Nail fungus is medically called onychomycosis. Almost everyone comes into contact with fungal spores. The easiest way to get infected is in public places: swimming pools, saunas, baths. But even at home, infection occurs when using someone else's towels, slippers and manicure accessories.
The skin and toenails are very susceptible to infection. Most often, the disease develops in people with reduced immunity. Immunity is weakened when a person suffers from chronic diseases, especially in the gastrointestinal tract, and is forced to treat them, is exposed to stress and works in dangerous industries.
Causes of fungi
People who take aggressive drugs such as antibiotics for a long time are at risk.
Age-related changes in the acid-base balance, reduced blood flow to the extremities, toe injuries and diabetes create more than favorable conditions for the development of the fungus in the body.
Stages of development of the disease
The fungus begins to develop on the skin between the toes, where small cracks appear.
Also, the infection spreads to the skin of the foot, itching, burning, pulsation, hyperemia appear. If you ignore these symptoms, the fungus will develop and eventually affect the nail plate.
External signs of a fungus on the legs in the initial stages
At the initial stage of the disease, the nail does not lose its shine, retains its pink color, but yellow stripes and spots appear at the edges of the nail.
What does the fungus on the legs look like 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, peel, crumble, a characteristic unpleasant odor appears.
The change in nail color and texture depends on the type of fungus that has infected the nails. In an extremely neglected state, the nails become very thick, deform and take the form of claws, then the nail plate is destroyed. The skin is scaly, dead layers are constantly peeling off.
Medicines for athlete's foot
Many patients are wondering: if toenail fungus is detected, how to treat it at home, can you do without removing the nail plates?Having found the first signs of a fungus, you need to see a doctor to prescribe the right treatment.
Depending on the stage of the disease, topical preparations are prescribed: ointments, varnishes, solutions or tablets of complex action. However, the most important thing when treating fungus is discipline, since each treatment lasts several weeks.
Local application
To treat nail fungus, medicinal varnishes and liquids are made:
- Lacquer from the group of morpholines.
- Lacquer from the group of oxypyridones.
- Varnish, the active ingredients of which are formic aldehyde and a mixture of enzyme proteins.
- Spray from the group of allylamines.
- A product in the form of a serum based on rye enzyme filtrate is sold complete with disposable nail files. The kit includes a diary and templates for monitoring nail changes.
- Drops from the group of allylamines.
- A remedy from the imidazole group is available as a kit: the ointment comes with a waterproof plaster, a dispenser and a scraper.
systemic action
Systemic medications are taken orally. They have an effect on the entire body and can therefore only be used as prescribed by a doctor and taking contraindications into account. With onychomycosis, all drugs are taken for several months, while the nail plate is changing.
- A broad-spectrum drug belonging to the triazole group. Released by prescription. With onychomycosis, it is taken within 3 months.
- An antibiotic from the group of grisans is not recommended by doctors at the initial stages of the disease.
Traditional methods of treating fungus on the legs
Once you've found toenail fungus, traditional medicine will tell you how to treat it at home. Folk remedies must be combined with drugs.
The treatment shows a result if, before each use, the legs are steamed in a hot bath for 15-20 minutes with the addition of laundry or tar soap, salt or soda, and then the layer of skin and the diseased nail are removed with a nail file.
If the recipe requires the product to be applied to the nail with a swab or swab, a separate swab must be used for each nail.Manicure tools must be disinfected after each procedure.
iodine
Iodine is the most popular folk remedy for fungi. 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.
Another common method is therefore baths with iodine. It is enough to drip a few drops of iodine in a bowl of hot water to stain the water and keep your feet for 20 minutes. After the bath, dry your feet and apply an antibacterial ointment.
Important: Iodine treatment is contraindicated for thyroid problems!
Vinegar
Vinegar is widely available at home and is very effective in treating toenail fungus as scientific studies have shown that the fungus fears an acidic environment and dies off quickly. To avoid having to treat burns, apple cider vinegar should be used, although 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 250ml of vinegar into a bowl of hot water, hold for 10 minutes before bedtime, then apply the prescribed cream.
ammonia
Ammonia has a disinfecting effect. Compresses are used for treatment. 1 tablespoon of ammonia is diluted in a glass of warm water.
