils that help make the antifungal action even more powerful.

Herbiar combines its main ingredient with several natural oils, including Citronella, Lavender, Tea Tree Oil, Sweet Almond, Jojoba, Clove Bud, and oil-based Vitamin E. Each oil adds unique benefits, making the overall treatment more effective. Let’s explore why these natural oils are included in toenail fungus treatments, how they work, and the extra benefits they provide when paired with traditional antifungal ingredients.

Citronella Oil

Citronella oil might sound familiar because it’s often used in candles and sprays to keep bugs away. However, it’s also a powerful natural remedy for toenail fungus. This essential oil is extracted from the leaves and stems of lemongrass, giving it a fresh, lemony scent. Citronella oil is powerful because of its potent antifungal and antibacterial properties, thanks to compounds like citronellal and geraniol. These compounds are excellent at stopping the growth of fungi, including the types that cause toenail infections.

How Does Citronella Oil Help?

    1. Antimicrobial Boost

One of the essential benefits of citronella oil is its ability to enhance the effects of regular antifungal treatments. It breaks down the fungal cell membrane, which serves as a protective barrier for the fungus. By weakening this barrier, citronella oil helps the main antifungal ingredients penetrate deeper into the nail, making it easier to kill the fungus.

    2. Deodorizing Properties

Toenail fungus can cause a foul odor, which can be embarrassing and uncomfortable. The fresh, citrusy smell of citronella oil not only masks unpleasant odors but also helps eliminate them by reducing the bacteria contributing to the bad smell. This way, it leaves your feet smelling clean and fresh.

Lavender Oil

Lavender oil is one of the most popular essential oils, mainly because of its calming and soothing effects. You’ve probably heard of people using it to help improve sleep or reduce stress. But did you know it can also help treat toenail fungus? Lavender oil contains an active compound called linalool, which has strong antifungal properties. This means it can fight off the fungi that cause infections.

How Does Lavender Oil Help?

    1. Enhanced Healing

Toenail fungus can cause a lot of discomfort, including pain, redness, and swelling around the nail. Lavender oil can help reduce these symptoms. Its soothing properties calm the inflamed skin, making the area feel less irritated. By reducing inflammation, lavender oil helps speed up the healing process, allowing the nail to recover more quickly.

    2. Boosts the Effectiveness of Other Treatments

Lavender oil doesn’t just work alone. It pairs well with other treatments for toenail fungus. When used together with pharmaceutical antifungals, it can help these medications penetrate deeper into the infected nail. This makes the treatment more effective, as the active ingredients can reach the fungus hiding under the nail.

Tea Tree Oil

Tea tree oil is a popular essential oil often used to treat various skin problems. You may have seen it in products like acne creams or shampoos for dandruff. This oil is famous for its strong antiseptic, antifungal, and anti-inflammatory properties. One of the main components of tea tree oil is terpinene-4-ol, a compound that can break down the cell walls of fungi, making it harder for them to survive.

How Does Tea Tree Oil Help?

    1. Fungal Fighter

Tea tree oil is especially effective against dermatophytes, the type of fungi that commonly cause toenail infections. It weakens the fungal cell walls, which serve as a protective shield for the fungus. By breaking down this barrier, tea tree oil makes it easier for antifungal treatments to get into the nail and kill off the infection. This is why it’s often included in toenail fungus remedies as a helpful booster.

    2. Pain Relief

Toenail fungus doesn’t just look unpleasant—it can also be painful. The infection can cause swelling, redness, and discomfort around the nail. Tea tree oil’s anti-inflammatory properties help reduce these symptoms. It soothes the irritated area, which can help ease pain and make your toes feel more comfortable as they heal.

Sweet Almond Oil

Sweet almond oil is a gentle and versatile oil often used in skincare. You might see it as an ingredient in lotions or massage oils because it feels light and absorbs quickly into the skin. In toenail fungus treatments, sweet almond oil mainly acts as a carrier oil, which means it helps deliver other essential oils and antifungal ingredients deeper into the skin and nails. But it also brings some of its own benefits to the table.

How Does Sweet Almond Oil Help?

    1. Improved Absorption

One of the essential benefits of sweet almond oil is its ability to moisturize the skin and nails. When the skin is well-hydrated, it becomes softer, which helps other antifungal ingredients penetrate deeper. This means that the treatment can reach the fungus more effectively, making it easier to eradicate the infection.

    2. Barrier Protection

Sweet almond oil also helps by creating a thin, protective layer over the skin and nails. This barrier locks in moisture, keeping the area hydrated and healthy. Doing so makes the nail environment less inviting for fungi to grow since dry and cracked skin can often make it easier for infections to take hold.

Jojoba Oil

Jojoba oil is a type of oil that comes from the seeds of the jojoba plant. Even though we call it oil, it’s liquid wax. What’s interesting about jojoba oil is that it’s very similar to the natural oils found in our skin, making it an excellent choice for skincare and nail treatments. It’s packed with vitamins like Vitamin E and B-complex, known for their nourishing and healing properties.

