Treatment of toenail fungus with folk remedies is effective in the initial stages of the disease. With a more advanced module, it is best to seek advice from a specialist.
best remedy for toenail 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) available at the hardware store or the market, there are many ways to treat foot fungus with this product.
Of course, self-treatment with vinegar should be carried out only if the disease has not gone into an advanced form, and it is advisable to combine it with specially designed drugs. However, when there is an urgent need to cure nail fungus and there is no money and time to visit a doctor and there is no medical therapy, it is possible to use vinegar alone, as long as you follow proper safety. rules.
Features of the use of vinegar for the treatment of fungi
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, left without access to new sources of nutrients, dies, and the absence of much more resistant spores prevents the possibility of a recurrence of the disease.
At first glance, everything is very simple - how to destroy bacteria with an antiseptic. But in fact the fungus turns out to be very tenacious, since its body is not located on the surface of the nail or skin, but enters the thickness of the tissues. In this regard, a positive result from the treatment of oncomycosis should be expected only in the case of strict regularity of the procedures, which will not give the parasite time for rehabilitation and subcutaneous penetration.
Before treating the nail fungus, make sure that the concentration of acetic acid used corresponds to that indicated in the recipe. If the recipe contains a mention of vinegar essence, it means a 70% solution that must be dissolved or applied in a timely manner. Food or table vinegar, respectively, contains 6 and 9% acid. Failure to comply with these data can lead to the fact that the treatment will end in a chemical burn.
Vinegar baths
Warm foot baths are considered an effective remedy against fungi, regular use allows you to get rid of onychomycosis at an early stage without additional drugs. In addition, vinegar baths are an excellent prevention of 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 tub shouldn't be high, just up to your ankles. The feet are immersed in the solution and held there for 15 minutes.
Before the vinegar bath, a complete pedicure procedure should be performed, including removing the affected areas of the nail plate and the layers of dead skin, corns and calluses on the feet, but without applying a decorative coating to the nails. If you cut and trim your nails yourself, you need to do it very carefully, as micro-damage to the skin can contribute to the spread of a fungal infection.
Immediately after the vinegar bath, she wipes her feet with a towel and puts on cotton socks. Repeat three times a week.
Acetic lotions
Lotions on places affected by the fungus are best done after vinegar baths. For this, both pharmaceutical products and 9% pure vinegar are suitable, in which a cotton swab is moistened and applied to the nail for fifteen minutes.
A more complex recipe - a mixture of forty-degree vodka or medical alcohol, glycerin and 70% acetic acid in equal proportions, mix until smooth. A cotton swab moistened with a solution is kept for fifteen minutes on the affected areas, after which cotton socks are put on. The course of treatment is a week, if necessary, it can be repeated after a few days.
Ointment
Vinegar-based ointments are stored for a long time, they are more convenient to use than products with a liquid consistency. To prepare an acetic ointment, it is necessary 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 a fungal infection and destroy its pathogens, it is necessary to apply the ointment daily to the affected areas with a cotton swab, hold for 8-10 hours, then rinse with laundry soap. You can use this recipe not only for the treatment of oncomycosis of the toenails, but also on the affected nails of the hands.
Toenail fungus treatment with tea tree oil
Ways to use tea tree oil:
- Foot bath with tea tree oil. Hot water is poured into the tub up to the level of the ankles, 15-20 drops of essential oil are added and the feet are kept for twenty minutes, maintaining a high water temperature (45-50 ° C). The course of treatment is two months, it is necessary to take baths every day. During the treatment procedure, it is necessary to remove the affected areas of the nail plate using a file, nail clipper or scissors.
- Apply oil to the nail plate. If you do not have a reaction to undiluted tea tree oil, to improve the effectiveness of the impact, it is applied in its pure form on the affected areas of the nail. Previously, the legs are steamed in warm water with the addition of laundry soap (for better dissolution, it can be grated). The oil is rubbed into the nail plate with a cotton swab twice a day, it is not necessary to wash off the product.
