Nail fungus - onychomycosis of the feet and hands - is one of the common diseases.
According to statistics from the World Health Organization, every fifth person on the planet suffers from this disease, which is why treating toenail fungus with folk remedies is quite popular and in most cases effective.
Healthy nails always look quite attractive; it is characterized by a flat and smooth nail plate with a pleasant soft pink color and a slight natural shine. If the appearance of the nails is different, it is most likely that they are affected by a fungal infection, which is detected in 50% of cases of nail disease.
The main symptoms of nail fungus (onychomycosis) are:
- thickening of the nail plate;
- fragility and fragility of nails;
- a change in color from yellowish to gray;
- redness of the skin on the fingers around the nails;
- itching and burning;
- cracks in the skin.
The disease is spread easily and quickly, especially through public places (swimming pools, gyms, showers, etc. ). The main way fungal infections enter the skin is through micro-cracks that occur as a result of minor injuries, tight shoes, blood circulation problems in the feet, deformed feet, etc.
Toenail fungus is treated with folk remedies alone or in combination with traditional medicine. It is better to be more involved in therapy. Among the drugs, antimycotic drugs for internal and external use are most often used, depending on the complexity and stage of the disease. Traditional medicinal recipes also offer drugs for internal use in the form of tinctures, teas, decoctions and external use in the form of ointments, compresses, and solutions.
Popular folk remedies for toenail fungus are based on iodine and vinegar
Folk remedies for toenail fungus are quite diverse, but there are some well-known recipes that are used more often than others.
One of them is the use of iodine alcohol solution. This product is a strong antiseptic and has disinfecting, cauterizing, drying and tanning properties. In addition, iodine can coagulate the fungal protein structure, thereby destroying it directly.
To treat this disease, apply one drop of 5% iodine-alcohol solution to the affected nail twice a day for 2-3 weeks. Within a week, this simple folk recipe for nail fungus will be felt. A slight itching and burning sensation will appear, indicating the beginning of a fungal infection. If the pain is unbearable, nail treatment should be reduced from twice a day to once. In general, the course of treatment with this method will be 20-40 days.
It is also good to use iodine for preventive purposes. To do this, you need to treat each nail plate with one drop of the product every two days. At the same time, it is important not to touch the skin of the fingers around the nails, so as not to burn or injure them.
It is important to know!
Treatment of nail fungus with iodine can cause an allergic reaction related to the body's individual intolerance to this substance. In this case, therapy should be stopped immediately and other methods should be used.
Folk remedies for toenail fungus prepared with vinegar are also widely used. It is necessary to prepare a solution consisting of ordinary table vinegar 9% and water, maintaining a ratio of 1: 8, and soak the infected finger and nail in it, after steaming it in ordinary hot water and removing the affected area from the surface of the nail plate as much as possible. This procedure should be repeated seven times every day for two days.
Such folk remedies for nail fungus should be stored in the refrigerator or any other suitable cool place.
Traditional recipes for toenail fungus
As mentioned above, in most cases, treatment with folk remedies, most of which are prepared based on natural substances from plants and animals, help to get rid of toenail fungus (onychomycosis).
Recipe No. 1. Ointment for nail fungus based on vegetable oil and o-phthalic acid dimethyl ester
To prepare this product, you will need the following ingredients:
- vegetable oil (sunflower) - 1 tablespoon;
- chicken egg (raw) - 1 piece;
- o-phthalic acid dimethyl ester - 1 teaspoon.
All the above ingredients should be combined and the resulting ointment should be applied to the affected nail. Wrap your fingers in plain plastic wrap and wear cotton socks. Leave the application with the ointment overnight. Repeat this procedure for 3-4 days. Soon the affected nail will begin to die and a healthy nail will grow in its place.
No. Recipe 2. Kombucha compress
An excellent folk recipe for nail fungus is based on kombucha. It should be used as a compress. You need to take a piece of mushroom plate, carefully remove the top thin film from it, and apply the rest to the affected nail from above, wrap it in plastic wrap and secure it with a regular bandage or wear thin socks. Compressing should be done at night, and in the morning, rinse your nails well with warm water, if possible, cut off the dead part and lubricate the remaining nail plate with iodine solution. Keep in mind that treating nail fungus with kombucha is quite painful, but very effective.
Recipe No. 3. Ointment for fungus based on eucalyptus and honey
Folk remedies for toenail fungus prepared on the basis of eucalyptus are very effective. To do this, you need to take:
- eucalyptus oil - 30-40 grams;
- apple cider vinegar - 1 teaspoon;
- natural honey (liquid) - 15 grams.
All the above ingredients must be mixed and the prepared ointment is allowed to brew in the refrigerator for three days, then lubricate the affected nails with it every day.
Recipe No. 4. Effective anti-fungal medicine based on lavender and tea tree oil
Essential oils help well against nail fungus, especially lavender. It helps fight infection and relieves skin irritation. And tea tree oil is a natural plant antibiotic. To prepare the product, mix lavender, tea tree and olive oil in equal proportions and apply the resulting mixture to the sick nail for 8-10 hours (preferably overnight), protecting the treated nail plate with thin cotton socks.
Recipe No. 5. Mouthwash and vinegar bath
This folk recipe for nail fungus includes a rather unusual remedy - mouthwash. It should be combined in equal proportions with apple cider vinegar and lemon juice, diluted with a little warm water and soak the finger with the infected nail in the bathtub for 15 minutes.
In order for the treatment of toenail fungus with folk remedies to be successful and not cause a relapse, it is necessary to complete it, as well as observe the correct rules of personal hygiene to avoid re-infection with this disease.