Treatment of toenail fungus with folk remedies is effective in the early stages of the disease. With more advanced forms, it is better to seek advice from an expert.
the best remedy for toenail fungus
Some people know that with the help of vinegar you can solve a medical problem that is quite difficult to get rid of nail fungus. With the availability of table vinegar (9%acid solution), as well as vinegar essence (70%acid solution) available in hardware stores or markets, there are many ways to treat toe fungus with this product.
Of course, self-treatment with vinegar should be carried out only if the disease does not enter into an advanced form, and it is advisable to combine it with specially designed drugs. However, when there is an urgent need to treat nail fungus, and there is no money and time to visit a doctor, and no medical therapy, it is possible to use vinegar yourself, as long as you follow the appropriate safety rules.
Characteristics of the use of vinegar for the treatment of fungi
The main effect of the use of vinegar is to create an acidic environment in the area of fungal infection, which inhibits the growth of hyphae and the spread of spores. Gradually, the fungus, left without access to new nutrient sources, dies, and the absence of more resistant spores prevents the possibility of the disease recurring.
At first glance, everything is very simple - how to destroy bacteria with antiseptics. But in fact, the fungus turns out to be very strong, because its body is not located on the surface of the nail or skin, but goes into the thickness of the tissue. In this case, a positive result from the treatment of oncomycosis should be expected only in the case of strict procedural regularity, which will not leave the parasite time for recovery and penetration under the skin.
Before treating nail fungus, make sure the concentration of acetic acid used matches that indicated in the recipe. If the recipe contains a mention of the essence of vinegar, then it means a 70% solution that must be dissolved or used according to the directions. Food or table vinegar, respectively, contains 6 and 9% acid. Ignoring these data can lead to the fact that treatment will end with chemical combustion.
Vinegar bath
Warm foot baths are considered an effective remedy against fungus, regular use allows you to get rid of onychomycosis at an early stage without additional medication. Also, a vinegar bath is an excellent prevention of fungal infections. This procedure requires warm, about 50 ° C, water and a glass of table vinegar concentration of 9%. The water level in the basin should not be high, but only up to the ankles. The legs are dipped in the solution and kept there for 15 minutes.
Before a vinegar bath, it is desirable to carry out a complete pedicure procedure, including removal of the affected area on the nail plate and layers of dead skin, calluses and corns on the feet, but without applying a decorative coating on the nails. If you cut and file your own nails, then you need to do it with caution, as micro damage to the skin can contribute to the spread of fungal infections.
Immediately after the vinegar bath, dry the feet with a towel and wear cotton socks. Repeat three times a week.
Acetic lotion
Lotion on the affected area of the fungus is best done after a vinegar bath. For this, both pharmaceutical products and 9% pure vinegar are suitable, in which a cotton pad is moistened and applied on the nail for fifteen minutes.
More complex recipes: a mixture of vodka or medical alcohol of forty degrees, glycerin and 70% acetic acid in equal proportions, mix until smooth. A cotton swab moistened with the solution is kept for fifteen minutes on the affected area, after which cotton socks are worn. The course of treatment is a week, if necessary, can be repeated after a few days.
ointment
Vinegar -based ointments are stored for a long time, they are easier to use than liquid consistent products. To prepare acetic ointment, you need to take 70%acetic acid, dimethyl phthalate, glycerin and olive oil in a ratio of 2: 1: 1: 1, respectively. After mixing all the ingredients thoroughly, the ointment is ready for use.
To prevent the spread of fungal infections and destroy its pathogens, you need to apply the ointment daily to the affected area with a cotton swab, hold for 8-10 hours, and then rinse with laundry soap. You can use this recipe not only for the treatment of toenail oncomycosis, but also on affected fingernails.
Toenail fungus treatment with tea tree oil
How to use tea tree oil:
- Foot bath with tea tree oil. Warm water is poured into the basin to ankle level, 15-20 drops of essential oil are added and the feet are kept in it for twenty minutes, maintaining a high water temperature (45-50 ° C). The course of treatment is two months, you need to do a bath every day. During the treatment procedure, it is necessary to remove the affected area on the nail plate using a file, nail clippers or scissors.
- Apply oil on the nail plate. If you do not have a reaction to undiluted tea tree oil, then to increase the effectiveness of the effect, it is applied in pure form to the affected nail area. Before that, the legs are steamed in warm water with the addition of washing soap (for better dissolution, it can be grated). The oil is rubbed into the nail plate with a cotton swab twice a day, no need to wash the product.
How to cure toenail fungus fast?
