When there is not enough time to go to the hospital, and there is no money to buy expensive medicines, you can try to overcome foot and nail fungus with the help of traditional medicine.
We must not forget that folk methods of treating fungus are only effective in the early stages of the disease. With more advanced forms, it is better to seek advice from an expert.
It is easy to recognize this disease, the following symptoms appear:
- burning, itching;
- nails darken (yellow to green)
- deformation, stratification of nails;
- smelly;
- pain in the nail area, redness, swelling.
Treatment with iodine
The cheapest and easiest method to treat toenail fungus is based on a common iodine solution, sold at any pharmacy. It is endowed with antiseptic properties, leads to the coagulation of proteins (in the structure of fungi - proteins). The day before you start treating nail fungus with folk methods, you need to make sure that there is no allergy to iodine. It is enough to apply one drop on the skin and see if there is a reaction (redness, itching). Use the solution carefully so as not to cause burns. There are many folk recipes that use iodine.
- Mix in equal parts vinegar essence, garlic juice, nitrofungin, iodine. Apply the resulting mixture before going to bed, after steaming the nails and removing the damaged area as much as possible. Shake before use.
- Several times a day, lubricate the damaged area with a five percent iodine solution. It is advisable to pre-steam the feet. For prevention, all nails should be covered with iodine, but in small amounts and not every day.
- In hot water with the addition of iodine for 10 minutes. legs up. Wipe the infected area with a 3% hydrogen peroxide solution, and lubricate with antibacterial ointment. It is better to do the procedure in the evening, leaving the compress until the morning. Repeat three times.
- For two weeks, apply the nails 2 times a day with fucorcin, apply iodine for another two weeks, and then nine percent vinegar (also 2 weeks).
- If you have questions about how to get rid of fungus on your toes, you should try a salt bath. You will need the following ingredients: 1 tbsp. a spoonful of baking soda; 2 tablespoons. spoon of sea salt; 1 liter of hot water.
Toss as part of the leg for half an hour. Remove as much of the damaged area as possible, wash everything with soap and water and apply iodine to the feet, nails, between the toes. Damaged nails, apply three times, let each layer dry.
Iodine solution is an indispensable assistant during the treatment of fungus between the toes with folk remedies. For safety's sake, it's best to wear gloves and use different cotton swabs to treat healthy and infected nails. The duration of therapy is an average of 8 weeks.
Vinegar in treatment
An acidic environment is harmful to fungi. It is better to start the treatment of toenail fungus with folk remedies with vinegar. The recovery process will not be fast, but it helps even with advanced options. There are many recipes for fungus with an acetic base, but even just wiping the damaged area with a nine percent solution helps. With acetic acid, like any other acid, you need to follow safety rules so as not to burn.
Vinegar foot baths (you can take table or apple cider vinegar) help well in the prevention and treatment of toe fungus with folk remedies. Take some warm water in a bowl, pour a glass of vinegar into it and lower your feet for 15 minutes. Wipe feet without rinsing with clean water, apply medicine. Repeat the process several times a week.
In the process of treating nail fungus with folk remedies, lotions are often used. A small cotton ball soaked in vinegar and placed neatly in the nail. It is fixed with a plaster and a sock is worn. The lotion is enough to be placed once a day. Duration of therapy - 7 days, then a short break. The same operation can be done using apple cider vinegar and vegetable oil in equal parts.
A more time-consuming process is the preparation of the ointment. You need to mix:
- 70% vinegar 2 tbsp. spoon;
- glycerin 1 tablespoon. spoon;
- olive oil 1 tablespoon. spoon;
- dimethyl phtholate 1 tbsp. spoon.
Mix everything until well combined. Apply ointment to the nails once a day, wrap the feet with polyethylene, put on socks. It is better to do the procedure in the evening, and in the morning wash off the soap residue (preferably household).
Use of copper sulfate
Copper sulfate solution is a common folk method used to treat nail fungus. A teaspoon of the substance is diluted in a liter of pure water. But such a solution can no longer be used - it is very concentrated. To bathe, dilute: a spoonful of the solution in warm water (one and a half liters) and keep your feet for about 15 minutes. Nails are lubricated with medicine from the fungus.
