Treatment of toenail fungus with folk remedies is effective at the initial stage of the disease. With a more advanced form, it is better to seek advice from a specialist.
best remedy for nail fungus
Few people know that with the help of vinegar you can solve the rather difficult medical problem of getting rid of nail fungus. With the availability of table vinegar (9% acid solution) and even vinegar essence (70% acid solution) at the hardware store or in the market, 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 has not progressed, and it is advisable to combine it with specially designed drugs. However, if there is an urgent need to treat nail fungus, and there is no money and time to visit a doctor, and there is no medical therapy, then it is possible to use vinegar on its own, as long as you follow the appropriate safety rules.
Features of using vinegar to treat fungus
The main effect of using vinegar is to create an acidic environment in the area of fungal infection, which prevents the growth of hyphae and the spread of spores. Gradually, the fungus, not having access to new sources of nutrients, dies, and the lack of much more robust spores eliminates the possibility of the disease recurring.
At first glance, everything is very simple - how to destroy bacteria with an antiseptic. However, in fact, the fungus turns out to be very persistent, since its body is not located on the surface of the nail or skin, but penetrates into the thickness of the tissues. In this regard, a positive result of the treatment of oncomycosis should be expected only with strict regularity of the procedures, which will not give the parasite time for rehabilitation and penetration under the skin.
Before treating nail fungus, make sure that the concentration of acetic acid used matches that specified in the recipe. When vinegar essence is mentioned in the recipe, it is a 70% solution that needs to be dissolved or spotted. Table vinegar and table vinegar contain 6 and 9% acid respectively. Neglect of these data can lead to the fact that the treatment ends with a chemical burn.
vinegar baths
Warm foot baths are considered an effective remedy for fungal infections, with regular use you will get rid of onychomycosis at an early stage without additional medication. Vinegar baths are also a great way to prevent fungal infections. The procedure requires warm water, about 50 ° C, and a glass of table vinegar with a concentration of 9%. The water level in the pool should not be high, but only up to the ankles. The feet are dipped in the solution and left there for 15 minutes.
Before the vinegar bath, it is desirable to do a full pedicure, including removing the affected areas of the nail plate and layers of dead skin, calluses and corns on the feet, but without applying a decorative coating to the nails. If you cut and file your nails yourself, you need to be very careful, since micro-damages in the skin can contribute to the spread of a fungal infection.
Immediately after the vinegar bath, dry your feet with a towel and put on cotton socks. Repeat thrice a week.
lotions containing vinegar
Applying lotion to areas affected by the fungus is best done after a vinegar bath. Both pharmacy products and pure 9% vinegar are suitable for this, for which a cotton pad is moistened and applied to the nail for 15 minutes.
A more complex recipe: a mixture of 40-degree vodka or medicinal alcohol, glycerin and 70% acetic acid in equal proportions, stir until smooth. A cotton swab moistened with a solution is held on the affected areas for 15 minutes, after which cotton socks are put on. The course of treatment is one week, if necessary, it can be repeated after a few days.
ointment
Vinegar-based ointments are stored for a long time and are more convenient to use than products with a liquid consistency. To make a vinegar ointment, you need to take acetic acid 70%, dimethyl phthalate, glycerin and olive oil in a ratio of 2: 1: 1: 1. After thoroughly mixing all the ingredients, the ointment is ready for use.
To prevent the spread of a fungal infection and destroy its causative agents, you need to apply the ointment to the affected areas with a cotton swab every day, hold for 8-10 hours, and then rinse with detergent. You can use this recipe not only to treat oncomycosis of the toenails, but also on the affected nails of the hands.
Treating toenail fungus with tea tree oil
Ways to use tea tree oil:
- Foot bath with tea tree oil. Warm water is poured into the basin to the level of the ankles, 15-20 drops of essential oil are added and the feet are held in it for twenty minutes, maintaining a high water temperature (45-50 ° C). The duration of treatment is two months, you need to bathe every day. During the treatment process, the affected areas of the nail plate must be removed with a file, nail clippers or scissors.
- Applying oil to the nail plate. If you do not react to undiluted tea tree oil, apply it in its pure form to the affected areas of the nail to enhance its effects. Before that, the legs are steamed in warm water with the addition of laundry soap (it can be rubbed for better dissolution). The oil is rubbed into the nail plate with a cotton swab twice a day, washing off the product is not required.
How to Cure Toenail Fungus Fast?
The internal and external use of hydrogen peroxide to treat infectious and other diseases was described by Professor Neumyvakin in a book written on the basis of personal experience. He mentions hydrogen peroxide as a prophylactic with antibacterial properties.
