Toenail fungus is medically called onychomycosis. Virtually everyone comes into contact with mold spores. It is easier to get infected in public places: swimming pools, saunas, baths. But the infection also occurs at home when using other people's towels, slippers, manicure accessories.
The skin and toenails 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 from the gastrointestinal tract, and he is forced to treat them, is subject to stress and works in dangerous industries.
causes of fungus
At risk are people who take aggressive medications for a long time, such as antibiotics.
Age-related changes in the acid-base balance of the skin, reduced blood circulation in the extremities, injuries to the toes and diabetes also create more than favorable conditions for the development of the fungus in the body.
Stages of disease development
The fungus begins to develop on the skin between the toes, where small cracks appear.
Further, the infection spreads to the skin of the foot, itching, burning, pulsation and hyperemia appear. If you do not pay attention to these symptoms, the fungus develops and eventually affects the nail plate.
External signs of a fungus on the legs in the initial stage
At the initial stage of the disease, the nail plate does not lose its shine, retains its pink color, but yellow stripes and spots appear along the edges of the nail plate.
How is the fungus on the legs in a state of disrepair?
With advanced onychomycosis at home, it is 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 affected the nails. In an extremely neglected state, the nails become very thick, deform, take the form of claws, then the nail plate is destroyed. The skin is flaky, dead layers are constantly exfoliating.
foot fungus medication
Many patients are wondering: if a nail fungus is detected, how to treat it at home, is it possible to do without removing nail plates?Having found the first signs of a fungus, you need to consult a doctor to prescribe the appropriate treatment.
Depending on the stage of the disease, topical drugs are prescribed: ointments, varnishes, solutions or tablets of complex action. However, the most important thing in the treatment of the fungus is discipline, since any course of treatment lasts several weeks.
local application
For the treatment of nail fungus, medicinal varnishes and liquids are produced:
- Lake from the morpholine group.
- Varnish belonging to the group of oxypyridones.
- Varnish, whose active substances are formaldehyde and a mixture of enzymatic proteins.
- Allylamine group spray.
- A serum product based on enzymatic rye filtrate is sold complete with disposable nail files. The kit includes a diary and templates to monitor nail changes.
- Drops belonging to the allylamine group.
- An agent from the imidazole group 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 entire body, therefore, they can only be used with a doctor's prescription, taking into account contraindications. With onychomycosis, all drugs are taken for several months, while the nail plate changes.
- Broad-spectrum drug from the triazole group. Released by prescription. With onychomycosis, it is taken within 3 months.
- An antibiotic from the group of grays is not recommended by doctors in the early stages of the disease.
Traditional methods of treating fungus on the legs
If you have found a nail fungus, traditional medicine will tell you how to treat it at home. Folk remedies must be combined with drugs.
The treatment will give a result if, before each use, the legs are steamed for 15-20 minutes in a hot bath with the addition of washing powder or tar, salt or soda, and then remove the skin layer and sick nail with a nail file.
If, according to the recipe, the product needs to be applied to the nail with a cotton swab or a stick, then a separate cotton swab should be used for each nail.Manicure instruments must be disinfected after each procedure.
Iodine
Iodine is the most popular folk remedy for fungus. For the treatment of nails, it is necessary to apply a 5% iodine solution to the affected nails twice a day for a month. Contact with 5% iodine solution on the skin can cause burns.
So, another common method is iodine baths. Just drip a few drops of iodine into a bowl of hot water to color the water and hold your feet for 20 minutes. After bathing, dry your feet and apply antibacterial ointment.
Important: for people with thyroid problems, iodine treatment is contraindicated!
Vinegar
Vinegar is widely available at home and is very effective in treating toenail fungus, as scientific studies have shown that the fungus is afraid of acidic environments and quickly dies. In order not to have to treat burns, apple cider vinegar should be used, although it is less preferred than vinegar essence at a concentration of 9%.Treatment options:
- Apply vinegar to your nails, put on cotton socks and go to bed.
- Pour 250 ml of vinegar into a bowl of hot water, hold for 10 minutes before bedtime and apply the prescribed cream.
Ammonia
Ammonia has a disinfectant effect. Compresses are used for treatment. 1 tablespoon of ammonia is diluted in a glass of warm water.