You can also prepare an ointment: ignite a teaspoon of copper sulfate in a pan (until it clears), add a teaspoon of sulfur powder (yellow) and tar. Stir while heating over low heat.
Treatment with salt
Another answer to the question: how to cure nail fungus with folk remedies is salt. It is used as a sea (softens the nail plate, has an antiseptic effect), and simple cooking (kills harmful microflora). Salt should not be used as an independent remedy for toenail fungus, but it will work as an excellent adjunctive therapy.
- Prepare a solution: 4 l. water; 100 gr. any salt; 4 tablespoons. spoon of 9% vinegar. Do this bath every day.
- Mix equal parts of soda and salt in boiling water, cool slightly and keep your feet for ten minutes.
- Mix salt with chopped mint and make a lotion for nails.
- Bathe regularly for two weeks: 1 liter of clean water; any salt 1. 5 tablespoons. spoon; antibacterial essential oil 1 teaspoon (can be replaced with iodine or lemon juice). If necessary, a short break is made (3-4 days) and the procedure is repeated.
- Prepare a salt solution (for 250 ml of water 1 tablespoon of salt), moisten a cotton ball and apply it to the problem area. At the end, the feet are rinsed with water with the addition of soda. You may feel discomfort (burning or itching) on the skin. Repeat continuously for 10 days.
- With an advanced form of fungus, garlic water will help. Squeeze a large clove of garlic through a special press into a glass of boiling water, add 1 tbsp. a spoonful of salt, stir. When the solution has cooled, strain it and add another four tablespoons of salt. Wipe the affected area with this solution several times throughout the day.
soda against fungus
In the treatment of fungus, soda is traditionally used. Bathing with a solution of soap and soda softens the nails, which contributes to better penetration of the medicine. You need to:
- 5 liters of clean hot water;
- 3 arts. a tablespoon of grated laundry soap (or replace it with tar);
- 3 art. spoon of soda.
Stir until the components dissolve and keep your feet for no more than 20 minutes. Then cut and file the nails and apply the medicine. Repeat the procedure for 4-5 days.
Mix soda with a little water so that a thick slurry is obtained. Apply the paste on the infected area, squeeze 2-3 drops of lemon on it. As a result of the chemical reaction, a bubbly hiss will be produced, and a slight tingling sensation will be felt. After five minutes, wash the mixture with soap.
Baking soda is great for dealing with intimate fungus, while the treatment of fungus between the toes and nails is best done in combination with medication.
Use of hydrogen peroxide
Although experts question this method, hydrogen peroxide remains the most common folk remedy for toenail fungus. In fact, it only softens and disinfects the problem area, preventing the spread of the disease.
The simplest treatment method with folk remedies is peroxide lotion. You can mix it with vinegar in a 1: 1 ratio, take a bath or put concentrated peroxide with water on the nails. Do not forget about safety measures so as not to burn.
Another method
Among the countless folk remedies for fungus, the positive properties of kombucha, which actively fight against pathogenic bacteria, are widely known. It is also widely used for the treatment of nail fungus: crushed to a mushy consistency and lubricate the problem area several times a day. In addition, you can make a compress by applying a small piece of mushroom to the problem area at night (wrap it with a film and put on socks made of natural materials). The duration of therapy is one week.
A strongly brewed coffee bath will not only relieve the disease, but also soften the skin of the heels, making the feet smooth.
Novocaine lotion is a quick way to get rid of fungus. If the disease has not yet reached an advanced form, it is enough to apply a cotton ball soaked in novocaine several times to say goodbye to the fungus forever.
Garlic is indispensable in the fight against any fungus. It is also used as an independent component (apply gruel or sliced plates) and as part of tinctures, ointments or compresses with onion and lemon. For 10 parts of water, one part of alcohol and garlic juice are taken. The affected area is treated with this mixture several times a day until the disease passes.
Celandine, birch tar, apricot resin, potassium permanganate, tea tree oil are also used.
There is no definite answer to the question: is it possible to cure nail fungus only using folk methods? But if you combine it with the medicine prescribed by the doctor, the disease will recede faster.