Nail fungus is medically called onychomycosis. Virtually everyone comes into contact with fungal 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 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 if a person suffers from chronic diseases, especially of the gastrointestinal tract, and is forced to treat them, is subjected to stress, and works in dangerous industries.
fungal causes
People who take aggressive medications for a long time, such as antibiotics, are at risk.
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 skin. Body.
Stages of development of the disease.
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 does not lose its shine, it retains its pink color, but yellow streaks and spots appear along the edges of the nail.
What does the fungus look like on the shabby legs?
With advanced onychomycosis at home, it is too late to treat the fungus with something. The 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, deformed, take the form of claws, and then the nail plate is destroyed. The skin is scaly, the dead layers are constantly exfoliating.
Medicines for foot fungus.
Many patients wonder: if a fungus is detected on the toenails, how to treat it at home? Is it possible to do without removing the nail plates?Once you have found the first signs of a fungus, you should consult a doctor so that he can prescribe the appropriate 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 in the treatment of 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:
- Lacquer from the morpholine group.
- Varnish belonging to the group of oxypyridones.
- Varnish, whose active principles are formic aldehyde and a mixture of enzymatic proteins.
- Spray from the allylamine group.
- A product in the form of a serum based on enzyme filtration of rye is sold complete with disposable nail files. The kit includes a diary and stencils to monitor nail changes.
- Drops belonging to the group of allylamines.
- An agent from the group of imidazoles 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 whole body, so they can only be used as prescribed by a doctor, taking into account contraindications. With onychomycosis, all drugs are taken for several months, while the nail plate changes.
- A broad-spectrum drug from the group of triazoles. Released by medical prescription. With onychomycosis, it is taken within 3 months.
- Doctors do not recommend an antibiotic from the group of grisanos in the initial stages of the disease.
Traditional methods of treating fungus on the legs.
If you have found a toenail fungus, traditional medicine will tell you how to treat it at home. Home remedies must be combined with medication.
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 laundry soap or tar, salt or soda, and then the skin layer is removed and the diseased nail with a nail file.
If, according to the prescription, the product is to be applied to the nail with a swab or stick, then a separate 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 on the affected nails twice a day for a month. Contact with the 5% iodine solution on the skin can cause burns.
Therefore, another common method is iodine baths. Just put a few drops of iodine in 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 fears acidic environments and dies quickly. To avoid having to treat burns, apple cider vinegar should be used, although it is less preferred than vinegar essence at 9% concentration.Treatment Options:
- Put vinegar on your nails, put on cotton socks and lie down.
- Pour 250 ml of vinegar into a bowl of hot water, keep for 10 minutes before going to bed, and 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 cloth, wrapped around the feet, plastic bags and socks are placed on top. With this compress go to bed.
Those who are uncomfortable sleeping in socks on top of bags can be advised to rub a mixture of ammonia with glycerin in a 1: 1 ratio into the affected areas. The resulting mixture is applied to the nails and skin twice a day - in the morning and in the 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 with scissors, the nail is removed with a nail file, and an antifungal agent 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 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 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.
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, 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 boilers. To treat nail fungus at home, tar can be purchased at a pharmacy. It has an anti-inflammatory, healing effect, dries the skin better than the above-mentioned remedies.
The tar is applied to the skin and nails for two hours. The skin may be damaged, with cracks and abrasions - this is not dangerous. After two hours, the remains are removed with a cotton swab, a moisturizing cream is applied, and then 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 out.
Tar has a drying effect, so people who are prone to dry skin should use it very carefully.In addition to pure tar, the use of tar soap gives good results.
For compresses, soap is rubbed on a grater, mixed with water, baking soda can also be added. 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 the treatment of fungus.
- A compress of lemon slices is the easiest way to treat a fungus at the initial stage. Thinly sliced \u200b\u200bfruit is applied to the nails, covered with a film, put on socks and left overnight.
- Small lemons can be put on the finger as caps, fixed with a bandage and left overnight.
