Fungal disease of the toenails (onychomycosis) is quite common. This disease is contagious and caused by pathogenic bacteria (epidermophytes). Almost from the moment of infection, a person begins to feel severe itching in the finger area, which despite proven methods does not help to overcome it. This disease is difficult to treat, so you have to be patient and make a decisionhow to treat toenail fungus correctly.
Every fifth person in the world gets fungus at least once, so it is not difficult to determine its presence by external signs.
Why are fungi dangerous?
Fungus on the nails should not be ignored, because this disease is contagious and can ruin the life of the patient and the people around him.
In addition to the constant desire to scratch the affected area, the nail plate begins to change its structure, peel off, infecting the entire surrounding area with fungus. It's unpleasant to look at, so you can't ignore the pain. In addition, it is impossible to forget it, because it will always remind you of itself with itching.
Currently, people are very reluctant to go to the clinic, so the question is always relevant: how to cure nail fungus at home?
Treatment of toenail fungus with folk remedies is becoming common. How to treat nail fungus at home?
People are used to thinking that fungus is not a serious disease and that you can get rid of it yourself. Only when they unsuccessfully struggle with the problem for several weeks and do not see results, they turn to professionals for help.
At this time, the disease moves to the next stage, when the urge to scratch the legs becomes unbearable, causing a state of panic and stress.
You need to know that toenail fungus visually only affects a separate part of the human body, although in fact it changes the functioning of the whole body for the worse. Toxins that arise during the growth and reproduction of pathogenic fungi settle in it.
Blood flow promotes its distribution throughout the body, which leads to disruption of metabolic functions, increases sensitivity to many negative factors, causes all kinds of complications.
Externally, the affected nail is painted in a different color. It depends on the pathogen, as the fungus can be a mold, yeast or dermatophyte.
Over time, nail keratinization leads to the fact that even cutting it becomes a problem, and how to cure nail fungus at home in this case? The traditional method of treating toenail fungus is the first thing the victim takes.
Causes of fungus:
- open wounds on the legs (scratches, ulcers, abrasions, corns);
- violation of hygiene rules;
- weak immunity;
- antibiotics or other drugs used to treat any disease;
- excessive sweating on the feet.
But all these reasons are secondary, because the main thing is still the infection caught in the sick person. About a third of sick people contract fungal infections while visiting saunas, swimming pools, nail salons and other crowded places.
The presence of moisture only activates the infection process and provides favorable conditions for the spread of bacteria. It is enough to walk through a public shower barefoot or use someone else's slippers to exfoliate the patient's skin to affect your skin.
You can often get infected from using cloths, carpets and other similar common items. But even at home, no one is safe from fungal infections.
It is enough for one of the family members to go to the beach or to the swimming pool, and he can become a carrier of bacteria, and if he shares slippers or sponges with him, the whole family can become infected.
The lack of moisture also does not interfere with the function of the fungus. For example, visiting the assembly room of a shop can be a site of infection. People in the fitting room often take off their shoes and stand on the same mat.
Shoe stores, where people try on shoes without socks, are a real breeding ground for many diseases, including fungal diseases.
Fungal spores are able to withstand low and high temperatures, which prolongs their life for several months, so even on the beach in the most extreme heat they live calmly in the sand.
Since the sand or small pebbles on the beach are a natural scrub for the feet, infected skin particles are there in large quantities and cling to those with open sores on the feet.
Used shoes are another carrier of fungal spores. Of course, shops that sell such goods are obliged to sell them only after undergoing appropriate chemical treatment, but this is not always done.
The first manifestation of the fungus
Fungus manifests itself in different ways all the time. If a person is healthy and does not have any damage to his feet, then it can manifest itself in the form of peeling. If there is damage between the toes or on the heel, symptoms may be worse.
The disease begins with peeling of the skin near the nails, slight redness and itching. This may not be given any importance, as the cause may be uncomfortable or non-breathable shoes. In addition, the redness between the fingers is quite difficult to notice immediately.
Clear signs of fungus are more visible in areas where the skin of the feet sweats. Diaper rash appears there, and at a later stage blisters appear.
The color of the nail changes from transparent to yellowish, the plate becomes cloudy and lumpy. When bacteria begin to attack the nail, lines, yellowish spots will appear, and the nail will begin to crack and peel.
The subungual space will be filled with a mixture of powder, and will alternate with empty holes. But the most problems will come from the increasing itching and bad smell from the feet, which will increase if the feet sweat.
Advanced stages may be accompanied by fever and problems with movement. Treatment of toe fungus in this case requires immediate medical intervention. He will determine the species that causes the disease and what steps should be taken to combat it.
In the early stages, you can treat toenail fungus with folk remedies or use pharmaceutical antifungal ointments and gels.
