Nail fungus is medically called onychomycosis. Almost everyone comes into contact with fungal spores. It is easiest to get infected in public places: swimming pools, saunas, showers. But infection also occurs at home when using other people's towels, slippers, manicure accessories.
The skin and toenails are very susceptible to infection. Often, this disease develops in people with reduced immunity. Immunity becomes weak if a person suffers from chronic diseases, especially gastrointestinal tract, and has to treat them, is subjected to stress, and works in hazardous industries.
Fungal cause
At risk are people who take aggressive drugs for a long time, such as antibiotics.
Age-related changes in the acid-base balance of the skin, reduced blood circulation in the feet, injuries to the toes, and diabetes also create more than favorable conditions for the development of fungi in the body.
Disease progression stage
Fungus begins to develop on the skin between the toes, where small cracks appear.
Further, the infection spreads to the skin of the legs, itching, burning, throbbing, hyperemia appear. If you do not pay attention to these symptoms, then the fungus develops and eventually affects the nail plate.
External signs of foot fungus in the early stages
In the early stages of the disease, the nails do not lose their shine, retain their pink color, but yellow stripes and spots appear along the edges of the nails.
What does foot fungus look like in a damaged state?
With advanced onychomycosis at home, it is too late to treat the fungus with anything. Toenails change structure, become thick, peel, crumble, an unpleasant odor appears.
Changes in nail color and structure depend on the type of fungus that affects the nail. In very neglected conditions, the nail becomes very thick, changes shape, takes the shape of the nail, then the nail plate is destroyed. The skin is peeling, the dead layer is constantly peeling off.
Remedy for athlete's foot
Many patients ask themselves: if toenail fungus is detected, how to treat it at home, is it possible to do without removing the nail plate?After finding the first signs of fungus, you need to see a doctor to prescribe the right treatment.
Depending on the stage of the disease, topical preparations are prescribed: ointments, varnishes, solutions or tablets of complex action. However, the most important thing in the treatment of fungus is discipline, because any course of treatment lasts several weeks.
Local application
For the treatment of nail fungus, varnishes and medicinal liquids are produced:
- Lacquer from the morpholine group.
- Varnish belongs to the oxypyridones group.
- Varnish, the active ingredient is formic aldehyde and a mixture of enzyme proteins.
- Spray from the allylamines group.
- The product in the form of serum based on rye enzyme filtration is sold complete with a disposable nail file. The kit includes a diary and a template to monitor nail changes.
- Drops belonging to the group of allylamines.
- Agents from the imidazole group are available in kit form: a waterproof patch, a dispenser and a scraper are attached to the ointment.
Systemic action
Systemic drugs are taken orally. They affect the whole body, so they can only be used as prescribed by a doctor, taking into account contraindications. With onychomycosis, all drugs are taken for several months, while the nail plate changes.
- Broad spectrum drugs from the triazole group. Issued by prescription. With onychomycosis, it is taken within 3 months.
- Antibiotics from the gruzan group are not recommended by doctors in the early stages of this disease.
Traditional methods of treating foot fungus
If you have found toenail fungus, traditional medicine will tell you how to treat it at home. Folk remedies must be combined with medicines.
The treatment will give results if, before each use, the feet are steamed for 15-20 minutes in a hot bath with the addition of laundry soap or tar, salt or soda, and then remove the diseased layer of skin and nails with a nail file.
If, according to the prescription, the product must be applied to the nail with a swab or stick, then a separate swab must be used for each nail.Manicure instruments must be disinfected after each procedure.
Iodine
Iodine is the most popular folk remedy for fungus. For nail treatment, it is necessary to use a 5% iodine solution on the affected nail twice a day for a month. Contact with 5% iodine solution on the skin can cause burns.
Therefore, another common method is bathing with iodine. It is enough to drop a few drops of iodine into a bowl of hot water to color the water and hold your feet for 20 minutes. After showering, dry your feet and apply antibacterial ointment.
Important: for people with thyroid problems, iodine treatment is contraindicated!
Vinegar
Vinegar is widely available at home and is very effective in treating toenail fungus, as scientific studies show that the fungus is afraid of an acidic environment and dies quickly. In order not to treat burns, apple cider vinegar should be used, although it is less preferred than vinegar essence at a concentration of 9%.Treatment options:
- Apply vinegar to your nails, wear cotton socks and sleep.
- Pour 250 ml of vinegar into a bowl of hot water, hold for 10 minutes before going to bed, then apply the designated cream.
Ammonia
Ammonia has a disinfecting effect. Compresses are used for treatment. 1 tablespoon of ammonia dissolved in a glass of warm water.
The resulting solution is moistened with a cotton cloth, the legs are wrapped with it, a plastic bag and socks are placed on top. With this compress go to bed.
Those who are uncomfortable sleeping in socks on top of a bag can be recommended to rub a mixture of ammonia and glycerin in a ratio of 1: 1 to the affected area. The resulting mixture is applied to the nails and skin twice a day, morning and evening.
