Nail fungus is a common problem and millions of people worldwide have been affected by this condition.

Nail fungus is caused by fungal infections near the nail in the hand or foot. The factors which cause this are fungus spores, attaching themselves to the keratin cells which make up the nails.

The diagnosis of fungal nail infections is usually made by a physician through microscopic identification of fungi in nail scrapings. This also rules out the presence of other nail diseases.

Nail fungus is notoriously difficult to cure and it takes a long time - 6 to 12 months - for new nails to grow that are free from infection. The fungus may return, but there is the possibility the new nails may be free of infection.

There are many different types of treatments for nail fungus and toenail fungus. You can use various creams, ointments or solutions and prescribed systemic antifungal medicines which can limit and contain the spread of the disease.

Some commercial treatments such as Lamisil tablets or ClearZal have been proven to help clear nail fungus quickly. Both of these treatments can be bought over the internet or from local supermarkets.

However, some people prefer home remedies because they are in-expensive and do not cause any side effects.

A common home remedy is the daily soaking of the affected nail in a solution that will kill the fungus. Common soaking solutions include dilute chlorine bleach, household vinegar, and hydrogen peroxide or Listerine mouthwash.

These solutions should kill the fungus and your nails should heal over time. For maximum effect, this solution should be applied daily.

Another method is to mix vinegar, tea tree oil, colloidal silver and Vicks vapor rub until they merge into a smooth ointment.

Make sure you nails are clean and apply this ointment to the top of your affected nail. The best time to do this is after a bath or before you go to sleep at night. Continue to do this daily and you should see an improvement in your condition.

The main ingredient in this ointment, tea tree oil, is an extract of the leaves and stems from the tea tree and has been scientifically proven to contain anti-fungal properties.

These home remedies are very easy and in-expensive to try. These methods are effective and have been used to treat nail fungus for many years as natural home remedies.