Treatment of nail fungus with folk remedies is effective in the early stages of the disease. With a more advanced form, it is better to seek advice from a specialist.
best cure 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) available at hardware stores or on the market, there are many ways to treat fungus. toes with this product.
Of course, self-treatment with vinegar should be carried out only if the disease has not reached 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 consult a doctor, and there is no medical treatment, it is possible to use vinegar alone, as long as you follow the proper safety guidelines. rules.
Features of the use of vinegar for the treatment of mushrooms
The main effect of using 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, deprived of 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 the skin, but penetrates into the thickness of the tissues. In this regard, a positive result from the treatment of oncomycosis should be expected only in case of strict regularity of the procedures, which will not give the parasite time to rehabilitate and penetrate under the skin.
Before treating nail fungus, make sure that the concentration of acetic acid used matches 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 spot on. Food or table vinegar contains respectively 6 and 9% acid. Neglect of these data can lead to the fact that the treatment will end with a chemical burn.
Vinegar baths
Hot foot baths are considered an effective remedy for fungus, regular use allows you to get rid of onychomycosis at an early stage without additional medications. In addition, vinegar baths are an excellent prevention of fungal infections. The procedure requires warm water, around 50°C, and a glass of 9% table vinegar. The water level in the basin should not be high, but only to the ankles. The feet are immersed in the solution and kept there for 15 minutes.
Before the vinegar bath, it is desirable to perform a full pedicure procedure, including the removal of the affected areas of the nail plate and layers of dead skin, calluses and corns on the feet, but without applyingof decorative coating on the nails. If you cut and file your own nails, you must do it very carefully, as microdamage to the skin can contribute to the spread of a fungal infection.
Immediately after the vinegar bath, dry the feet with a towel and put on cotton socks. Repeat three times a week.
Acetic lotions
Lotions on the places affected by the fungus are best done after vinegar baths. For this, pharmaceuticals and 9% pure vinegar are suitable, in which a cotton ball is moistened and applied to the nail for fifteen minutes.
A more complex recipe: a mixture of vodka or forty-degree medical alcohol, glycerin and 70% acetic acid in equal proportions, mix until smooth. A cotton swab soaked in a solution is held for fifteen minutes on the affected areas, after which cotton socks are put on. The course of treatment is one week, if necessary, can be repeated after a few days.
Ointment
Vinegar-based ointments can be stored for a long time, they are more convenient to use than products with a liquid consistency. 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 thoroughly mixing all the ingredients, the ointment is ready for use.
To prevent the spread of a fungal infection and destroy its pathogens, you need to apply the ointment daily to the affected areas with a cotton swab, hold for 8-10 hours, then wash off with laundry soap. You can use this recipe not only for the treatment of nail oncomycosis, but also on the affected fingernails.
Treatment of nail fungus with tea tree oil
Ways to use tea tree oil:
- Tea tree oil foot bath. Hot 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 there for twenty minutes, maintaining a high water temperature (45-50 °VS). The course of treatment is two months, you need to take baths daily. During the treatment procedure, it is necessary to remove the affected areas of the nail plate using a file, nail clippers or scissors.
- Apply oil to the nail plate. If you do not have a reaction to undiluted tea tree oil, then in order to improve the effectiveness of the impact, it is applied in its pure form to the affected areas of the nail. Beforehand, 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 nail 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 his 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 the nail with manicure nippers and, after soaking it with a 3% peroxide solution, attach it to the nail plate. Leave on 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 lotion is wrapped with plastic wrap. Once the exposure time has elapsed, rinse the 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 the hands and feet (depending on the localization of 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 procedure time 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 anolyte water, can be used in this recipe. Anolyte water is safe for sensitive skin, but has antiseptic properties that reduce the rate of fungal growth.
Effective treatment for advanced nail fungus
This extreme method of treating a fungal infection is used for severe lesions of the nail plate, it should be used carefully 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, when using it, it is necessary to observe safety precautions - work in a well-ventilated place, wear goggles and rubber gloves, avoiding contact with skin and mucous membranes.
A safer way would be to use kerosene, which also has high penetrating power and a very strong effect on the fungus.
Other folk remedies for nail fungus
Comprehensive treatment of toenail fungus using folk recipes with hydrogen peroxide allows you to destroy the fungus and permanently get rid of the unpleasant odor and other symptoms associated with it.
