Nail fungus is a disease from which many people suffer. This disease is easy to catch, but to cure toenail fungus is much more difficult. Many patients use folk remedies to get rid of the fungus. In many cases, treating nail fungus with them is cheaper and more effective than traditional medicine.
What is nail fungus
The cause of nail fungus (onychomycosis) is an infection of the nail plate with pathogenic fungi. Fungi are the smallest microorganisms that feed on the proteins contained in nail tissue. Most fungi that live on human nails belong to the genus Trichophyton, although onychomycosis can also be caused by fungi of the genus Epidermophyton, Microsporum and Candida.
Onychomycosis is a contagious disease. The fungus can be introduced into the nails through contact with objects containing fungal spores. It can be the floor in the sauna, baths, swimming pools, locker rooms, manicure tools, shoes, socks. However, active reproduction of fungi occurs only with severely weakened immunity or with problems with the health of the circulatory system, the endocrine system. Also provoke the disease:
- excessive sweating of the feet;
- nail injuries;
- ignoring hygiene rules;
- taking immunosuppressive drugs - immunosuppressants, corticosteroids;
- excess weight;
- uncomfortable or old shoes.
The main symptoms of onychomycosis:
- itching, burning;
- deformation, thickening or thinning of the nail;
- nail color change (brown, brown, yellow or dark);
- layering, crumbling of the nail;
- Bad smell.
Ignoring nail fungus can lead to loss of nail plate, choking. Also, the fungus can go to the skin surfaces and even go beyond the feet. There is a risk of infecting other people, especially the patient's relatives.
How can you cure nail fungus?
Many methods have been developed for the treatment of nail fungus. Most of them involve the application of antifungal drugs on the surface of the nail. If the nail is completely affected by the mold, then the nail is surgically removed. However, not everyone is happy with the traditional methods. There can be many reasons for this - the high price of pharmacy drugs, their inaccessibility (for example, if a person lives in a rural area), low efficiency, distrust of traditional medicine, allergy to medicines.
Treatment of fungi with folk remedies: the most effective ways
Therefore, often people looking for a cure for onychomycosis turn to folk remedies for help. These methods have no strictly scientifically proven effectiveness. But in practice, therapy of nail fungus with folk remedies helps a lot, especially if the disease is at an early stage, that is, one or two plaques are affected and the skin is not affected yet. At the same time, the treatment of nails with folk remedies does not preclude the parallel use of traditional pharmaceutical medicines. In this case, the effect of the latter can be significantly increased. It is usually not worth expecting quick results from treatment; removal of fungi by folk remedies often lasts for 2-3 months.
Antiseptics are the most widely used home remedies. These are boric acid, iodine, bright green, potassium permanganate, soda, hydrogen peroxide, boric acid, chlorhexidine, ammonia. These drugs, strictly speaking, can not be attributed to the people because they are widely used in traditional medicine. However, doctors do not usually prescribe them to patients with onychomycosis as first-line drugs. But this does not mean that antiseptics do not affect foot fungus. However, their effectiveness is most often manifested in the early stages of the disease.
Folk remedies can be attributed to herbal-based anti-inflammatory and antiseptic agents (St. John's wort, celandine, herbal preparations). These treatments and prescriptions are also more often recommended by doctors as adjuvants.
Also, treatment with folk remedies includes the use of:
- plant essential oils;
- birch tar;
- kombucha;
- propolis;
- garlic, onion;
- uthull;
- ground coffee;
- household soap and tar;
- lemon juice.
Most often, foot baths, creams, compresses, ointments are used to treat onychomycosis with folk remedies. Sometimes the products can be painted directly on the nail surface. The duration of some procedures is only a few minutes, while in other cases, therapeutic compounds should be kept on the nails for hours. In this case, the procedure is best done at night.
Warm baths with medicinal solutions are most often taken 1-2 times a day. The duration of the procedure is 15-20 minutes. The water should be warm but not hot. If the water has cooled before the end of the procedure, then you need to add a little hot water to the container.
Before applying any medicine to the surface of the nail, it is recommended to steam the feet. Therefore, in the treatment of onychomycosis, the use of baths is preferred, because the surface of the nail is softened and the therapeutic compounds penetrate better into the deep tissues. In addition, when using baths, medicinal substances can penetrate even under the nail bed, and compresses and creams affect only the upper surface of the plate. Meanwhile, parasitic fungi often live beneath it.
