Listerine for toenail fungus? There’s a lot of buzz on the net that recommends soaking your feet in Listerine to rid them of toenail fungal infection. The truth is that this may work for you. But it may not be for the reasons stated. Unfortunately, most people writing about it on the net quote a source (there are so many, I can’t tell who originated it) that says it’s the antiseptic quality of Listerine that kills the fungus. Actually, it’s the thymol.

Thymol is the active ingredient that cures the fungal infection. The fungus isn’t on the surface of the nail, it’s deep in the nail bed so just applying topical fungus-killing preparations won’t work. Thymol is also present in Vick’s VapoRub which can be applied under the nail with a Q-tip.

But if you don’t want to go around smelling like VapoRub all day and if the expense of twice daily Listerine foot baths would seriously dent your wallet, why not just buy concentrated Thymol? A small bottle of Thymol can be found available on the net for about $15.

Toenail growth takes time so don’t be discouraged when the effects are slow to show. Infected toenails are often thick, yellowed or discolored with black lines and spots. These nails take time to grow out. Keep up daily use of the thymol and within 6 to 12 months you will have healthy, normal-looking toenails.

There are scientists in all fields, we know that, but did you know there are scientists out there studying what makes fingernails hard or soft?

According to researchers at the University of Manchester, our nails are at their strongest when at a humidity of 60%, the natural humidiy of the nail bed. When the humidity is lower, nails become brittle, too high - such as when you have your hands in hot water - and they become soft and bend easily.

Nails are made up of three layers, the middle layer protects the inner layer from breaking towards the quick. At humidities higher or lower than 60%, these layers change and lose their protective qualities.

Hard as Nails!

Carpenters’ nails are made of steel for strength. Fingernails on the other hand (forgive the pun) are not made of steel but it would be nice if they were. We would spend a lot less time repairing split and torn nails.

L’Oreal may have invented the next best thing to nails of steel with their Steel Colour nail polish. The formula contains what they call “steel elements” to help strengthen and harden nails as well as provide long-lasting color.

What I did notice about the ingredients is that there are a few toxic chemicals missing that are often found in nail polish. There is no formaldehyde in this nail polish. Toluene, another dangerous chemical often found in nail polish, is also missing from the ingredient list. The plasticizer, dibutyl pthalate is not listed as an ingredient. DBP has been found to have damaging effects on unborn male babies.

Less importantly health-wise but still handy is the bottle’s chunky shape. Delicate, fluted bottles are much too easily knocked over and spilled. I like a bottle that has stability, especially with something as permanently staining as nail polish.

There are 23 shades available. The colors are rich and the shine factor is not bad. As for hardening and strengthening nails, only time will tell if it will give me nails of steel.

Who do you think would have the most germs under their fingernails?

a. Someone with long nails
b. Someone with short nails
c. Nail biters

Surprisingly, the answer is b.

You might think that long nails afford the most area for germs or that nailbiters might have germs transferred to the nail from the mouth, but the germ count on both was lower than short nails. Short cropped nails harbor the most germs, long nails harbor much fewer but nailbiters have the fewest of all.

A student at Academic Magnet High School, Jamie Yohn, mentored by faculty members at the Medical University of South Carolina, gathered samples from 30 fellow students for a science fair project. She also surveyed the participants on their hygiene habits. As you might expect, the students who washed their hands frequently had the fewest germs. The most common organism found under nails was staphylococcus.

Andrew Annand, D.O., medical director of Kidney and Pancreas Transplantation at MUSC, said that nail biters may have had the fewest germs under their nails, but that may be because they are simply ingesting them instead. That means that no one is recommending that people bite their nails as a hygiene measure.

Whether your nails are long or short, wash hands frequently and use a hand sanitizer when you can’t access soap and water. Remember that your hands come into contact with dozens of surfaces in the course of a day and you don’t know what organisms may be lingering on your hands from that contact. Above all, never bite nails - you don’t know what germs you may be ingesting.

Nail-biters May Have ‘cleaner’ Nails, But Ingest More Germs