The internal and external uses of hydrogen peroxide for the treatment of infectious and other diseases are explained by Professor Neumyvakin in a book written based on personal experience. He called hydrogen peroxide a prophylaxis with antibacterial properties.
External application of hydrogen peroxide to treat fungal infections is done after steaming the feet in warm water with dissolved soda at the rate of one teaspoon per liter. When the nail plate becomes soft, pinch a small fragment of the affected nail area with nail clippers and, after soaking it with a 3%peroxide solution, attach it to the nail plate. Let act for 10-15 minutes on nails or 40 minutes to an hour on feet. Perform the procedure twice a day until the symptoms of the fungal infection disappear.
To reduce peroxide evaporation and increase the intensity of exposure, the nail plate with lotion was wrapped with plastic wrap. After the exposure time has elapsed, rinse toes and hands thoroughly under running water.
For therapeutic and prophylactic purposes, it is recommended to implant the nail cavity with hydrogen peroxide three times a day.
Good results are given by bathing for hands and feet (depending on the location of onychomycosis) with hydrogen peroxide. Dissolve 3% hydrogen peroxide in water at a temperature of 40-50 ° C at the rate of two tablespoons per liter of water. The time of the procedure is fifteen minutes, the regularity of the procedure is twice a day for a week.
Instead of hydrogen peroxide, negative redox dead water, also called anolite water, can be used in this recipe. Anolite water is safe to use on sensitive skin, but has antiseptic properties that reduce the rate of fungal growth.
Effective treatment for advanced toenail fungus
Extreme methods of treating fungal infections are used for severe wounds on the nail plate, it must be used with caution so as not to damage the skin.
To get rid of the fungus, nails are treated with a rust neutralizer (available at car parts stores). This product contains phosphoric acid, which effectively destroys fungi, but if used carelessly, it can damage skin tissue. Therefore, in the process of its use, it is necessary to adhere to safety precautions - work in well -ventilated areas, wear goggles and rubber gloves, avoid contact with skin and mucous membranes.
A safer way is to use kerosene, which also has a high penetrating power and a very large effect on fungi.
Other folk remedies for toenail fungus
Comprehensive treatment of toenail fungus using folk recipes based on hydrogen peroxide allows you to destroy the fungus and permanently get rid of unpleasant odors and other symptoms associated with it.
Two folk remedies that are effective against fungal infections:
- Peroxide Recipe 1. To prepare the healing mixture, you need slaked soda (0. 5 cups), hot water (4 cups), hydrogen peroxide at a concentration of 3% (0. 25 cups) and half a cup of magnesium sulfate or Epsom salt. Mix all ingredients thoroughly and pour in another quarter cup of vinegar. Soak the cotton with the resulting solution and attach it to the nail plate affected by the fungus with a patch. You need to renew the bandage every ten hours, the course of treatment is a month.
- Recipe with peroxide 2. The procedure for treating fungus according to this recipe consists of three stages. First, you need to prepare a solution to treat the surface of the nails and skin affected by the fungus - mix 3% vinegar and peroxide in a concentration of 3% in a ratio of 1: 1. The feet are treated with this mixture while it sizzles. The second stage is to soak the fingers with a nail fungus infection for half a minute in a weak bleach solution in water, after which they are thoroughly washed under running water and wiped dry with a towel. Finally, tea tree oil mixed with vaseline in equal proportions is applied on the nail plate. Wear warm socks or gloves (if this technique is used to treat nail oncomycosis). The course of treatment is one week.
- Novokain lotion. A very simple but effective folk remedy in the treatment of fungus is novocaine lotion. We just soaked a piece of cotton wool with novocaine and applied it on the fungus at night. Just two of these lotions are enough to get rid of the fungus permanently.
- Colored apricot resin: 1 tablespoon of resin removed from the tree, pour a glass of vodka, insist for three days. Lubricate the skin of the feet and nails with this solution. Shake before each use. We took a month to treat, the affected nails were cut as they peeled off, new and healthy ones grew. On examination, the doctor confirms the fact of recovery. I can also recommend using old and concentrated sunflower oil in this case.
- Garlic application: I take a clove of garlic, squeeze it with a garlic press, apply the mass on the nail, cover it with cellophane and wrap it with a bandage or put on the fingertips. I left the bandage on until morning, the first few days I felt a throbbing pain, like an abscess, but I had to hold on to it. The procedure is repeated daily and new nails grow.
- Concentrated coffee. Some people know that ordinary, but strong coffee is an excellent folk remedy for the treatment of fungus. Make your coffee stronger and just dip your hands or feet into the cup, depending on where you have the fungus. This procedure is best done in the evening, before bed. The fungus disappeared completely after several such evening procedures. At the same time, the skin becomes smooth, and the pain quickly disappears.