Hydrogen peroxide
Experts recommend using hydrogen peroxide in the early stages of the disease, when the fungus has not yet deeply affected the nails.
- A cotton swab moistened with a 3% peroxide solution, applied to the affected nail and kept for at least half an hour. After that, the compress is removed, the soft skin area is cut with scissors, the nail is removed with a nail file and an antifungal agent is applied.
- A very effective remedy is a paste of baking soda (2 tablespoons), table salt (1 tablespoon) and hydrogen peroxide (1 teaspoon), all mixed with 4 tablespoons of warm water. The mixture is applied to the nail, covered with a bandage. Apply twice a day for 40 minutes for a month.
Propolis
In addition to useful properties, bee glue has a pleasant aroma. People who are allergic to honey and other bee products should not use this product. For the treatment of onychomycosis, both propolis itself and a 20% tincture are used.
Propolis in its pure form is applied for half an hour to the affected nail several times a day.
Propolis tincture can be purchased at a pharmacy or made independently.
To make at home, 20 g of propolis is poured into 80 ml of alcohol and infused for 2 weeks.
The resulting tincture lubricates the skin around the affected nail, and a compress is applied to the nail itself.
If the fungus is running, then the concentration can be increased by pouring propolis with alcohol in a ratio of 1: 1.But in this case, the compress should be done only on the nails, the skin must be covered with cream to avoid burns before the procedure. Also, propolis tincture can be added to the bath where the feet are steamed before using the medicine.
Tar
Birch tar is obtained by boiling birch bark in a special boiler. To treat nail fungus at home, tar can be purchased at the pharmacy. It has an anti-inflammatory effect, healing wounds, drying the skin better than the drugs listed above.
Tar is applied to the skin and nails for two hours. The skin may be damaged, with cracks and abrasions, this is not dangerous. After two hours, the residue is removed with cotton, moisturizer is applied, after which socks are put on. The disadvantages of the product include a dark color and a strong unpleasant smell, which makes it difficult to use the product before going out.
Tar has a drying effect, so people prone to dry skin should use it with caution.In addition to pure tar, the use of tar soap gives good results.
To compress, soap is applied to the grate, mixed with water, you can also add baking soda. The resulting paste is applied to the nails, fingers are wrapped in film, socks are placed on top. After a few hours, the compress can be removed, the remains can be washed with warm water.
Lemon
Since fungus is afraid of acid, lemon is a logical solution in the treatment of fungus.
- Compressing lemon slices is the easiest way to treat fungus in its early stages. Thinly sliced fruit is applied to the nails, covered with film, put on socks and left overnight.
- A small lemon can be placed on the finger like a hat, wrapped in a bandage and left overnight.
- Freshly squeezed lemon juice can be applied to the nails in the morning and evening. It is important to remember that lemon juice is very acidic, so people with sensitive skin may experience irritation. You can also mix lemon juice with olive oil and apply this mixture on your nails.
Eggs
Raw chicken eggs are also used in the treatment of fungus. A common folk recipe is eggs dissolved in vinegar. To do this, the washed egg is poured with vinegar so that it completely covers it.
The container is covered and placed in a cool place for several days, but not in the refrigerator, until the shell is completely dissolved. This usually takes about a week. The egg film is removed from the solution, the liquid itself is mixed with fat, for example, butter.
The resulting ointment is applied to the diseased nail, wrapped in a film. A mixture of chicken protein, vinegar essence and vodka also helps well.Egg products should be stored in the refrigerator.
garlic
It is necessary to use garlic in the treatment of fungus very carefully, because garlic juice can cause burns.
In diseased areas, you can use the juice of porridge and garlic in pure form, as well as in the form of alcohol tincture and diluted with vegetable oil. For the manufacture of garlic tincture for 50 ml. vodka will need 4 cloves.
Celandine
As a systemic drug in the treatment of toenail fungus, alcoholic tincture of celandine is used. At home, alcohol tincture is prepared at the rate of one part of celandine herb per 10 parts of vodka.
It is important to remember that celandine is very poisonous, so it should be treated more carefully than other medicinal herbs.
20 drops of alcohol tincture taken orally half an hour before meals. People with bronchial asthma should not take celandine inside. Effective is the external use of celandine. Nails affected by onychomycosis can be lubricated with fresh celandine juice. At the same time, the juice should not be left on healthy skin, otherwise you can get a severe burn.
To protect against burns, you can lubricate the skin around the nails with cream. A gentler remedy is celandine oil, but it should not be used on damaged skin either. Celandine oil can be purchased at a pharmacy or prepared independently.
To do this, the stems, leaves and flowers of the collected plants are dried, placed in a glass container and poured with the same amount of warm vegetable oil. After keeping the container for a week in a dark and cool place, the oil is filtered and diluted with vegetable oil in a 1: 1 ratio.
