Disclaimer: None of the information in this article constitutes medical advice, and is just the opinion of the writer(s). We recommend that patients follow their doctor’s guidance in regard to antifungals.
Crystal Flush is a two-part system used to treat toe fungus, that includes a topical treatment and a dietary supplement. The brand claims that “In as little as 21 days, Crystal Flush helps restore the healthy and strong toenails of your youth.”
But can an oral supplement really treat toenail fungus? Does the topical Crystal Flush treatment contain research-backed ingredients? Does it contain any unhealthy ingredients? And how does it compare to other popular anti-fungal supplements like Fungus Eliminator?
In this article we’ll answer all of these questions and more, as we analyze the ingredients in Crystal Flush to give our take on whether or not the supplement is likely to be effective for treating toe fungus, and whether or not it's healthy.
We'll also discuss the risk of side effects, and compare Crystal Flush to other popular anti-fungal supplements.
Key takeaways:
- Anti-Fungal Formula contains FDA-approved active ingredient
- Dietary supplement (Balance) has some potentially-effective ingredients
- We currently recommend Crystal Flush Anti-Fungal Formula
Anti-Fungal Formula Ingredient Analysis
The active ingredient in Crystal Flush Anti-Fungal Formula (which is a topical serum) is shown below:
Tolnaftate is an FDA-approved antifungal agent that’s been clinically shown to be effective.
A clinical trial published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal found that 82.7% of patients using tolnaftate at the same concentration as in Crystal Flush experienced “clearing or great improvement” of their fungal lesions.
The inactive ingredients in this serum are shown below:
Lavender oil was shown in a 2005 clinical trial to “reduce fungal progression.”
Tea tree oil is highly effective against fungus when applied topically, as we documented in our Fungus Clear reviews article.
Neem was shown to be effective against four types of fungus in a clinical trial published in the Brazilian Journal of Microbiology.
Overall, we consider this product likely to be effective for reducing fungus levels.
There are no ingredients in this topical serum that we consider to be unhealthy, although we'd prefer if the essential oils were listed with a concentration, because high concentrations of essential oil can irritate the skin.
Crystal Flush Balance Ingredient Analysis
The ingredients in Crystal Flush Balance, which is a dietary supplement, are shown below:
There are some ingredients in this formulation with antifungal effects.
Oregano has been shown to reduce levels of a fungus called Candida albicans in a clinical trial published in the Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry journal.
However, oregano essential oil was used in the trial, which is more concentrated than oregano leaf powder (the format used in this supplement).
Caprylic acid was shown to be an effective antifungal when combined with botanical ingredients in a 2019 clinical trial.
This was an in vitro (test tube) study, which is a weaker standard of evidence than trials with human participants.
Probiotics can support gut health, as we documented in our Synogut reviews article, and a more resilient gut microbiome may prevent future fungal infections.
However, we can’t find any clinical evidence that the probiotic in this supplement directly reduces skin fungus.
Anise has proven antifungal effects, although a 2012 medical review reports that “anise essential oil exhibited stronger antifungal activities rather than its extract,” and the essential oil format is not used in Balance.
We want to be clear: we do not recommend ingesting any essential oils without the approval of a doctor, as there can be significant health risks; we’re just reporting on the comparative results from this medical review.
Overall, we consider Balance to be potentially effective as an oral antifungal agent.
There are no ingredients in this formulation that we consider to be unhealthy.
Can You Treat Toenail Fungus at Home?
A YouTube video from popular health influencer Dr. Mandell claims that you can cure toenail fungus at home for pennies a day:
Does Crystal Flush Cause Side Effects?
Crystal Flush doesn’t appear to have been studied in any clinical trials, which makes it challenging to say for certain whether or not it will cause side effects.
However, we can make an educated guess based on the ingredients used.
Tolnaftate (the active ingredient in the topical formulation of Crystal Flush) appears to be a very safe antifungal.
We can’t locate any clinical evidence that it causes side effects when used at a 1% concentration.
Because there are no questionable additives in this product and its active ingredient appears safe, we consider Crystal Flush unlikely to cause side effects in healthy adults.
Our only concern in regard to side effects is that the essential oil concentration is not published, and high concentrations of essential oils can cause irritation when used topically, according to a 2021 medical review.
This suggests that consumers with very sensitive skin may wish to avoid this product.
We hope that in the future, Crystal Flush publishes the concentration for all essential oil ingredients.
Crystal Flush vs. Popular Antifungal Supplements
Here's how Crystal Flush compares to other popular anti-fungal supplements, in terms of potential effectiveness and healthiness, in our opinion:
Fungus Eliminator
Oral supplement with no active ingredients we can find research backing for at their stated doses.
Contains an active ingredient that's clinically shown to be neurotoxic.
Winner: Crystal Flush
Jublia
This brand sells an FDA-approved, prescription anti-fungal cream.
It's clinically proven to be effective in multiple trials published in peer-reviewed journals (as we documented in our Jublia review article), making it a more legitimate option than Crystal Flush.
Winner: Jublia
Kerassentials
Like Crystal Flush, this brand uses research-backed, botanically-derived active ingredients, and no unhealthy additives.
Lacks the FDA-approved active ingredient that Crystal Flush contains, so we'll give Crystal Flush a slight edge in regard to potential efficacy.
Winner: Crystal Flush
Our Clean Antifungal Picks
Performance Lab MCT Oil is our top oral antifungal pick.
Medium chain triglyceride (MCT) oil was shown in a clinical trial published in the Nutrients journal to be a "therapeutic intervention for reducing fungal colonization."
Dr. Bronner's Organic Coconut Oil is our topical anti-fungal pick.
A medical review concluded that "coconut oil should be used in the treatment of fungal infections in view of emerging drug-resistant Candida species."
Both of the products recommended in this section are free of ingredients we consider to be unhealthy.
Crystal Flush Pros and Cons
Here are the pros and cons of Crystal Flush in our opinion:
Pros:
- Research-backed active ingredients
- Non-toxic inactive ingredients
- Topical product contains FDA-approved active ingredient
- Should reduce toe fungus
- Better-than-average anti-fungal brand
- Free shipping from brand's website
Cons:
- Oral supplement has questionable efficacy
- Essential oil concentrations not published
- Mediocre Amazon reviews
- Can’t purchase individual products on brand website