The resulting solution is moistened with cotton cloth, wrapped around the feet with it, plastic bags and socks are put on top. With this compress, go to bed.
Those who feel uncomfortable sleeping with socks on top of their bags can be recommended to rub a mixture of ammonia and glycerin in a 1: 1 ratio on the affected areas. The resulting mixture is applied to nails and skin twice a day, morning and evening.
Hydrogen peroxide
Experts recommend using hydrogen peroxide in the early 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. Then the compress is removed, the softened areas of the skin are cut with scissors, the nail is removed with a nail file and an antifungal is applied.
- A very effective remedy is a paste of 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 a 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. For the treatment of onychomycosis, both propolis itself and its 20% tincture are used.
Propolis in its pure form is applied for half an hour to the affected nails several times a day.
Propolis tincture can be purchased at a pharmacy or made independently.
To make it at home, 20 g of propolis is poured into 80 ml of alcohol and infused for 2 weeks.
The resulting tincture lubricates the skin around the affected nails, and a compress is applied to the nails themselves.
If the fungus is running, the concentration can be increased by pouring propolis with alcohol in a 1: 1 ratio.But in this case, compresses should be done only on the nails, the skin must be protected with a cream to avoid burns before the procedure. Also, tincture of propolis can be added to baths in which the legs are steamed before the use of 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 and healing effect, dries the skin better than the remedies listed above.
Tar is applied to the skin and nails for two hours. The skin can be damaged, with cracks and abrasions, this is not dangerous. After two hours, the remnants are removed with a cotton swab, a moisturizer is applied, after which socks are put on. The disadvantages of the product include a dark color and a strong unpleasant odor, 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 with great care.In addition to pure tar, the use of tar soap gives good results.
For compresses, rub soap on a grater, mix 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 put on top. After a few hours, the compress can be removed, the remnants can be washed off with warm water.
Lemon
Since the fungus is afraid of acid, lemon is a logical solution in treating the fungus.
- A compress from lemon slices is the simplest way to treat a fungus at its initial stage. Thinly sliced \u200b\u200bfruits are applied to the nails, covered with a film, placed in socks and left overnight.
- Small lemons can be put on the finger like caps, fixed with a bandage and left overnight.
- Freshly squeezed lemon juice can be applied to the nails in the morning and in the 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.
Egg
Raw chicken eggs are also used to treat fungus. A common folk recipe is an egg dissolved in vinegar. To do this, the washed egg is poured with vinegar essence so that it completely covers it.
The container is closed and placed in a cool place for several days, but not in the refrigerator, until the peel 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, butter.
The resulting ointment is applied to diseased nails, wrapped in a film. A mixture of chicken protein, vinegar essence and vodka will also help.Egg products should be stored in the refrigerator.
Garlic
It is necessary to use garlic in the treatment of fungus very carefully, as garlic juice can cause burns.
On diseased areas, you can apply pure garlic porridge and juice, as well as in the form of a tincture of alcohol and diluted in vegetable oil. For the manufacture of garlic tincture for 50 ml. vodka will need 4 cloves.
celandine
As a systemic remedy in the treatment of toenail fungus, alcoholic tincture of celandine is used. At home, an alcohol tincture is prepared at the rate of one part of celandine herb per 10 parts of vodka.
It is important to remember that celandine is very poisonous, so it should be treated more carefully 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. Effective is the external use of celandine. Nails affected by onychomycosis can be lubricated with fresh celandine juice. At the same time, the juice should not come into contact with healthy skin, otherwise you can get serious burns.
To protect against burns, you can lubricate the skin around the nails with a cream. A more gentle remedy is celandine oil, but it should not be applied to damaged skin either. Celandine oil can be purchased at a pharmacy or prepared independently.
To do this, the collected stems, leaves and flowers of the plant are dried, placed in a glass container and poured with the same volume of hot vegetable oil. After keeping the container for a week in a dark and cool place, the oil is filtered and diluted with vegetable oil in a 1: 1 ratio.
rowan
An effective remedy is a compress from fresh rowan leaves. The leaves are washed, crushed, the resulting paste is applied to the affected nails and covered with a bandage.