How Does Jojoba Oil Help?

    1. Deep Penetration

One of the standout features of jojoba oil is its ability to sink deeply into the skin and nails. Unlike some oils that stay on the surface, jojoba oil can penetrate through the outer layers, carrying antifungal ingredients. This helps the active ingredients reach the fungus hiding beneath the nail, making the treatment more effective.

    2. Nourishing and Healing

Toenail fungus can make nails thick, rough, and brittle. Jojoba oil’s moisturizing properties help soften the nail and the skin around it. By keeping the area hydrated, it prevents cracking and peeling, which can make infections worse. It also helps improve the overall health of the nail, making it stronger and less likely to get reinfected.

Clove Bud Oil

Clove bud oil is a potent, spicy-scented essential oil used for centuries in traditional medicine. One of its main ingredients is eugenol, a natural compound known for its powerful antifungal and antiseptic properties. Eugenol has been widely studied for its ability to fight off different fungi, including those that cause toenail infections.

How Does Clove Bud Oil Help?

    1. Direct Antifungal Action

Clove bud oil works directly against the fungus by breaking down its protective cell walls. Imagine the cell wall as a shield that protects the fungus. When this shield is weakened by clove bud oil, the fungus becomes more vulnerable. This makes it easier for pharmaceutical antifungal treatments to penetrate and kill the fungus hiding in the nail.

    2. Pain Relief

Toenail fungus can be painful, especially if it causes swelling or pressure under the nail. Clove bud oil has a mild numbing effect, which can help reduce pain and discomfort. This makes it a great addition to treatments, as it helps fight the infection and soothes the painful symptoms.

Oil-Based Vitamin E

Vitamin E is a well-known nutrient often used in skincare because of its powerful antioxidant properties. It’s even better for our skin and nails in an oil-based form since it can easily absorb and deliver its benefits right where needed. Vitamin E helps protect our cells from damage and keeps nails and the skin around them healthy.

How Does Oil-Based Vitamin E Help?

    1. Nail Repair

Toenail fungus can leave your nails looking brittle, cracked, and unhealthy. Vitamin E helps by nourishing the nail cells and promoting their repair. It moisturizes and strengthens the nails, making them less likely to break or peel. This helps support healthier nail growth as the infection clears up.

    2. Antioxidant Protection

Fungal infections can cause inflammation and damage to the nails over time. Vitamin E acts as an antioxidant, which means it helps protect the nails from oxidative stress—basically, the wear and tear caused by free radicals. This reduces inflammation and helps the nails heal faster, giving them a better chance to grow back stronger.

How Essential Oils Work with Pharmaceutical Ingredients to Fight Toenail Fungus

Pharmaceutical treatments are strong medications that target fungus-causing toenail infections. While these nail fungus treatments are effective, they can sometimes take a long time to show visible results. This is where essential oils and natural ingredients come in handy. By combining them with pharmaceutical treatments, you can boost the effectiveness of the treatment. Here’s how:

    1. Enhanced Penetration

Carrier oils such as sweet almond and jojoba oil deliver medication deep into the nail bed. The fungus often hides beneath the thick nail surface, making it hard for treatments to reach. These oils help soften the nail and skin, allowing the antifungal ingredients to penetrate more deeply, getting right to the source of the infection.

    2. Synergistic Effects

Essential oils like tea tree, lavender, and clove bud have antifungal properties. When you use them alongside pharmaceutical ingredients, they fight the fungus from multiple angles. Think of it like a team effort—while the medicine attacks the fungus directly, the essential oils weaken it and help clear it out faster.

    3. Reduced Inflammation

Toenail fungus can cause redness, swelling, and pain, making the affected area sore and uncomfortable. Natural ingredients like lavender and tea tree oil help soothe the skin, reducing inflammation. This makes the infected area feel less irritated and provides some relief while the treatment does its job.

    4. Moisturizing and Repairing

Sweet almond and Vitamin E nourish and repair the nails and surrounding skin. Toenail fungus can make nails brittle and dry. By moisturizing and strengthening the area, these oils speed up the healing process and help prevent the infection from coming back.

Conclusion

Natural ingredients and essential oils are strong allies in the fight against toenail fungus. While pharmaceutical toenail fungus treatments are great at targeting the infection, adding essential oils like tea tree, lavender, and clove bud can boost their effectiveness. These oils help the medications reach deeper into the nail, fight the fungus from different angles, and soothe irritated skin. This multi-faceted approach is why many companies include essential oils in their antifungal products.

Using these natural ingredients makes it easier to achieve healthy, fungus-free nails. They help eradicate the infection and nourish and repair the nail, making it look better as it heals. Combining traditional treatments with essential oils gives you a better chance of beating toenail fungus permanently.