How to quickly cure toenail fungus?
The internal and external use of hydrogen peroxide for the treatment of 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.
The external use of hydrogen peroxide for the treatment of a fungal infection is carried out after steaming the legs in warm water with soda dissolved at the rate of one teaspoon per liter. When the nails become soft, pinch a small fragment of the affected area of the nail with manicure pliers and, after soaking it with a 3% peroxide solution, attach it to the nail plate. Leave for 10-15 minutes on the nails or 40 minutes to an hour on the feet. Perform 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 with the lotion is wrapped with plastic wrap. After the exposure time, rinse your toes and hands thoroughly under running water.
For therapeutic and prophylactic purposes, it is recommended to instill the nail cavity with hydrogen peroxide three times a day.
Good results are given by baths for hands and feet (depending on the location of the onychomycosis) with hydrogen peroxide. Dilute 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, redox negative dead water, also called anolyte water, can be used in this recipe. Anolyte water is safe for use on sensitive skin, but has antiseptic properties that reduce the growth rate of fungi.
Effective treatment for advanced toenail fungus
This extreme method of treating a fungal infection is used for severe injuries of the nail plate, it should 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 an auto parts store). This product contains phosphoric acid, which effectively destroys the fungus, but if used carelessly it can damage skin tissue. Therefore, in the process of its use, it is necessary to observe safety precautions: work in a well-ventilated area, wear goggles and rubber gloves, avoiding contact with the skin and mucous membranes.
A safer way would be to use kerosene, which also has a high penetrating power and a very broad effect on the fungus.
Other folk remedies for toenail fungus
Comprehensive treatment of toenail fungus using hydrogen peroxide folk recipes allows you to destroy the fungus and permanently get rid of the unpleasant odor and other symptoms associated with it.
Two effective folk remedies against a fungal infection:
- Peroxide Recipe 1. To make the healing blend, you will need extinguished soda (0. 5 cups), hot water (4 cups), 3% concentrated hydrogen peroxide (0. 25 cups) and half a cup of sulfate. magnesium or Epsom salts. Thoroughly mix all the ingredients and pour in another quarter cup of vinegar. Dip a cotton swab with the resulting solution and fix it on the nail plate affected by the fungus with a plaster. It is necessary to renew the bandage every ten hours, the course 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 surfaces 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 mix as it sizzles. The second stage is the immersion of the 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 dried 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 oncomycosis of the nail). The course of treatment is one week.
- Novocaine lotion. A very simple but effective folk remedy in the treatment of fungi is novocaine lotion. We simply soak a piece of cotton wool with novocaine and apply it to the mushroom overnight. Only two of these lotions are enough to permanently get rid of the fungus.
- Apricot resin tincture: 1 tablespoon of resin removed from the tree, pour a glass of vodka, insist three days. Lubricate the skin of the feet and nails with this solution. Shake before each use. It took a month for the treatment, the affected nails were trimmed as they peeled off, the new and healthy ones grew. On examination, the doctor confirmed the fact of healing. In this case I can also 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 my fingertips. I left the bandage until morning, the first few days I felt excruciating pain, like an abscess, but I had to endure it. The procedures were repeated every day and new nails grew.
- Strong coffee. Few people know that ordinary, but strong coffee is an excellent folk remedy for the treatment of fungi. Make your coffee stronger and dip your hands or feet into the cup, depending on where you have the mushroom. This procedure is best done in the evening, before going to bed. The fungus disappears completely after many of these evening procedures. At the same time, the skin becomes smooth and the pain disappears quickly.
What are the causes of nail fungus infection
Nail fungus, or as it is called in medicine, onychomycosis, is a disease that causes damage to the nails and adjacent areas by parasitic fungal microorganisms. This is one of the subspecies of mycosis. If we consider all the diseases to which only the feet can be subject, nail fungus is the most common.
It can be caused by several groups of fungi:
- epidermophyte;
- dermatophyte;
- microsporia.