The result of such treatment will be noticeable not earlier than in 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 nails or add 15-20 drops to baths in which the legs are steamed. The best result is the use of tea tree oil in the early stages of the disease.
mushroom tea
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 weak sweet tea.
If you leave the mushroom in a container for several weeks, it will grow and the liquid will become carbonated and acquire a sour taste.Bacteria secrete acid and even ethyl alcohol. Therefore, kombucha is effective in treating fungus at home.
A small piece is separated from the top layer, placed on the nail, covered with cling film and laid out on the bed. In the morning, the compress is removed, the softened parts of the nail and skin are wiped. Compresses are repeated until a healthy nail grows. You can also apply kombucha, ground into gruel, to your nails.
golden mustache dye
Golden mustache has anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties. Golden mustache tincture is easy to prepare at home.
For this, 50 segments of the plant are poured with 2 glasses of vodka and infused for 10 days. Apply in the form of compresses.
kalanchoe
The popular name of this houseplant is home healer or flower of life. Its anti-inflammatory and healing properties are widely known. For the treatment of nail fungus, the skin is taken from a fresh Kalanchoe leaf, applied to the nail, reinforced with tape and left overnight.
In the morning, the compress is removed, the softened area of \u200b\u200bthe nail is removed with a nail file. The procedure is repeated until the nail plate is completely renewed. If you feel a burning sensation, the compress must be removed to avoid an allergic reaction.
Lilac
Alcoholic tincture of lilac flowers, preferably white, is prepared at the rate of half a glass of flowers to a glass of vodka. After 2 weeks, the tincture is ready. Rub into nails daily until a healthy nail grows.
mint salt
One of the main symptoms of the fungus is itching. The cooling effect of mint will alleviate the condition. A compress of chopped fresh mint leaves mixed with coarse salt helps a lot.
Baths of dried, fermented mint leaves with salt dissolved in the infusion are also useful. For 2 liters of infusion you need 4 tablespoons of salt. Such baths must be done 2 times a day.
poplar buds
Tincture of fungus from poplar buds on vodka helps. To do this, a glass of aspen buds is poured with two glasses of vodka and infused in a dark place for 10 days. A compress from the tincture is applied at night. In the morning, the softened part of the nail is cut off.
Soda
Baking soda, being an alkali, does not kill the fungus, but it perfectly softens the nail plates and skin of the feet, which allows the applied means to penetrate as deeply as possible. To do this, before applying the remedies prescribed by the doctor or traditional medicine, you need to take a bath with a warm solution of soap and soda.
After that, the softened layers of the nail or skin can be removed and the medicine applied to the areas. The use of soda alone does not give an effective effect.
White
Whiteness is a bleach known to housewives.The main component is chlorine. The tool is very caustic, it must be used very carefully.
The room in which the procedure is carried out must be well ventilated. In no case should this remedy be used by pregnant and lactating women.
Also, do not use the remedy for asthmatics, allergy sufferers, as well as for everyone 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 only applied to the nails, contact of Whiteness with the skin can cause severe chemical burns.
To protect the skin around the nails, it is necessary to apply a greasy cream. The product is washed off after a few hours. Whiteness is used only in the most neglected cases, when other means no longer help.
garden horseradish
Horseradish root has disinfectant properties. For the treatment of fungus, freshly grated horseradish roots are applied to the affected skin and nails, previously steamed in hot water, wrapped in foil and placed in socks. Keep the compress for at least two hours.
Vodka
Most of the mentioned folk remedies are used in the form of alcoholic solutions. Ethyl alcohol has a disinfectant effect.
Coffee
In addition to the cosmetic effect, coffee also has a healing effect, and is also used in the treatment of onychomycosis. It is necessary to brew a very strong coffee and let it brew for about half an hour.
Then make a coffee bath diluted in hot water. After the skin is steamed, the affected areas of the nails and skin must be removed with a nail file, then apply the remaining coffee grounds. Coffee baths strengthen nails and improve skin condition.
Official and traditional medicine offers many remedies for the treatment of fungus. To succeed, it is necessary to start acting at the first symptoms of the disease, especially if the skin and toenails are affected.
The sooner you start treatment, the better the home treatment result will be. Treating nail fungus requires patience and discipline, as all the remedies described must be applied for several weeks, or even months, until the nail plate changes.