Rowan
An effective remedy is a fresh rowan leaf compress. The leaves are washed, crushed, the resulting slurry is applied to the affected nail and covered with a bandage.
The results of such treatment will be noticeable no earlier than a month.
Tea tree oil
Essential oils are widely used for cosmetic and medicinal purposes. Tea tree oil is considered the most effective against nail fungus. You can simply rub it into the nail plate or add 15-20 drops to the bath where the feet are steamed. The best result is the use of tea tree oil in the early stages of the disease.
tea mushroom
Kombucha is a symbiosis of acetic acid bacteria and yeast. It was brought from Japan, so people call it Japanese mushroom or jellyfish mushroom. Kombucha is brewed in weakly sweet tea.
If you leave the mushrooms in the container for several weeks, they will grow, and the liquid will become carbonated and acquire a sour taste.Bacteria secrete acid and also ethyl alcohol. Therefore, kombucha is effective for treating fungus at home.
A small piece is separated from the top layer, put it on the nail, cover it with plastic wrap and sleep. In the morning, the compress is removed, the nails and soft skin are cleaned. Compressing is repeated until a healthy nail grows. You can also use kombucha, ground into a gruel, on your nails.
Golden mustache color
Golden mustache has anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties. Colored golden mustache is easy to prepare at home.
To do this, 50 plant segments are poured with 2 glasses of vodka and infused for 10 days. Apply as a compress.
Kalanchoe
The popular name of this indoor plant is home healer or flower of life. Its anti-inflammatory and wound healing properties are widely known. For the treatment of nail fungus, the skin is removed from fresh Kalanchoe leaves, applied to the nails, reinforced with adhesive tape and left overnight.
In the morning, the compress is removed, the soft area of the nail is removed with a nail file. This procedure is repeated until the nail plate is completely renewed. If a burning sensation is felt, then the compress must be removed to avoid an allergic reaction.
Lilac
Colored alcohol purple flowers, preferably white, prepared in the proportion of half a glass of flowers per glass of vodka. After 2 weeks, the tincture is ready. Rub into the nail every day until a healthy nail grows.
peppermint salt
One of the main symptoms of fungus is itching. The cooling effect of peppermint will ease the condition. A compress of chopped fresh mint leaves mixed with coarse salt helps well.
Also useful is a bath of mint leaves that are brewed, dried, with salt dissolved in the infusion. For 2 liters of infusion, you need 4 tablespoons of salt. Such a bath should be done 2 times a day.
poplar buds
Helps from poplar bud fungus color on vodka. To do this, a glass of poplar buds is poured with two glasses of vodka and infused in a dark place for 10 days. A compress from the tincture is used at night. In the morning, the soft part of the nail is cut.
Soda
Baking soda, as an alkali, does not kill the fungus, but it softens the nail plate and the skin of the feet perfectly, which allows the means used later to penetrate as deeply as possible. To do this, before using the drugs prescribed by the doctor or traditional medicine, it is necessary to make a bath from a hot soap-soda solution.
Afterwards, the softened layer of nail or skin can be removed and the medicine applied to the area. The use of soda alone does not give an effective effect.
white
Whiteness is a bleach known to housewives.The main component is chlorine. This tool is very caustic, it must be used with caution.
The room where the procedure is carried out must have good ventilation. In any case, this medicine should not be used by pregnant women and nursing mothers.
Also, do not use the medicine for asthma, allergy sufferers, and also for those whose skin around the nails is inflamed or has any damage.
The agent is applied with a cotton swab on the nail plate. The product is only used on the nails, the contact of Whiteness with the skin can cause severe chemical burns.
To protect the skin around the nails, you need to use an oily cream. The product is washed off after a few hours. Whitening is used only in the most neglected cases, when other means no longer help.
garden horseradish
Radish root has antiseptic properties. For the treatment of fungus, freshly grated horseradish root is applied to the affected skin and nails which have previously been steamed in hot water, wrapped in foil and put on stockings. Keep the compress for at least two hours.
Vodka
Most of the mentioned folk remedies are used in alcohol solution format. Ethyl alcohol has a disinfecting effect.
coffee
In addition to cosmetic effects, coffee also has a healing effect and is also used in the treatment of onychomycosis. It is necessary to brew very strong coffee and let it brew for about half an hour.
Then make a coffee bath diluted with hot water. After the skin is steamed, the affected area of the nail and skin must be removed with a nail file, and then apply the remaining coffee powder. Coffee bath strengthens nails and improves skin condition.
Official and traditional medicine offers many remedies for the treatment of fungus. To be successful, it is necessary to start acting at the first symptoms of the disease, especially if the skin and toenails are affected.
The sooner you start treatment, the better the results of treatment at home. The treatment of nail fungus requires patience and discipline, because all the drugs described must be used for several weeks, or even several months, until the nail plate changes.