Nail fungus in medicine is called onychomycosis. Virtually everyone comes into contact with fungal spores. It is easiest to get infected in public places: swimming pools, saunas, bathrooms. But infection also occurs at home when using foreign towels, slippers, manicure accessories.
The skin and nails of the feet are very susceptible to infection. Most often, the disease develops in people with reduced immunity. Immunity is weakened if a person suffers from chronic diseases, especially of the gastrointestinal tract, and is forced to treat them, is under stress and works in dangerous industries.
Fungal agents
People who take aggressive drugs, such as antibiotics, for a long time are at risk.
Age-related changes in the acid-base balance of the skin, reduced blood circulation in the limbs, injuries to the toes and diabetes also create more than favorable conditions for the development of fungi in the body.
Stages of disease development
The fungus begins to develop on the skin between the toes, where small cracks appear.
In addition, the infection spreads to the skin of the legs, itching, burning, pulsation, 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 initial stage
In the initial stage of the disease, the nail does not lose its shine, retains its pink color, but yellow stripes and spots appear on the edges of the nail.
What does foot fungus look like in its worst condition?
With advanced onychomycosis at home, it is already too late to treat the fungus with anything. Toenails change their structure, become thick, exfoliate, crumble, a characteristic unpleasant odor appears.
The change in the color and structure of the nails depends on the type of fungus that has affected the nails. In an extremely neglected condition, the nails become very thick, deform, take the form of nails, after which the nail plate is destroyed. The skin peels, the dead layers are constantly exfoliated.
Remedies for athlete's foot
Many patients ask: if a toenail fungus is found, how to treat it at home, is it possible to do without removing the nail plates?Once you find the first signs of fungus, you should visit a doctor to prescribe the right treatment.
Depending on the stage of the disease, local preparations are prescribed: ointments, varnishes, solutions or tablets with complex action. The most important thing in the treatment of fungus, however, is discipline, since each course of treatment lasts several weeks.
Local application
Medicinal varnishes and liquids are produced for the treatment of nail fungus:
- Varnish from the morpholine group.
- Varnish belonging to the oxypyridone group.
- Lacquer whose active substances are formic aldehyde and a mixture of enzyme proteins.
- Spray from the group of allylamines.
- A product in the form of a serum based on rye enzyme filtrate is sold in a set with disposable nail files. The set includes a diary and templates for tracking nail changes.
- Drops belonging to the group of allylamines.
- A means from the group of imidazoles is available in the form of a kit: 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 be used only according to a doctor's prescription, taking into account contraindications. With onychomycosis, all drugs are taken for several months, while the nail plate changes.
- A broad-spectrum drug from the triazole group. It is prescribed by a doctor. In case of onychomycosis, it is taken within 3 months.
- An antibiotic from the rodent group is not recommended by doctors in the initial stages of the 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 should 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 or tar soap, salt or soda, and then the layer of skin and the diseased nail are removed with a nail file.
If, according to the recipe, the product is to be applied to the nail with a swab or stick, then a separate swab should be used for each nail.Manicure tools must be disinfected after each procedure.
iodine
Iodine is the most popular folk remedy for fungus. To treat the nails, it is necessary to apply a 5% solution of iodine to the affected nails twice a day for a month. Contact with 5% iodine solution on the skin can cause burns.
That is why another common method is iodine baths. It is enough to drop a few drops of iodine in a bowl of hot water to color the water and keep your feet for 20 minutes. After the bath, dry your feet and apply antibacterial ointment.
Important: for people with thyroid problems, treatment with iodine 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 acidic environments and dies quickly. In order not to have to treat burns, apple cider vinegar should be used, although it is less preferred than vinegar essence in a concentration of 9%.Treatment options:
- Coat your nails with vinegar, put on cotton socks and go to bed.
- Pour 250 ml of vinegar into a bowl of hot water, hold for 10 minutes before going to bed, then apply the prescribed cream.
Ammonia
Ammonia has a disinfecting effect. Compresses are used for treatment. 1 tablespoon of ammonia is diluted in a glass of warm water.
Moisten a cotton cloth with the resulting solution, wrap the legs with it, put plastic bags and socks on top. Go to bed with this compress.