You can get infected in public places where the humidity is excessive. This includes baths, steam rooms, swimming pools, beaches.
Wooden objects (benches, beds, etc. ) are widely 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 infection increases significantly.
It:
- elderly people;
- cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy;
- after a course of treatment with antibiotics or steroids;
- with HIV infection;
- patients with diabetes.
It is not always possible to get rid of the disease quickly. The rate of cure depends on the variety of the parasite that caused it, the stage of development of the disease, the area of the lesion, the presence of concomitant complications and ailments, and the general condition of the body.
Symptoms of onychomycosis
Nail damage from a parasitic fungus cannot go unnoticed. Symptomatic changes in the nail plates are quite pronounced and boil down to the following.
- Natural lost luster, transparency.
- The color is changing. It can be yellowish, brownish, whitish, bluish, greenish, grayish.
- Surface roughness appears.
- Stripes, spots and thickenings are clearly distinguishable.
- Stratification is observed.
- There is exfoliation from the nail bed.
- Several areas are painted and crumbled.
- The surrounding tissues can become red, swollen, and itchy.
- There are pain sensations.
- The feet give off an unpleasant odor.
Despite all of this, self-diagnosis can be difficult. Early in development, the signs of onychomycosis are similar to the symptoms of some other injuries:
- injury to the nail area;
- age changes;
- 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 fungal infection of the nail and nail areas is not treated in 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 the growth activity of the nails. On the hands, this process proceeds much faster than on the legs, and therefore the cure here comes sooner.
The best and fastest possible positive results can be obtained if you follow the advice below.
- Use a variety of therapeutic measures overall. Don't rely on the effectiveness of a miracle remedy. Competently combine pharmacological preparations and traditional medicine recipes.
- Treatment should be active, but mild aggressive agents, often used for therapeutic purposes, should not affect healthy areas of the body located in close proximity to those affected.
- Strictly respect the hygiene requirements so that the fungus does not spread, also to avoid reinfection immediately after treatment. And the likelihood of this happening is very high.
- Pay attention to the dryness of the affected extremities. Remember that humidity and heat are ideal conditions for the active reproduction of the fungus.
- Eliminate all the causes that caused onychomycosis and eliminate them.
- Every day, carefully, but as much as possible, cut the edge of the growing nail affected by the disease. If possible, carry out the laser exposure procedure, which very effectively inhibits the pathological activity of pathogens.
Pharmacological agents
Means acting against pathogens are usually divided into three subgroups depending on the active components. Each of them has in its arsenal both external ointments and compresses of general action on the whole body.
It should be borne in mind that the latter have a large list of side effects. Therefore, you should not self-prescribe drugs. To minimize the risks, it is necessary to undergo an examination, identify which varieties of the fungus caused the disease and act with "targeted" drugs.
Subgroups of antifungal drugs
- Azole agents. They are based on triazole or imidazole, as well as their derivatives. Depending on the concentration, they exhibit fungistatic or fungicidal effects. They are effective in the fight against yeast-like molds and fungi.
- allylamine agents. The active ingredients can be terbinafine, naftifine, butenafine. They are able to stop the growth of the fungus and also have an anti-inflammatory effect.
- Other drugs. They act on the basis of additives flucytosine, morpholine, griseofulvin, chlornitrophenol. They are distinguished by a more restricted activity aimed at certain types of fungal pathogens.
External funds
At the very beginning of the development of onychomycotic lesions, only the help of ointments should be resorted to. Only if they prove to be ineffective, are they given antifungals in tablets.
The difference between creams and ointments:
- have a direct effect on injuries;
- relatively harmless;
- have fewer contraindications;
- adverse reactions are limited.
If you catch the disease early in development, it will be possible to cope with it within a month.
The most popular antifungal creams and ointments
- Zinc ointment. It allows you to relieve inflammation, dry the affected areas, eliminate itching, achieve an adsorbing effect.