External use of hydrogen peroxide to treat a fungal infection is carried out after steaming the legs in warm water with dissolved soda at the rate of one teaspoon per liter. When the nail plates become soft, pinch a small fragment of the affected area of \u200b\u200bthe nail with manicure pliers and, after soaking, attach it to the nail plate with a 3% solution of peroxide. Leave on nails for 10-15 minutes or on feet for 40 minutes to an hour. Do the procedure twice a day until the symptoms of a fungal infection disappear.
To reduce the evaporation of peroxide and increase the intensity of exposure, the nail plate is wrapped with lotion with plastic wrap. After the exposure time has elapsed, rinse hands and toes thoroughly under running water.
For therapeutic and prophylactic purposes, it is recommended to instill hydrogen peroxide into the nail cavity three times a day.
Hand and foot baths (depending on the location of the onychomycosis) with hydrogen peroxide bring good results. Dilute 3% hydrogen peroxide in water at a temperature of 40-50 ° C at the rate of two tablespoons per liter of water. The procedure time is fifteen minutes, the regularity of the procedure twice a day for a week.
Instead of hydrogen peroxide, negative redox dead water, also known as anolyte water, can be used in this recipe. Anolyte water is safe for use on sensitive skin but has antiseptic properties that reduce fungal growth.
Effective treatment for advanced toenail fungus
This extreme method of treating a fungal infection is used for severe nail plate lesions and must be used with caution so as not to damage the skin.
To get rid of the fungus, the nail is treated with a rust neutralizer (available at auto parts stores). This product contains phosphoric acid, which effectively destroys the fungus, but can damage skin tissue if used carelessly. Therefore, safety precautions must be taken when using it - work in a well-ventilated area, wear safety glasses and rubber gloves, and avoid contact with skin and mucous membranes.
It would be safer to use kerosene, which also has high penetrating power and a very large effect on the fungus.
Other folk remedies for toenail fungus
Comprehensive treatment of toenail fungus with folk recipes based on hydrogen peroxide allows you to destroy the fungus and permanently get rid of the unpleasant smell and other symptoms associated with it.
Two effective folk remedies for a fungal infection:
- Recipe for Peroxide 1. To prepare the healing mixture you will need slaked soda (0. 5 cups), hot water (4 cups), hydrogen peroxide at a concentration of 3% (0. 25 cups), and 1/2 cup of magnesium sulfate or Epsom salts. Mix all ingredients thoroughly and pour in another quarter cup of vinegar. Soak a cotton swab in the resulting solution and fix it with a band-aid on the nail plate affected by the fungus. You need to renew the bandage every ten hours, the duration of treatment is one month.
- Recipe with peroxide 2. The procedure for treating mushrooms according to this recipe consists of three stages. First you need to prepare a solution for treating the nail and skin surfaces affected by the fungus - mix 3% vinegar and peroxide at a 3% concentration in a 1: 1 ratio. Feet are treated with this mixture while it sizzles. The second stage is dipping fingers with a fungal infection of the nail for half a minute in a weak solution of bleach in water, after which they are thoroughly washed under running water and wiped dry with a towel. Finally, tea tree oil mixed with petroleum jelly in equal proportions is applied to the nail plate. Wear warm socks or gloves (if this technique has been used to treat fingernail oncomycosis). The duration of treatment is one week.
- Novocaine lotion. A very simple but effective folk remedy in the treatment of fungus is Novocain lotion. We just soak a piece of cotton wool in novocaine and apply it to the fungus at night. Two of these lotions are enough to permanently get rid of the fungus.
- Apricot resin tincture: remove 1 tablespoon of resin 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. The treatment lasted a month, the affected nails were cut off when they were detached, and new, healthy ones grew. Upon examination, the doctor confirmed the fact of recovery. In this case, too, I can recommend using old, thickened sunflower oil.
- Garlic Applications: I took a clove of garlic, squeezed it with a garlic press, applied the mass to the nail, covered it with cellophane and wrapped it in a bandage or put it on a fingertip. I left the bandage on until morning, the first few days I felt a throbbing pain, like an abscess, but I had to endure it. The procedures were repeated daily and new nails grew.
- Strong coffee. Few people know that ordinary, but strong coffee is a very good folk remedy for treating fungus. Make your coffee stronger and simply dip your hands or feet in the cup depending on where you got the fungus. This procedure is best performed in the evening before bedtime. The fungus completely disappears after several such evening procedures. At the same time, the skin becomes smooth and the pain quickly disappears.