Those who feel uncomfortable sleeping in socks on the bags can be recommended to rub a mixture of ammonia and glycerin in a ratio of 1: 1 on the affected areas. The resulting mixture is applied to the nails and skin twice a day in the morning and evening.
Hydrogen peroxide
Experts recommend the use of hydrogen peroxide in the initial stages of the disease, when the fungus has not yet deeply affected the nails.
- A cotton swab is moistened with a 3% peroxide solution, applied to the affected nail and kept for at least half an hour. The compress is then removed, the softened areas of skin are cut out 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 nails covered with a bandage. Apply twice a day for 40 minutes for one 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. Both propolis itself and its 20% tincture are used to treat onychomycosis.
Pure propolis is applied for half an hour to the affected nails several times a day.
Propolis tincture can be bought at a pharmacy or made independently.
To prepare at home, pour 20 g of propolis with 80 ml of alcohol and infuse for 2 weeks.
The skin around the affected nails is lubricated with the resulting tincture, and a compress is applied to the nails themselves.
If the fungus is in progress, then the concentration can be increased by pouring propolis with alcohol in a ratio of 1: 1.But in this case, the compresses should be done only on the nails, the skin should be protected with a cream to avoid burns before the procedure. Also, tincture of propolis can be added to baths in which the feet are steamed before using medicines.
Tar
Birch tar is obtained by boiling birch bark in special boilers. To treat nail fungus at home, tar can be purchased at the pharmacy. It has an anti-inflammatory, wound-healing effect, dries the skin better than the means listed above.
The tar is applied to the skin and nails for two hours. The skin can be damaged, with cracks and scratches, this is not dangerous. After two hours, the residue is removed with a cotton swab, a moisturizer is applied, and then 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 outside.
Tar has a drying effect, so people prone to dry skin should use it very carefully.In addition to pure tar, the use of tar soap also gives good results.
For compresses, soap is rubbed on a grater, mixed with water, you can also add baking soda. The resulting paste is applied to the nails, the fingers are wrapped with a film, socks are placed on top. After a few hours, the compress can be removed, the remains washed off with warm water.
Lemon
Since fungus is afraid of acid, lemon is a logical solution in the treatment of fungus.
- Compress of lemon slices is the easiest way to treat fungus in the initial stage. Thinly sliced fruits are applied to the nails, covered with a film, socks are put on and left overnight.
- Small lemons can be placed on the finger as caps, fixed with 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 highly acidic, so people with sensitive skin may experience irritation. You can also mix lemon juice with olive oil and rub this mixture on your nails.
An egg
In the treatment of fungus, raw chicken eggs are also used. A common folk recipe is an egg dissolved in vinegar. To do this, the washed egg is poured with vinegar essence so that it is completely covered.
The container is closed 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. Egg films are removed from the solution, the liquid itself is mixed with fat, for example, oil.
The resulting ointment is applied to sick nails wrapped in a film. A mixture of chicken proteins, vinegar essence and vodka also works well.Egg products should be refrigerated.
Garlic
The use of garlic in the treatment of fungus is necessary very carefully, because garlic juice can cause burns.
On the sick places, you can apply garlic pulp and juice in its pure form, as well as in the form of an alcohol tincture and diluted with vegetable oil. For the production of garlic tincture for 50 ml. vodka will need 4 cloves.
yellow flowers
Alcoholic tincture of celandine is used as a systemic treatment for toenail fungus. At home, an alcoholic tincture is prepared in the amount of one part of the herb celandine to 10 parts of vodka.
It is important to remember that celandine is very poisonous, so it should be treated with more care than other medicinal herbs.
20 drops of alcohol tincture are taken orally half an hour before meals. People with bronchial asthma should not take celandine internally. The external use of celandine is effective. Nails affected by onychomycosis can be lubricated with fresh celandine juice. At the same time, the juice should not be allowed to get on healthy skin, otherwise you can get a severe burn.
To protect yourself from burns, you can lubricate the skin around the nails with cream. A more gentle remedy is the oil of celandine, but it should not be applied to damaged skin. The oil of celandine can be purchased at a pharmacy or prepared independently.
For this purpose, the collected stems, leaves and flowers of the plant are dried, placed in a glass container and poured with the same volume of heated vegetable oil. After the container is kept for a week in a dark and cool place, the oil is filtered and diluted with vegetable oil in a ratio of 1: 1.