The resulting solution is moistened with a cotton towel, wrapped with it around the feet, put plastic bags and socks on top. You go to bed with this compress.
Those who find sleeping in socks on the bags uncomfortable may be advised to rub a 1: 1 mixture of ammonia with glycerin into the affected areas. The resulting mixture is applied to the nails and skin twice a day, morning and evening.
hydrogen peroxide
Experts recommend using hydrogen peroxide in the initial 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. After that, the compress is removed, the softened areas of the skin are cut off with scissors, the nail is removed with a nail file and an antifungal agent is applied.
- A very effective remedy is a paste of baking 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. Both propolis itself and its 20% tincture are used to treat onychomycosis.
Pure propolis is applied to the affected nails several times a day for half an hour.
Propolis tincture can be bought at a pharmacy or you can make it yourself.
For home preparation, 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.
When the mushroom is running, the concentration can be increased by pouring propolis with alcohol in a 1: 1 ratio.But in this case, compresses should be made only on the nails, the skin must be protected with a cream to avoid burns before the procedure. Also, propolis tincture can be added to baths in which the legs are steamed before using medicines.
tar
Birch tar is obtained by boiling birch bark in special cauldrons. To treat nail fungus at home, tar can be purchased at a pharmacy. It has anti-inflammatory, wound-healing effects, dries the skin better than the funds 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, moisturizer is applied, and then socks are put on. The disadvantages of the product include a dark color and a strong unpleasant odor that 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 caution.In addition to pure tar, the use of tar soap also gives good results.
For compresses, soap is rubbed on a grater mixed with water, you can also add baking soda. The resulting paste is applied to the nails, fingers are wrapped with foil, 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 the treatment of fungus.
- A compress of lemon slices is the easiest way to treat a fungus in its early stages. Thinly sliced fruits are applied to the nails, covered with a film, put on 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 nails in the morning and evening. It's important to remember that lemon juice is very acidic, so it can cause irritation for people with sensitive skin. You can also mix lemon juice with olive oil and rub this mixture onto 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 is completely covered.
The container is sealed and kept in a cool place for a couple of 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 and wrapped with a foil. A mixture of chicken protein, vinegar essence and vodka also works well.Egg products should be stored in the refrigerator.
garlic
It is necessary to use garlic very carefully when treating mushrooms, since garlic juice can cause burns.
On diseased areas, you can apply gruel and garlic juice in its pure form, as well as in the form of an alcohol tincture and diluted with vegetable oil. To prepare garlic tincture for 50 ml. Vodka will require 4 cloves.
celandine
As a systemic remedy in the treatment of toenail fungus, alcohol tincture of celandine is used. At home, an alcohol tincture is prepared with one part of celandine per 10 parts of vodka.
It is important to remember that celandine is very poisonous and should therefore be handled with more caution than other medicinal herbs.
20 drops of alcohol tincture is taken orally half an hour before meals. People with bronchial asthma should not take celandine indoors. External use of celandine is effective. Nails affected by onychomycosis can be lubricated with fresh celandine juice. At the same time, juice should not get on healthy skin, otherwise you can get severe burns.
To protect against burns, you can lubricate the skin around the nails with a cream. A gentler remedy is celandine oil, but it should also not be applied to damaged skin. Celandine oil can be bought at a pharmacy or you can prepare it yourself.
To do this, the collected stems, leaves and flowers of the plant are dried, placed in a glass container and poured with the same amount of warm vegetable oil. After leaving the container in a dark, cool place for a week, the oil is filtered and diluted with vegetable oil in a 1: 1 ratio.
rowan
An effective remedy is a compress made from fresh rowan leaves. The leaves are washed, crushed, the resulting slurry is applied to the affected nails and covered with a bandage.
