Does gentian violet work on fungi besides Candida?  I got to thinking about
the fingernail/toenail fungus that some people - including some of my
extended family - have, that supposedly can be cleared up only with many
months of systemic fungicide.  And yet... if you ask most of the medical
profession, the preferred treatment for thrush is the one that's more
complicated to use, less effective, more expensive, and requires a
prescription.  Could it be that humble gentian violet works on nails as well
and just doesn't have a good marketing plan?

As an experiment, and because I have a suspect toe myself, I've cut the nail
as shortshortshort as possible and painted with gv, and have urged my
pinky-infected nephew to consider the same.  I plan to do so daily for a few
weeks at least.  But do the wise heads of lactnet know whether this is a
silly venture, or whether the gv will indeed work if we can get it far
enough under the nail?

Diane Wiessinger, MS, IBCLC  Ithaca, NY

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