Rowan
An effective remedy is a compress of fresh rowan leaves. The leaves are washed, crushed, the resulting pulp is applied to the affected nails and bandaged.
The result 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 plates or add 15-20 drops to the foot baths. The best result is the use of tea tree oil in the initial stages of the disease.
Tea mushroom
Kombucha is a symbiosis of acetic acid bacteria and yeast. It was brought from Japan, so people also call it Japanese mushroom or jellyfish mushroom. Kombucha is grown in a weak sweet tea.
If you leave the mushroom in a container for a few weeks, it will grow and the liquid will become carbonated and taste sour.Bacteria release acid and even ethyl alcohol. This is why kombucha is effective for treating fungus at home.
A small piece is separated from the top layer, placed on the nail, covered with plastic wrap and laid down. In the morning, the compress is removed, the softened parts of the nail and the skin are cleaned. Compresses are repeated until a healthy nail grows. You can also apply ground kombucha to your nails.
Tincture of golden mustache
Golden mustache has anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties. Tincture of golden mustache is easily prepared at home.
To do this, 50 segments of the plant are poured with 2 glasses of vodka and infused for 10 days. It is applied in the form of compresses.
Kalanchoe
The popular name of this houseplant is home healer or flower of life. Its anti-inflammatory and wound-healing properties are widely known. To treat nail fungus, the skin is removed from a fresh kalanchoe leaf, applied to the nail, secured with a plaster and left overnight.
In the morning, the compress is removed, the softened part of the nail is removed with a nail file. The procedure is repeated until the nail plate is completely renewed. If burning is felt, the compress should be removed to avoid an allergic reaction.
Lilac
Alcoholic tincture of lilac flowers, preferably white, is prepared in a ratio of half a cup of flowers to a cup of vodka. After 2 weeks, the tincture is ready. Rub into the nails daily until a healthy nail grows.
peppermint salt
One of the main symptoms of fungus is itching. The cooling effect of mint will relieve the condition. A compress of chopped fresh mint leaves mixed with coarse salt helps well.
Baths of boiled mint leaves, dried, with salt dissolved in the infusion are also useful. For 2 liters of tincture, you need 4 tablespoons of salt. Such baths should be done 2 times a day.
poplar buds
Helps from fungus tincture of poplar buds 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. At night, a compress is made from the tincture. In the morning, the softened part of the nail is cut off.
Carbonated drinks
Baking soda, because it is alkaline, does not kill the fungus, but it perfectly softens the nail plates and the skin of the feet, which allows the applied agents to penetrate as deeply as possible. To do this, before applying the drugs prescribed by a doctor or traditional medicine, it is necessary to make a bath with a hot solution of soapy soda.
The softened layers of the nail or skin can then be removed and the medication applied to the areas. The use of soda alone does not give an effective effect.
White
Bleach is bleach familiar to housewives. The main component is chlorine. The tool is very corrosive, it should be used very carefully.
The room where the procedure is performed must be well ventilated. In no case should this medicine be used by pregnant women and nursing mothers.
Also, do not use the medicine for asthmatics suffering from allergies, as well as for anyone whose skin around the nails is inflamed or has any damage.
The agent is applied with a cotton swab to the nail plate. The product is applied only to the nails, the contact of the bleach with the skin can cause severe chemical burns.
To protect the skin around the nails, you should apply an oily cream. The product washes off after a few hours. Bleach is used only in the most neglected cases, when other means no longer help.
horseradish
Horseradish root has disinfectant properties. For the treatment of fungus, freshly grated horseradish roots are applied to the diseased skin and nails, previously steamed in hot water, wrapped in foil and put on socks. Keep the compress for at least two hours.
Vodka
Most of the mentioned folk remedies are used in the form of alcohol solutions. Ethyl alcohol has a disinfecting effect.
coffee
In addition to cosmetic, coffee also has a medicinal 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 bath of coffee diluted with hot water. After the skin has evaporated, the affected areas of the nail and skin should be removed with a nail file and then the remaining coffee grounds should be applied. Coffee baths strengthen nails and improve 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 earlier you start the treatment, the better the result of the treatment at home will be. Treatment of nail fungus requires patience and discipline, since all the described remedies must be applied for several weeks or even months until the nail plate changes.