- Based on naftifine. Fights inflammation, has an antimicrobial effect. The agent tends to accumulate in the treated surfaces. Use the ointment no more than twice a day. The tool is not used during pregnancy and lactation.
Use of tablets
To provide a systemic effect on the whole body, the doctor prescribes oral tablets. Broad-spectrum drugs are prescribed.
- based on fluconazole. It is enough to take only once a day. Funds are well tolerated. In rare cases, intestinal disorders and rashes on the body can occur. The course of treatment can last 1-4 weeks.
- Based on terbinafine. Capable of accumulating in the skin and its horny formations (hair, nails). The course 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 cause migraines, muscle and joint pains, allergies, anorexia.
All medicines for nail fungus on the 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 medication and bring the treatment to an end, and do not stop the course after eliminating particularly troublesome symptoms.
Additionally, you need:
- regularly use local toilets;
- apply a specialized paint that blocks the spread of the fungus, and also has a therapeutic effect;
- daily remove the protruding parts of the growing nail, which is affected by the disease;
- use special tools to soften the nail plate to remove it;
- spray hands or feet before using external topical agents;
- take measures to prevent families from becoming infected.
Special lacquers
Lacquers have a number of advantages. The active ingredients penetrate well deep into the affected nails, but at the same time harden and leave no marks on clothes, sheets, shoes.
The hardened layer reliably blocks the oxygen supply to pathogens, blocking their activity. But paint products are effective only in the initial stage of onychomycosis.
Before using paints, you should resort to using a warm local bath. Soaked dishes affected by a fungus are cut to the maximum, treated with a file or other grinding device. The surface is dried
Lacquer is also recommended to cover healthy nails. The procedure is repeated every evening for a long time, from several months to six months.
The help of a surgeon
Both the part and the whole plate can be removed. But this is not a guarantee of complete relief from the disease. The likelihood of further spread of a fungal infection is very high.
After surgery, the finger heals for a long time. In addition, suppuration may develop. A newly grown nail can be deformed. A preferred alternative to this method is laser therapy.
Traditional medicine
For the treatment of nail fungus, the following remedies are used:
- Garlic. Apply garlic gruel in the form of applications on sore nails. A fixing bandage is placed on the top. A nocturnal repetition of the procedure is practiced. You can also use garlic juice squeezed 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, sods of cotton wool are moistened in vinegar and fixed on the desired fingers in the affected area. The tablets hold all night, removing in the morning.
- Peroxide. Like vinegar and other similar products, apply directly to nails or cotton swabs. Peroxide acts as an antiseptic.
- Alcoholic solution of iodine. They can cover even healthy nails 1-2 times a day. In addition, an iodine supplement is suitable for any bathroom. To do this, simply add a few drops of the product.
- Tincture of propolis. It can be used for lotions, as well as injected into local hand or foot baths. The tablets are left on the nails overnight. You can prepare an ointment, which is a mixture of propolis and butter. The composition is superimposed on the gauze and placed on the desired area. The agent is left for 10 hours.
- Stinging remedies 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 some kind of ointment by mixing liquid pomace with melted butter or chicken fat.
- Essential extracts. These funds have anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and regenerative effects. For the preparation of local baths or as part of compresses for compresses, you can use oils:
- cedar;
- tea tree;
- rosemary;
- lavender;
- firs and some others.
The essential extract is mixed with petroleum jelly in a ratio of 1: 1. It should be rubbed into the damaged nails. As always in such cases, the remedy will have a stronger effect if the nails are steamed pre-cooked.
Prevention measures
The risk of reinfection with the fungus after getting rid of the disease is very high. Therefore, it is necessary to clearly follow simple rules:
- follow foot hygiene;
- get rid of shoes, towels and socks used during the treatment;
- avoid sharing these things with other family members;
- avoid excessive humidity of the feet, use talcum powder;
- treat the inner surfaces of the shoes with antiseptics.
Do not forget, all medicines for nail fungus, take after consulting a doctor.