Options for traditional methods of treating foot fungus
- The use of washing powder is always considered effective, because it contains alkali that can kill any type of fungus. Half a glass of powder should be poured into a hot tub and your feet should be soaked in it. You should not sit for more than 15 minutes. The procedure must be repeated for 10 days.
- Everyone knows garlic kills bacteria. In the fight against fungus, it is used in pure form, cutting cloves into two parts and dipping them in salt. Garlic should not be eaten, it should be applied to the part of the foot damaged by the fungus. Garlic can cause more irritation and redness, so it should not be used for a long time. 5-7 minutes is enough.
- Compressing with ammonia at night is also a method of treating foot fungus with folk remedies. Add one tablespoon of ammonia to 250 mg of water, soak a natural cloth that will retain moisture well in the solution, and wrap the feet.
- Apply a paste of baking soda and water to your feet for 20 minutes. This will stop the spread of bacteria.
- Sprinkle steamed feet with boric acid powder and wear socks.
- Does iodine cure nail fungus? Treatment of toenail fungus with iodine is not limited to regular smearing in the damaged area. A product made of iodine, vinegar essence, glycerin and water in a 1: 2 ratio (2 parts water) helps if you rub it on the affected area at night. Before this, it should be steamed so that the pores open and the medicine penetrates better.
- The simplest method, which can only be used in the first stage of the disease, is to insert a tampon soaked in alcohol between your fingers. You can do this overnight or until the alcohol is completely dry.
- Grated onion porridge will also help stop the spread of infection, for which it should be used for several hours.
- How to treat foot and nail fungus with herbs? Dried chamomile, mint, sage and nettle are suitable for this purpose. They can be crushed in equal parts, poured into socks, and worn at night. The same powder cannot be used a second time, just like socks. In summer it is possible to use fresh inflorescences.
- Treatment of foot fungus with vinegar is very effective. How to treat nail fungus with vinegar? To do this, you need to make a bath with a 9% vinegar solution. First, you need to steam your feet, then pour vinegar into warm water, lower your feet there for 15 minutes so that the soles of the feet do not touch the bottom. After the procedure, let your feet dry naturally without rinsing with clean water.
- We treat nail fungus with hydrogen peroxide. The application process is the same as in the case of vinegar, only 3% peroxide is used instead.
- Cut a lemon into slices and apply it on the affected nails. Cover the top with gauze and wrap with film overnight.
Prevention
To effectively treat toenail fungus, it is best to prevent the infection in the first place. To get rid of unpleasant diseases, you need to follow the recommendations:
- do not walk barefoot in public places;
- when visiting the gym, swimming pool, water park, wear rubber slippers;
- use an antifungal varnish that has a fungal effect;
- buy comfortable shoes made of fabric or leather;
- make sure that in the nail salon they work with you only with tools that have undergone heat treatment;
- do not use slippers, towels or socks of strangers;
- don't wear the same socks every day;
- wash your feet morning and evening;
- take vitamins;
- At the first signs of fungal disease, use a gel that relieves itching, peeling and erosion.
What is dangerous and how to treat advanced nail fungus at home
Old fungi can cause complications of diseases such as diabetes, bronchial asthma or allergies. It becomes a conduit for other infections that can affect internal organs.
An increase in the amount of toxins in the body leads to intoxication.
Old fungus cannot be cured with folk remedies alone. How to treat advanced toenail fungus? This requires a course of medication under the supervision of a dermatologist, and folk remedies should be used as supplements.
The cause of advanced fungus can be a late visit to the doctor, an improperly prescribed course of treatment, or the ineffectiveness of the drugs used.
Old fungus requires long-term treatment, which can last six months. How to cure old toenail fungus?
A doctor can make a diagnosis only after analyzing a scraping from the damaged area, after which he will prescribe an antifungal drug. You have to be careful with some medicines; it may be contraindicated during pregnancy.
In parallel with the tablets, creams and ointments are used, which are applied to the lesions.
How to cure advanced toenail fungus with folk remedies
- A cotton swab soaked in propolis color with 20% alcohol and applied to damaged nails. Propolis helps to quickly destroy the fungus, after which the old nail plate falls off and a healthy one grows back.
- Kombucha gruel applied to the affected area helps fight the fungus. It is used for several hours every day.
- An ointment of 100 grams of butter, shelled egg and 50 mg of 70% acetic acid is used daily. All ingredients are put in a jar and do not mix. Ointment should be kept in the refrigerator for a week until the shell is completely dissolved. The ingredients can then be mixed until smooth.
- 15 grams of calamus root is poured with boiling water and left for 30 minutes. The infusion should be drunk a quarter of a glass 4 times.
- At night, you need to use an ointment from the ashes of 3 cigarettes with 1/2 teaspoon on your nails. toothpaste with fluoride.
What is the best way to treat toenail fungus? There are many effective drugs, but they can be used according to the stage of the disease.
Early stages can be treated with folk remedies; for older stages, complex treatment with drugs in combination with home medicine methods should be used.