What Causes a Fungal Nail Infection?
Nail fungus, or onychomycosis as it is known in medicine, is a disease caused by parasitic fungal microorganisms that cause damage to the nail plates and adjacent areas. This is one of the subspecies of mycoses. If we consider all the diseases that only the feet can be exposed to, onychomycosis is the most common.
It can be caused by several groups of fungi:
- epidermophyte;
- dermatophytic;
- microsporia.
You can get infected in public places where the humidity is too high. These include baths, steam rooms, swimming pools, beaches.
Wooden objects (benches, sunbeds, etc. ) are often used here. Due to the porosity of the wood, the fungus is difficult to kill there.
In addition, doctors distinguish several risk groups. For people belonging to one of them, the likelihood of contagion increases dramatically.
That:
- elderly people;
- cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy;
- after treatment with antibiotics or steroids;
- HIV infected;
- patients with diabetes.
It is not always possible to quickly get rid of the disease. The rate of cure depends on the type of causative parasite, the stage of development of the disease, the area of \u200b\u200bthe lesion, the presence of complications and concomitant diseases, and the general condition of the body.
Symptoms of onychomycosis
Damage to the nails from a parasitic fungus cannot go unnoticed. Symptomatic changes in the nail plates are quite pronounced and can be reduced to the following.
- Lost natural shine, transparency.
- The color changes. It can be yellowish, brownish, whitish, bluish, greenish, grayish.
- surface roughness occurs.
- Stripes, spots and thickenings are clearly visible.
- Stratification is observed.
- There is peeling from the nail bed.
- Various areas are painted and crumbled.
- The surrounding tissue may become red, swollen, and itchy.
- There are pain sensations.
- Feet give off an unpleasant smell.
Despite all of this, self-diagnosis can be difficult. Early in development, the signs of onychomycosis are similar to the symptoms of some other lesions:
- injury to the nail area;
- age modifications;
- onycholysis;
- nail psoriasis;
- paronychia;
- pseudomonic onychia.
How to quickly get rid of toenail fungus with folk remedies and medicines
You should be realistic and understand that the fungal infection of the nails and nail areas will not be treated in a week. According to doctors, the healing period can last from 6-8 weeks to 6 months and sometimes 8-12 months.
It depends on many factors as well as the growth activity of the nails. On the hands, this process is much faster than on the legs, so healing comes earlier here.
The best and fastest possible positive results can be achieved by following the recommendations below.
- Use a variety of therapeutic measures in the complex. Do not rely on the effectiveness of any magic bullet. Skillfully combine pharmacological preparations and recipes of traditional medicine.
- Treatment should be active, but gentle - aggressive agents, which are often used for therapeutic purposes, should not affect healthy areas of the body that are in close proximity to the affected area.
- Strictly observe the rules of hygiene so that the fungus does not spread, also to avoid re-infection shortly after healing. And the probability of that is very high.
- Check for dryness of the affected extremities. Remember that moisture and heat are ideal conditions for the active reproduction of the fungus.
- Eliminate and eliminate all causes that caused the occurrence of onychomycosis.
- Every day, carefully but as much as possible, cut off the growing edge of the nail affected by the disease. If possible, carry out the procedure of laser exposure, which very effectively inhibits the pathological activity of pathogens.
Pharmacological agents
Agents against pathogens are usually divided into three subgroups depending on the active substance. Each of them has in its arsenal both external ointments and tablets with a general effect on the body as a whole.
It should be borne in mind that the latter have an extensive list of side effects. Therefore, you should not prescribe any medication yourself. To minimize the risks, you need to undergo an examination, determine which varieties of mushrooms caused the disease, and "target" drug trade.
Subgroups of antifungal drugs
- azole agents. They are based on triazole or imidazole and their derivatives. Depending on the concentration, they have a fungistatic or fungicidal effect. They are effective in fighting mold and yeast-like fungi.
- allylamine agents. The active substances can be terbinafine, naftifine, butenafine. They can stop the growth of the fungus and also have an anti-inflammatory effect.
- other drugs. They act on the basis of additives of flucytosine, morpholine, griseofulvin, chloronitrophenol. They are characterized by narrower activity, targeting specific types of fungal pathogens.
External Funds
At the beginning of the development of onychomycotic lesions, one should only resort to the help of ointments. Only when they prove ineffective are antifungals administered in tablet form.
The difference between creams and ointments:
- have a direct effect on the lesions;
- relatively harmless;
- have fewer contraindications;
- Side effects are limited.