- Freshly squeezed lemon juice can be applied to the nails in the morning and at night. It is important to remember that lemon juice is very acidic, so those 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 in the treatment of fungus. A common folk recipe is an egg dissolved in vinegar. To do this, the egg washed with vinegar essence is poured 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 shell 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 the diseased nails, wrapped with a film. A mixture of chicken protein, vinegar essence, and vodka also helps.Egg products should be stored in the refrigerator.
Garlic
It is necessary to use garlic in the treatment of fungus very carefully, 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 alcohol tincture and diluted with 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, alcohol tincture of celandine is used. At home, an alcohol tincture is prepared at the rate of one part of celandine grass to 10 parts of vodka.
It is important to remember that celandine is very poisonous, so it should be treated with more caution 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 indoors. 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 be allowed to get on healthy skin, otherwise you can get a serious burn.
To protect against burns, you can lubricate the skin around the nails with a cream. A milder 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 warm vegetable oil. After keeping the container for a week in a cool dark place, the oil is filtered and diluted with vegetable oil in a 1: 1 ratio.
Rowan
An effective remedy is a compress of fresh rowan leaves. The leaves are washed, crushed, the resulting suspension is applied to the affected nails and covered with a bandage.
The result of such treatment will be noticeable 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 in which the legs are steamed. The best result is the use of tea tree oil in the initial stages of the disease.
tea mushroom
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 char and taste sour.The bacteria secrete acid and even ethyl alcohol. Therefore, kombucha is effective for treating fungus at home.
A small piece of the top layer is separated, placed on the nail, covered with plastic wrap and laid down. In the morning, the compress is removed, the soft parts of the nail and skin are cleaned. The compresses are repeated until a healthy nail grows. You can also apply kombucha, ground into a gruel, to your nails.
golden mustache tincture
Golden mustache has anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties. Golden mustache tincture is easy to make 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 home healer or flower of life. Its anti-inflammatory and healing properties are widely known. For the treatment of nail fungus, the skin is removed from a fresh Kalanchoe leaf, applied to the nail, strengthened with adhesive tape and left overnight.
In the morning, the compress is removed, the softened area of the nail is removed with a nail file. The procedure is repeated until the nail plate is completely renewed. If a burning sensation is felt, the compress should be removed to avoid an allergic reaction.
Lilac
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. Rub into nails daily until a healthy nail grows.
mint salt
One of the main symptoms of 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 should be done 2 times a day.
poplar buds
Help mushroom tincture of poplar shoots on vodka. To do this, a glass of poplar shoots 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 soft part of the nail is cut.
soda
Baking soda, being an alkali, does not kill the fungus, but perfectly softens the nail plates and skin of the feet, allowing the applied means to penetrate as deeply as possible. To do this, before applying the remedies prescribed by the doctor or traditional medicine, it is necessary to make a bath with a hot soapy soda solution.
After that, the soft 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 performed should be well ventilated. In no case should this remedy be used by pregnant women and lactating mothers.
Also, do not use the remedy for asthmatics, allergy sufferers, as well as all those whose skin around the nails is inflamed or has some damage.
The agent is applied with a cotton swab to the nail plate. The product is applied only on the nails, the 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 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 put on socks. Keep the compress for at least two hours.
Vodka
Most of the mentioned home 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 prepare a very strong coffee and let it brew for about half an hour.
Then make a coffee bath diluted with hot water. After steaming the skin, the affected areas of the nails and skin must be removed with a nail file, and then apply the remaining coffee grounds. Coffee baths strengthen nails and improve the condition of the skin.
Official and traditional medicine offers many remedies for the treatment of fungus. To be successful, it is necessary to start acting at the first symptoms of the disease, especially if the skin and toenails are affected.
The sooner the treatment starts, the better the result of the treatment at home will be. The treatment of nail fungus requires patience and discipline, since all the described remedies must be applied for several weeks, or even months, until the nail surface changes.