What causes nail fungus infections
Nail fungus, or as it is called in medicine, onychomycosis, is a disease that causes damage to the nail plate and adjacent areas by parasitic fungal microorganisms. This is one of the subspecies of mycoses. If we consider all the diseases that can only be contracted by the feet, onychomycosis is the most common.
It can be caused by several groups of fungi:
- epidermofit;
- dermatophytic;
- microsporia.
You can catch the infection in public places where there is excessive humidity. These include baths, steam rooms, swimming pools, beaches.
Wooden objects (benches, sun loungers, etc. ) are widely used here. Due to the porosity of the wood, the fungus is difficult to kill there.
In addition, physicians distinguish several risk groups. For people who belong to one of them, the chances of infection increase dramatically.
To:
- old person;
- cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy;
- after a course of treatment with antibiotics or steroids;
- infected with HIV;
- diabetics.
It is not always possible to get rid of the disease quickly. The rate of healing depends on the diversity of the parasite that causes it, the stage of disease development, the area of the lesion, the presence of complications and corresponding diseases, and the general condition of the body.
Symptoms of onychomycosis
Damage to the nails by parasitic fungi goes unnoticed. The symptomatic changes in the nail plate are quite marked and extend into the following.
- The natural luster is gone, the transparency.
- Colors change. It can be yellowish, brownish, whitish, bluish, greenish, gray.
- Visible surface roughness.
- Stripes, spots and thickening are clearly distinguishable.
- Layers are observed.
- There is exfoliation from the nail bed.
- Different areas are painted and ruined.
- The surrounding tissue may become red, swollen and itchy.
- There is a sensation of pain.
- The feet emit an unpleasant odor.
Despite all this, self -diagnosis can be difficult. At the beginning of development, the signs of onychomycosis are similar to the symptoms of some other lesions:
- injuries to the nail area;
- age modification;
- onycholysis;
- nail psoriasis;
- paronychia;
- onikia pseudomonic.
How to quickly get rid of toenail fungus with medicines and folk remedies
You should be realistic and understand that fungal infections on the nails and nails are not treated within a week. According to doctors, the healing period can last from 6-8 weeks to six months, and sometimes 8-12 months.
It depends on many factors, as well as on the nail growth activity. In the hands, the process goes faster than in the feet, and therefore the cure here comes earlier.
The best and fastest positive results can be obtained if you follow the suggestions below.
- Use various therapeutic measures in the complex. Do not rely on the effectiveness of any one miracle cure. Efficiently combines pharmacological preparations and recipes of traditional medicine.
- Treatment should be active, but gentle - aggressive agents, often used for therapeutic purposes, should not affect healthy areas of the body located close to the affected.
- Strictly adhere to hygiene requirements so that the fungus does not spread, also to prevent re -infection immediately after healing. And the probability of this is very high.
- Notice the dryness on the affected part of the foot. Remember that humidity and heat are ideal conditions for active reproduction of fungi.
- Eliminate all the causes that cause the appearance of onychomycosis and eliminate it.
- Every day, carefully, but as much as possible, cut the edges of the growing nails that are affected by the disease. If possible, go through a laser exposure procedure, which is very effective in preventing the pathological activity of the pathogen.
Pharmacological agents
Means that act on pathogens are usually divided into three subgroups depending on the active component. Each of them has in his arsenal both external ointments and tablets of general action on the whole body.
Keep in mind that the latter has an extensive list of side effects. Therefore, you cannot prescribe medication on your own. To minimize risk, you need to undergo screening, identify the type of fungus that is causing the disease, and act on "targeting" medications.
Subgroup of antimycotic drugs
- Agent Azole. They are based on triazole or imidazole, as well as its derivatives. Depending on the concentration, they exhibit fungistatic or fungicidal effects. They are effective in fighting fungi such as mold and yeast.
- allylamine agents. The active ingredient can be terbinafine, naftifine, butenafine. They are able to stop the growth of fungi, and also have anti-inflammatory effects.
- Other drugs. They act on the basis of flucytosine, morpholine, griseofulvin, chlornitrophenol additives. They are distinguished by a narrower activity aimed at specific types of fungal pathogens.
External funds
At the beginning of the development of onychomycotic lesions, one only needs to use the help of ointments. Only if they turn out to be ineffective, antimycotic tablets are given.
Differences between creams and ointments:
- has a direct effect on the lesion;
- relatively harmless;
- have few contraindications;
- adverse reactions are limited.
If you catch the disease at the beginning of development, then it will be overcome within a month.