Two effective folk remedies for a fungal infection:
- Peroxide Recipe 1. To prepare the healing mixture, you will need club soda (0. 5 cups), hot water (4 cups), 3% strength hydrogen peroxide (0. 25 cups) andhalf a cup of magnesium sulfate or Epsom salts. Mix all the ingredients well and pour in another quarter cup of vinegar. Soak a cotton swab in the resulting solution and fix it on the nail plate affected by the fungus with a patch. You need to renew the bandage every ten hours, the course of treatment is one month.
- Peroxide recipe 2. The procedure for processing mushrooms according to this recipe consists of three stages. First of all, you need to prepare a solution for treating the nail and skin surfaces affected by the fungus - mix 3% vinegar and peroxide at a concentration of 3% in a ratio of 1: 1. feet are treated to this mixture as it sizzles. The second step is to immerse 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 andwiped off 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 was used to treat nail oncomycosis). The course of treatment is one week.
- Novocaine lotion. A very simple, but effective folk remedy in the treatment of fungus is novocaine lotion. We simply soak a piece of cotton in novocaine and apply it to the fungus at night. Two of these lotions are enough to permanently eliminate the fungus.
- Apricot resin tincture: 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. Took us a month to treat, affected nails were clipped as they peeled off, healthy new nails grew. During the examination, the doctor confirmed the fact of recovery. I can also recommend using old, thickened sunflower oil in this case.
- Garlic applications: I took a clove of garlic, pressed it with a garlic press, applied the mass to the nail, covered it with cellophane andwrapped in a bandage or put on the 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 the treatment of fungus. Make your coffee stronger and simply dip your hands or feet into the cup, depending on where you have the fungus. This procedure is best done in the evening, before going to bed. The fungus completely disappears after several such nightly procedures. At the same time, the skin becomes smooth, and the pain quickly disappears.
What causes nail fungus
Nail fungus, or as it is called in medicine, onychomycosis, is a disease that damages the nail plates and adjacent areas by parasitic fungal microorganisms. It is one of the subspecies of mycosis. If we consider all the diseases to which the feet can only be prone, onychomycosis is the most common.
It can be caused by several groups of fungi:
- epidermophyte;
- dermatophytic;
- microsporia.
You can catch the infection in public places where the humidity is excessive. This includes baths, hammams, swimming pools, beaches.
Wooden objects (benches, deckchairs, etc. ) are widely used here. Due to the porosity of the wood, the fungus is difficult to kill in it.
In addition, doctors distinguish several risk groups. For people belonging to one of them, the probability of infection increases significantly.
This:
- the elderly;
- cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy;
- after a course of antibiotics or steroids;
- infected with HIV;
- patients with diabetes.
It is not always possible to quickly get rid of the disease. The rate of recovery 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 complications and concomitant ailments, and the general condition of the body.
Symptoms of onychomycosis
Nail damage caused by a parasitic fungus cannot go unnoticed. Symptomatic changes in the nail plates are quite pronounced and boil down to the following.
- Lost natural shine, transparency.
- The color changes. It can be yellowish, brownish, whitish, bluish, greenish, grayish.
- Surface roughness appears.
- Scratches, stains and thickenings are clearly distinguishable.
- Stratification is observed.
- There is exfoliation of the nail bed.
- Different areas are painted and crumbled.
- The surrounding tissues may become red, swollen, and itchy.
- There are feelings of pain.
- The feet give off an unpleasant smell.
Despite all this, self-diagnosis can be difficult. Early in development, the signs of onychomycosis resemble the symptoms of some other lesions:
- injury to the nail area;
- age changes;
- onycholysis;
- nail psoriasis;
- paronychia;
- pseudomonic onychia.
How to quickly get rid of nail fungus with folk remedies and drugs
You need to be realistic and understand that fungal infection of nails and nail areas is not cured 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 nail growth activity. On the hands, this process proceeds much faster than on the legs, and therefore the remedy here comes earlier.
The best and fastest possible positive results can be achieved if you follow the recommendations below.
- Use a variety of therapeutic measures in the complex. Do not rely on the effectiveness of a single miracle cure. Competently combine 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 near the affected areas.
- Strictly observe hygiene requirements so that the fungus does not spread, also in order to avoid re-infection soon after the cure. And the likelihood of that happening is very high.
- Watch for dryness of affected extremities. Remember that humidity and heat are ideal conditions for the active reproduction of the fungus.