The result of such treatment will be visible no 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 nail plates or add 15-20 drops to the baths where the legs are steamed. The best result is the use of tea tree oil in the initial stages of the disease.
tea fungus
Kombucha is a symbiosis of acetic acid bacteria and yeast. It was brought from Japan, so people also call it the Japanese mushroom or jellyfish mushroom. Kombucha is grown in faintly 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 excrete acid and even ethyl alcohol. Therefore, kombucha is effective for treating fungus at home.
A small piece is separated from the top layer, placed on the nail, covered with plastic wrap and laid on the bed. In the morning, the compress is removed, the softened parts of the nail and skin are cleaned. Compresses are repeated until a healthy nail grows. You can also apply kombucha, ground into a pulp, to your nails.
Golden Mustache Tincture
Golden mustache has anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties. Tincture of golden mustache is easy to prepare at home.
To do 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 a home healer or flower of life. Its anti-inflammatory and wound-healing properties are well known. To treat nail fungus, the skin is peeled off a fresh Kalanchoe leaf, applied to the nail, secured with tape, and left overnight.
In the morning, the compress is removed, the softened area of the nail is removed with a nail file. The process is repeated until the nail plate is completely renewed. If a burning sensation is felt, the compress must be removed to avoid an allergic reaction.
purple
Alcohol tincture of lilac flowers, preferably white, is prepared in the ratio of half a glass of flowers per glass of vodka. After 2 weeks the tincture is ready. Massage into nails daily until a healthy nail grows back.
mint salt
One of the main symptoms of fungus is itching. The cooling effect of mint will relieve the condition. A compress of chopped fresh mint leaves mixed with coarse salt helps well.
Also useful are baths of brewed mint leaves, dried, with salt dissolved in the infusion. For 2 liters of infusion you need 4 tablespoons of salt. Such baths should be done twice a day.
poplar buds
Helps from the mushroom tincture of poplar buds on vodka. To do this, a glass of poplar buds is poured with two glasses of vodka and infused in a dark place for 10 days. At night, a compress from the tincture is applied. In the morning, the softened part of the nail is cut off.
lemonade
Baking soda, which is an alkali, does not kill the fungus, but it perfectly softens the nail plates and skin of the feet, which allows the funds then applied to penetrate as deeply as possible. For this purpose, a bath of hot soapy water must be made before using the remedies prescribed by the doctor or conventional medicine.
After that, the softened nail or skin layers can be removed and the medication applied to the areas. Using soda alone will not give an effective effect.
White
Whiteness is a bleach known to housewives.The main ingredient is chlorine. The tool is very corrosive, it must be used with great care.
The room in which the procedure is carried out must be well ventilated. In no case should this remedy be used by pregnant women and nursing mothers.
Also, do not use the remedy for asthmatics, allergy sufferers, as well as anyone whose skin around the nails is inflamed or damaged.
The agent is applied to the nail plate with a cotton swab. The product is applied only to the nails, contact of Whiteness with the skin can cause severe chemical burns.
To protect the skin around the nails, you need to apply a greasy cream. The product will be washed off after a few hours. Whiteness is used only in the most neglected cases, when other means are of no help.
Horseradish from the garden
Horseradish root has disinfectant properties. To treat fungus, freshly grated horseradish roots are applied to the affected areas of the skin and nails, previously steamed in hot water, wrapped in foil and put on socks. Keep the compress for at least two hours.
vodka
Most of the mentioned folk remedies are used in the form of alcohol solutions. Ethyl alcohol has a disinfecting effect.
Coffee
In addition to cosmetic effects, coffee also has a healing effect and is also used in the treatment of onychomycosis. It is necessary to brew very strong coffee and let it brew for about half an hour.
Then make a bath of coffee diluted with hot water. After the skin has been steamed, it is necessary to remove the affected areas of nails and skin with a nail file, and then apply the remaining coffee grounds. Coffee baths strengthen nails and improve skin condition.
Official and traditional medicine offers many means of treating fungi. To be successful, it is necessary to act at the first symptoms of the disease, especially when the skin and toenails are affected.
The earlier you start treatment, the better the result of treatment at home will be. Treatment of nail fungus requires patience and discipline, since all the remedies described need to be used for several weeks or even months until the nail plate changes.