It is necessary to regularly cut the loose and deformed part of the nail affected by the fungus. For the treatment of healthy and diseased nail plates, it is best to use different manicure tools to avoid the transfer of infection. During the treatment period, it is necessary to change socks regularly, as increased sweating contributes to the development of fungi. Situations that promote re-infection - visits to swimming pools, gyms, baths, etc. should be avoided.
All herbal ingredients should first be tested for allergies.
Potassium permanganate
Potassium permanganate solution is a strong universal antiseptic that is often used at home. It is also active against pathogenic fungi. You can use both baths and creams. To prepare the bath, you need to take 500 ml of vinegar and 10 g of potassium permanganate per 10 liters of water. The duration of the procedure is 20 minutes.
Vinegar treatment
Pathogenic fungi do not tolerate an acidic environment - it is on this feature that the treatment of mycosis with vinegar is based. It is best to use 9% vinegar. Vinegar can be added to foot baths. You can also make creams with vinegar, rubbing. To prepare a vinegar bath, you need to pour enough water into a tub to reach the ankles and then add 200 ml of vinegar. The water temperature should be +50 ° C. The duration of the procedure is 15 minutes, it must be performed every other day.
Another recipe calls for adding chicken eggs to vinegar. Dissolve 200 ml of vinegar in 5 liters of water and then add 2 raw eggs. The mixture is shaken. In this foot bath, you should keep 20 minutes. The course of treatment is 1-2 weeks.
For creams, take cotton pads, previously soaked in vinegar, and also apply on nails for 15 minutes.
Vinegar treatment requires care, as it is an aggressive substance. Vinegar therapy should not be performed on damaged skin.
Treatment with Celandine
Celandine is a plant that has long been used to treat problem skin. It can also help with onychomycosis. However, celandine contains toxic substances, so it should be used with caution.
It is best to use fresh celandine juice, which is obtained from a minced and squeezed plant. This liquid is applied to the nails twice a day. The course of treatment is three months.
You can also prepare a decoction of celandine. For this, 5 tbsp. l. herb, pour 1, 5 liters of boiling water. The mixture is heated on the fire for 10 minutes and then filtered. The decoction can be used for foot baths. They should be taken within 15 minutes. The procedure is performed 2 times a day.
To prepare a celandine solution, you need to take alcohol and celandine juice in equal proportions. The fluid is injected during the day. Tincture of celandine lubricates the affected nails.
You can also prepare an ointment from celandine. For this, 2 tbsp. the butter is mixed with the chopped celandine grass. The ointment is rubbed on the nails 2-3 times a day for 10-14 days.
treatment with garlic
Garlic contains natural substances that kill harmful microorganisms. Therefore garlic is also used in the treatment of onychomycosis.
For treatment, you can use garlic juice or crushed garlic. For example, diluting garlic juice in alcohol and water (in a 1: 1: 1 ratio) is recommended. With this solution, you can paint your nails every day.
Essential oils
In the treatment of onychomycosis, lavender, ylang-ylang, lemon, fir, rosemary oils are used. The most popular is tea tree oil. Essential oils can be used in therapeutic baths. For a bath with a volume of 3 liters (temperature +45 ° C), you only need 10 drops of oil. The duration of the procedure is 20 minutes. After its completion, the feet are wrapped in a dry towel. The course of treatment is 2 weeks.
Another version of the tea tree oil bath also involves the use of salt. For 1 liter of water take 1, 5 tablespoons. salt and 1 tbsp. vajra. The procedure should be performed within 15 minutes.
You can also make compresses with essential oils. To do this, in 2 tablespoons. water dissolve a few drops of hot oil. Cotton wool soaked in the solution is applied to the nail. You should keep it for about an hour.
The easiest way to treat onychomycosis with essential oils is to regularly wipe the surface of the nail plates with cotton swabs dipped in oil. This procedure should continue for 2-3 weeks.
Propolis
Propolis is a by-product of beekeeping that has long been used in folk medicine. There are also recipes for onychomycosis with propolis. For example, tampons soaked in an alcohol solution of propolis can be applied to nails with the fungus. To prepare the solution, you need to put 30 g of propolis in 500 ml of vodka for 2 weeks. This buffer should be kept throughout the day.
You can also take a bath with propolis. Only 15 drops of solution are enough for 3 liters of water. The duration of the procedure is 15 minutes. You can apply on nails and pure propolis. This procedure should also not take more than 15 minutes.