- Eliminate all the causes that provoked the appearance of onychomycosis and eliminate them.
- Every day, carefully, but as much as possible, cut off the edge of the growing nail affected by the disease. If possible, go through 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 tablets for general action on the whole body.
It should be borne in mind that the latter have a long list of side effects. Therefore, you should not prescribe medications. To minimize the risks, you need to undergo an examination, identify the varieties of fungi that caused the disease and act with "targeting" 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 molds and yeast-like fungi.
- allylamine agents. The active principles 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 against certain types of fungal pathogens.
External funds
At the beginning of the development of onychomycotic lesions, one should resort only to the help of ointments. Only if they prove to be ineffective, antimycotics in tablets are administered.
The difference between creams and ointments:
- have a direct effect on lesions;
- relatively harmless;
- have fewer contraindications;
- side effects are limited.
If you catch the disease at the beginning of development, then it will be possible to cope with it within a month.
The most popular antifungal creams and ointments
- Zinc ointment. Allows you to relieve inflammation, dry the affected areas, get rid of itching, achieve an adsorbent effect.
- Based on naftifine. Fights inflammation, has an antimicrobial effect. The agent tends to accumulate in 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 once a day. Bottoms are well tolerated. In rare cases, intestinal disorders and rashes on the body may occur. The duration of treatment can be from 1 to 4 weeks.
- Based on terbinafine. Able to accumulate in the skin and its horny formations (hair, nails). The duration of treatment is at least 6 weeks. Requires 1 tablet per day. The drug is not given to young children, pregnant and lactating women. It can cause migraines, muscle and joint pain, allergies, anorexia.
All medications for fingernail or toenail fungus should only be taken after consulting a doctor.
How to treat nail fungus with folk remedies at home
First of all, you should strictly follow all medical recommendations, do not skip taking medications and terminate treatment, and do not interrupt the course after eliminating particularly bothersome symptoms.
Additionally, you need:
- regular use of local baths;
- apply a specialized varnish 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 household infection.
Special lacquers
Lacquers have many advantages. The active ingredients penetrate very deeply into the affected nails, but at the same time they harden and do not leave marks on clothes, sheets, shoes.
The hardened layer reliably blocks the supply of oxygen to pathogens, which blocks their activity. But varnish products are effective only at the initial stage of onychomycosis.
Before using varnishes, you need to resort to a hot local bath. Tempered plates affected by a fungus are cut to the maximum, processed with a file or other grinding device. The surface is wiped
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
Part and all of the plate can be removed. But this is not a guarantee of complete relief from the disease. The probability of further spread of a fungal infection is very high.
After surgery, the finger heals for a long time. Additionally, suppuration may develop. A newly grown nail can be deformed. A preferred alternative to such a 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 to sore nails. A fixing bandage is placed on top. A nightly repeat of the procedure is performed. You can also use squeezed garlic juice in an equal mixture with alcohol. The nails are treated with the resulting balm twice a day.
- The vinegar. Acetic acid acidifies the environment, which inactivates pathogens. This tool daily lubricates damaged nails. You can use vinegar compresses. To do this, cotton balls are moistened in vinegar and fixed on the desired fingers in the affected area. The compresses resist all night, withdraw in the morning.
- Peroxide. Like vinegar and other similar products, apply directly to nails or on cotton swabs. The peroxide acts as an antiseptic.
- Alcoholic solution of iodine. They can cover the nail plates, including healthy ones, 1-2 times a day. In addition, an iodine supplement is suitable for all baths. To do this, it is enough to 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. Compresses are left on the nails 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 o'clock.
- Burning remedies based on vegetables. For the treatment of onychomycosis, onions or horseradish are suitable. They have antimicrobial activity. Herbal products are used in the form of porridge. You can also make a kind of ointment by mixing liquid pomace with butter or melted 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;
- fir trees and a few 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 will have a stronger effect if the nails are pre-steamed.
Preventative measures
The risk of re-infection with the fungus after getting rid of the disease is very high. Therefore, you should clearly follow simple rules:
- follow foot hygiene;
- get rid of shoes, towels and socks that were used during treatment;
- avoid sharing such things with other family members;
- avoid excessive wetness of the feet, use talc;
- treat the inner surfaces of shoes with antiseptics.
Do not forget, all the drugs against nail fungus, to be taken after consulting a doctor.