Tea tree oil is considered to be an excellent treatment for toenail fungus and other fungal infections. This oil is made from an Australian tree known scientifically as Melaleuca Alternafolia which contains a substance called terpinen-4- ol which kills bacteria, fungus, virus and yeast. It being so effective is recommended by doctors too.
Causes of toenail fungus:
When exposed to damp conditions for longer periods our toe nails becomes exposed to fungus. It is more prevalent in people who swim in public pools regularly.
Even when we wear shoes or nylon socks which prevent ventilation our feet tend to sweat and skin near the nails remains damp which is a suitable place for the fungus to grow and triggers infections to cultivate. This fungus gets under your nail and starts budding rapidly. It can also be due to other causes like presence of condition in family history, heavy perspiration, previous injury to the nail etc.
It causes the toenails to discolor, thicken and sometimes even get deformed. Immediate treatment is to be taken before the problem gets too serious since once the infection starts it keeps spreading from one nail to another.
Tea tree oil for toe nail fungus
There are different ways in which Tea Tree oil is supposed to be mixed with other ingredients depending on the extent and type of infection one is suffering from. These remedies have no scientific proof of effectiveness but they are approved by the home remedy treatment associations.
One of the basic formulas is to mix it with thyme oil and eucalyptus oil in equal quantities . This will eliminate the growth of fungus in that area and the infection will then gradually start healing.
Mixing it with Vaseline , Vicks VapoRub, DMSO (dimethyl sulfoxide), apple cider vinega r etc is also proven to be very effective.
Tea tree oil with lavender soaked in water with a cup of apple cider vinegar is also known to work well on toe nail fungus . Lavender oil alone with tea tree oil when mixed in equal quantities works wonders for toe nail fungus .
Best apply tea tree oil directly on toe nail fungus with a Q-tip and see the difference with regular application .
Grape seed along with tea tree oil or a mixture of oregano oil, olive oil and tea tree oil is also very effective in treating toe nail fungus .
Why select tea tree oil for toe nail fungus treatment?
Tea tree oil has antibacterial and antifungal properties to cure ailments. Though the healing with tea oil takes place at a slower rate than the medicines. But medicines have a great amount of side effects like vomiting, dizziness; nausea etc. 
Tree oil is considered to be very effective because of its ability to penetrate through the thick layer of the toe nail which is difficult for other medicines to do. This is also the reason why the healing takes long.
How to apply
You should apply this oil with the help of cotton wool swabs in all the infected areas at least twice a day till all the symptoms are gone. Keep applying the oil for some time even after it has healed properly to avoid its reoccurring. Try applying the oil after taking a shower, as the oil is absorbed by the nails and it is best if they are properly clean.
If the infection is not too serious then you can take warm water and put the oil in it and soak your feet in it for about 15-20 minutes. At times you can even use a soft tooth brush to apply the oil.
Later the dead nail is supposed to be removed but if that is not possible medical syringes are used to do it.
Precautions while using tea tree oil for toe nail fungus
Being toxic in nature the oil should never be ingested and is strictly a tropical treatment. If the medicine reacts, the use should immediately be stopped. The infected area should be washed properly if the medicine is still on the nails. Special care should be taken by people suffering from eczema , as the oil might not suit your skin and cause irritation.
People suffering from toe nail infection if also are diabetic are at a more serious risk, as there immune system is weak and can cause their blood circulation to become impaired.
Before using this oil, it is recommended to visit your doctor once for the proper diagnoses. Similar symptoms could be of another problem too like injury, skin conditions or anything else. Generally the nail sample is sent for detection and then it is properly diagnosed, so until the doctor does not detect it to be a fungal infection it is advised not start with any treatment.