Salt and soda
Sea and table salt, as well as soda, are included in many recipes for onychomycosis. They are often added to foot baths. Salt baths can be made as follows - a tablespoon of salt is dissolved in 2-3 liters of water. You should also add a tablespoon of baking soda. The procedure is performed within 15 minutes. It is advisable to combine it with the application of antifungal ointments.
You can use another recipe for baths - for 4 liters of water take 100 g of salt and 4 tablespoons. uthull. To increase the effect after salt baths, it is recommended to treat nails with iodine.
Jodi
An alcoholic solution of iodine is suitable for the treatment of onychomycosis. Iodine compounds aggressively affect protein compositions in fungal cells and in the nail itself. As a result, fungi lose their source of nutrition. Iodine is cheap and very easy to use. It is necessary to daily treat nail plates affected by the fungus with iodine. One point is enough for each nail. You can also regularly paint the nails with a cotton swab soaked in iodine solution. Iodine baths are also used. To prepare the bath, you only need to pour 10 drops of iodine solution in a container of water. The procedure should take 10-15 minutes.
Iodine can also be used to prevent fungus on healthy nails. However, regular treatment with iodine has a number of contraindications - intolerance to this substance and thyroid disease.
alcohol
Used as part of the complex treatment of onychomycosis and medical alcohol. Most often, compresses are made with alcohol, which are applied to the affected nail. Before the procedure, the nails should be properly steamed in warm water. An alcohol compress is best done at night, and in the morning treat the nail with an antifungal medicine.
Tea mushrooms
Kombucha is a traditional medicine used for various diseases, including mycosis. The substances contained in kombucha are active against most pathogenic fungi, with the exception of fungi of the genus Candida. Kombucha often grows at home. For therapeutic purposes, it is best to take an infusion at the age of three months.
Compresses with tampons soaked in boiled kombucha concentrate are usually used to treat onychomycosis. This procedure should be performed at night. You can also lubricate the nails with grout from the fungus.
Contraindications to the use of kombucha:
- pregnancy,
- diabetes,
- lactation,
- alcoholism,
- hepatitis,
- AIDS.
Hydrogen peroxide
This substance also has a negative effect on the fungus. The most commonly used hydrogen peroxide baths. The procedure will require 150 ml of a 3% peroxide solution per 4 liters of water. The duration of the procedure is 25-30 minutes.
You can also make compresses with hydrogen peroxide. To do this, cotton swabs should be moistened with peroxide and applied to sore nails. The duration of the procedure is 1 hour. You can also mix peroxide with vinegar in equal proportions. Wet a cotton swab with this mixture. Then the mixture is applied to the nails with it.
Tar and tar soap
Birch tar is one of the oldest known antiseptics and anti-inflammatory drugs in folk medicine. Tar can be used both in pure form and in the form of ointment, as an adjunct to traditional medicine. Soap is also used with the addition of tar - tar. Before applying the tar to the nails, they should be steamed. Tar is applied to dry nails. The procedure lasts for 2 hours, then the tar is washed with warm water.
For tar deficiency, you can get tar soap - a tool that can be found in every home. Can also be used against fungi - for treatment and prevention.
First of all, you can make foot baths with soap. In the bathroom, it is necessary to distribute the maximum amount of soap. To make the soap digest better, you can grate it. The water temperature is warm but not scorching. Perform the procedure for 20 minutes. Another recipe is used - soap in an amount of 15 g is mixed with 30 g of baking soda. This mixture should be rubbed daily on sore nails.
After using tar soap, the skin may become extremely dry. In this case, you can use a moisturizer. Tar and tar soap are contraindicated for people with very dry and sensitive skin.
Boric acid
This popular antiseptic will also help against fungi. With a 2% solution of boric acid, it is necessary to regularly wipe the diseased nail, previously evaporated in water. However, the acid should not be used if there are sores, scratches or bruises on the skin.
urea
The fungicidal effect of urea is related to the ability of this substance to absorb water. Since fungi need water to live, they quickly die as a result of exposure to urea. It is best to use urea along with birch tar. Both substances are taken in equal proportions and mixed. The composition is applied to the nails and kept for a day.
Then, after removing the affected part of the nail plate, iodine is applied to the nails for five days. If necessary, the procedure is repeated 1-2 more times.