The most popular antifungal creams and ointments
- Zinc ointment. Allows you to relieve inflammation, dry the affected area, get rid of itching, get the effect of adsorption.
- Based on naftifine. Fights inflammation, has antimicrobial effects. The agent is prone to accumulation on the treated surface. Use the ointment no more than twice a day. This tool is not used during pregnancy and lactation.
Use of tablets
To give a systemic effect on the whole body, doctors prescribe oral tablets. Broad -spectrum drugs are prescribed.
- based on fluconazole. It is enough to take only once a day. Funds are well received. In rare cases, intestinal disorders and rashes on the body may occur. The course of treatment can be 1-4 weeks.
- Based on terbinafine. Able to accumulate in the skin and the formation of its horns (hair, nails). The course of treatment is at least 6 weeks. Need 1 tablet a day. The drug is not given to young children, pregnant and lactating women. It can trigger migraines, muscle and joint pain, allergies, anorexia.
All medications for nail fungus on the hands or feet should be taken only after consulting a doctor.
How to treat toenail fungus with folk remedies at home
First of all, you should strictly adhere to all medical recommendations, do not skip taking medication and bring treatment to an end, and do not interrupt the course after eliminating the very annoying symptoms.
In addition, you will need:
- frequent use of local baths;
- use special varnishes that prevent the spread of fungi, and also have a therapeutic effect;
- daily remove the protruding part of the growing nail, which is affected by the disease;
- use a special tool to soften the nail plate to remove it;
- steam hands or feet before applying external topical agents;
- take steps to prevent household infections.
special lacquer
Lacquers have several advantages. The active ingredients penetrate deep into the affected nail, but at the same time it hardens and does not leave traces on clothes, sheets, shoes.
The hardened layer definitely blocks the supply of oxygen to the pathogens, which inhibits their activity. But varnish products are effective only in the early stages of onychomycosis.
Before applying the varnish, you should use a warm local bath. Soaked plates affected by the fungus are cut to the maximum, treated with a file or other grinding tool. The surface is wiped dry
Lacquer is recommended to cover healthy nails as well. This procedure is repeated every evening for a long period - from a few months to six months.
Help from a surgeon
Both parts and the whole plate can be removed. But this is not a guarantee of complete relief from the disease. The chances of spreading a higher fungal infection are very high.
After surgery, the finger healed for a long time. In addition, suppuration may develop. Newly grown nails may change shape. The preferred alternative to such methods is laser therapy.
Traditional medicine
For the treatment of nail fungus, the following medications are used:
- Garlic. Apply garlic gruel in the form of a smear on sore nails. A fixing bandage is placed on top. Repetition of the procedure every night is practiced. You can also use garlic juice squeezed in the same mixture with alcohol. Nails are treated with the resulting balm twice a day.
- Vinegar. Acetic acid acidifies the environment, which inactivates pathogens. This tool lubricates damaged nails daily. You can use a vinegar compressor. To do this, a cotton ball is soaked in vinegar and applied to the desired finger in the affected area. Compress lasts all night, removing in the morning.
- peroxide. Like vinegar and other similar products, apply directly to nails or a cotton swab. Peroxide acts as an antiseptic.
- Alcoholic solution of iodine. They can cover nail plates, including healthy ones, 1-2 times a day. In addition, iodine supplements are ideal for any bath. To do this, add a few drops of product.
- Colored propolis. It can be used for lotions, as well as injected into local baths for hands or feet. The compress is left on the nail overnight. You can prepare an ointment, which is a mixture of propolis and butter. The composition is superimposed on gauze and placed on the desired area. The agent is left for 10 hours.
- Burning medicine from vegetables. For the treatment of onychomycosis, onions or horseradish are suitable. They have antimicrobial activity. Herbal products are used in the form of gruel. You can also make a kind of ointment by mixing melted pomace with butter or chicken fat.
- Essential extracts. These funds have anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, regenerative effect. For the preparation of local baths or as part of a mixture for compresses, oils can be used:
- cedar;
- the tree;
- rosemary;
- lavender;
- firs and a few others.
The essential extract is mixed with vaseline in a ratio of 1: 1. It should be rubbed into the damaged nail plate. As usual in such cases, the remedy will have a stronger effect if the nails are steamed first.
Preventive measures
The risk of fungal re -infection after getting rid of the disease is very high. Therefore, you need to follow simple rules clearly:
- follow foot hygiene;
- discard shoes, towels and socks used during treatment;
- avoid sharing such things with other family members;
- avoid excessive foot moisture, use talcum powder;
- treat the inner surface of the shoe with an antiseptic.
Do not forget, all remedies for nail fungus, take after consulting a doctor.