If you get the disease early in development, you can cope with it within a month.
The most popular antifungal creams and ointments
- ointment zinc. Allows you to relieve inflammation, dry the affected areas, eliminate itching and provide an adsorbing effect.
- Based on naftifine. Fights inflammation, has an antimicrobial effect. The agent tends to accumulate in the treated surfaces. Do not use the ointment more than twice a day. The tool is not used during pregnancy and lactation.
use of tablets
To achieve a systemic effect on the body as a whole, the doctor prescribes oral tablets. Broad-spectrum drugs are prescribed.
- based on fluconazole. It is enough to take only once a day. Means are well tolerated. In rare cases, intestinal disorders and rashes on the body may occur. The course of treatment can be 1-4 weeks.
- Based on terbinafine. Can accumulate in the skin and its horn formations (hair, nails). The duration of treatment is at least 6 weeks. Requires 1 tablet per day. The medicine is not given to young children, pregnant and lactating women. It can provoke migraines, muscle and joint pain, allergies, anorexia.
All medicines for nail fungus on hands or feet should only be taken 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 medications and finish treatment, and not interrupt the course after eliminating particularly annoying symptoms.
You will also need:
- regular use of local baths;
- apply a special varnish that blocks the spread of the fungus, and also has a therapeutic effect;
- daily remove the protruding parts of the growing nail affected by the disease;
- Use special tools to soften the nail plate to remove it.
- Steam out hands or feet before using external topicals;
- Take steps to prevent household contamination.
Special paints
Varnishes have a number of advantages. The active ingredients penetrate well deep into the affected nails, but at the same time they harden and leave no traces on clothes, sheets, shoes.
The hardened layer reliably blocks the supply of oxygen to pathogens, which blocks their activity. However, varnish products are effective only in the initial stages of onychomycosis.
Before using varnishes, you should resort to a warm local bath. Soaked plates affected by a fungus are cut off to the maximum and treated with a file or other grinding device. The surface is wiped dry
Varnish is recommended to cover even healthy nails. The procedure is repeated every evening for a long period of time - from several months to six months.
help from a surgeon
Both a part and the entire plate can be removed. However, this is not a guarantee of complete relief from the disease. The probability of further spread of a fungal infection is very high.
After the operation, the finger heals for a long time. In addition, suppuration may develop. A newly growing nail may be deformed. A preferred alternative to such a procedure is laser therapy.
Traditional medicine
The following remedies are used to treat nail fungus:
- Garlic. Apply garlic pulp to sore nails in the form of applications. A fixation bandage is placed over this. A nightly repetition of the procedure is practiced. You can also use squeezed garlic juice in an equal 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 every day. You can use vinegar compresses. To do this, cotton balls are moistened in vinegar and fixed on the desired fingers in the affected area. Compresses last all night and are removed in the morning.
- Peroxide. Apply directly to nails or cotton swabs like vinegar and other similar products. Peroxide acts as an antiseptic.
- Alcoholic iodine solution. You can cover the nail plates, including healthy ones, 1-2 times a day. In addition, an iodine supplement is suitable for every bath. To do this, simply add a few drops of the product.
- Propolis tincture. It can be used for lotions and injected into local baths for hands or feet. Compresses are left on the nails overnight. You can prepare an ointment that is a mixture of propolis and butter. The composition is laid on gauze and placed on the desired area. The agent is left for 10 hours.
- fuel from vegetables. For the treatment of onychomycosis, onions or horseradish are suitable. They have antimicrobial activity. Vegetable products are used in the form of porridge. You can also make a kind of salve by mixing liquid pomace with butter or rendered chicken fat.
- Essential Extracts. These funds have anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and regenerative effects. For the preparation of local baths or as part of mixtures for compresses, oils can be used:
- Cedar;
- tea tree;
- Rosemary;
- Lavender;
- firs and some others.
The essential extract is mixed with petroleum jelly in a 1: 1 ratio. It should be rubbed into damaged nail plates. As always in such cases, the remedy is more effective when the nails are pre-damped.
preventive measures
The risk of re-infection with the fungus after eliminating the disease is very high. Therefore, you must clearly follow simple rules:
- follow the hygiene of the feet;
- discard shoes, towels and socks used during treatment;
- Avoid sharing such things with other family members;
- avoid excessive moisture of the feet, use talcum powder;
- treat the inner surfaces of shoes with antiseptics;
Don't forget to take any medicines for nail fungus after consulting a doctor.