Nail fungus is an extremely unpleasant phenomenon. You can get sick everywhere, especially in summer. But the fight against it often takes a long time. According to statistics, a quarter of the world's population suffers from this scourge. We will show you how to treat nail fungus at home.
Vinegar for nail fungus
Few people know that vinegar can be used to solve a fairly complex medical problem to get rid of nail fungus. There are many ways to treat toenail fungus using this product, thanks to the availability of table vinegar (9% acid solution) and even vinegar essence (70% acid solution), which can be purchased at a hardware store or market.
Of course, self-treatment with vinegar should be carried out only when the disease does not turn into an insignificant form, and it is advisable to combine it with specially formulated drugs.
However, when there is an urgent need to treat nail fungus and you do not have the money and time to see a doctor and there is no medication, you can use vinegar yourself, the main thing is to follow the appropriate safety rules.
Features of the use of vinegar
The main effect of the use of vinegar is to create an acidic environment in the area of fungal infection, which prevents the growth of hyphae and the spread of spores.
Gradually, the fungus dies without access to new food sources, and the absence of harder spores prevents the disease from recurring.
At first glance, everything is very simple - how to kill bacteria with antiseptic. But in fact, the fungus is very strong, because the body is not located on the surface of the nail or skin, but penetrates into the thickness of the tissues.
In this regard, a positive outcome from oncomycosis therapy should be expected only with strict regularity of procedures, which will not leave the parasite time for rehabilitation and subcutaneous penetration.
Before treating nail fungus, make sure that the concentration of acetic acid used is the same as indicated in the recipe.
If the recipe mentions the essence of vinegar, it means a 70% solution that must be dissolved or applied to the spot. Food vinegar or table vinegar contains 6 and 9% acid, respectively. Neglect of this information can lead to the end of treatment with chemical burns.
In addition to this point, there are no specific contraindications to treatment with vinegar. Individual intolerance is very rare, but vinegar is such a common substance that patients are usually aware of this feature of the body.
Burning sensation may occur during the first procedures, but this is normal and will pass over time. Otherwise, vinegar does not pose a health risk by following safety rules.
Vinegar baths
Hot foot baths are an effective antifungal agent, regular use allows you to get rid of onychomycosis at an early stage without additional medication.
Vinegar baths are also an excellent prevention of fungal infections. The procedure requires warm water, about 50 degrees, a glass of water and a 9% concentration of vinegar.
The water level in the pool should not be high, but up to the ankles. The feet are immersed in the solution and kept there for 15 minutes.
Prior to the vinegar bath, it is advisable to perform a complete pedicure procedure, including the removal of the affected areas of the nail plate and dead skin layers, calluses and corns on the feet, but without applying a decorative coating to the nails.
If you cut and scratch your nails yourself, then you should do it very carefully, because micro-damage to the skin can contribute to the spread of fungal infections.
Immediately after the vinegar bath, dry your feet with a towel and wear cotton socks. Repeat three times a week.
Vinegar lotions
In areas affected by the fungus, lotions are best done after vinegar baths.
For this, both pharmacy products and pure 9% vinegar are suitable, a cotton pad is moistened inside and applied to the nail for fifteen minutes.
A more complicated recipe: a mixture of vodka or forty degrees medical alcohol, glycerin and acetic acid in equal proportions of 70%, mix until smooth.
A cotton swab moistened with a solution is kept in the affected areas for fifteen minutes, after which socks made of cotton material are put on. The course of treatment is one week, if necessary, you can repeat in a few days.
Ointment against fungus on the feet
All available topical preparations are based on the following active ingredients:
- bifonazole;
- sertokanazole;
- ketoconazole;
- terbinafine;
- naftifin;
- oxyconazole;
- cyclopiroxolamine.
The choice of ointment for toenail fungus is made only after scraping the skin or the upper part of the nail. Based on the results of the analysis, it becomes clear which type of pathogenic microorganisms is the cause of mycosis:
- epidermophytes;
- trichotones;
- dermatophytes;
- microspores;
- mold fungi;
- yeast-like fungi.
Based on the results of the diagnosis, you should get the best ointment that can cope with the detected pathogen of the fungus.
Antifungal ointments
All antifungal agents designed to get rid of nail fungus are divided into 2 groups:
- Allilamine. These drugs penetrate deep into the nail plate, completely destroying the fungal colony. The concentration of the active substance accumulated after the course of treatment helps to resist relapse for a long time, a healthy nail grows on the nail-affected nail.
- Azol. They interfere with the synthesis of the fungus by destroying the cell membrane. The effect of the accumulation of drugs on the nail plate leads to the complete death of the infection.
If the affected area of the nail is still relatively small, you can get rid of the fungus with a special nail polish.
These products are used as a regular pedicure varnish, applied twice a week with a thin layer directly on the affected nail.
Healthy nails on adjacent fingers should also be varnished for prevention, as fungal spores spread very quickly and easily in space.
Preparatory procedures
These guidelines will help you use the ointment more effectively against fungi.
- If the fungus is infected in several areas of your body, it should be treated at the same time to prevent recurrence of the disease.
- Apply the ointment not only to the affected nail or skin, but also to the adjacent areas.
- When applying the ointment, follow strict hygiene rules for both the affected area of skin and the whole body.
- Before applying the drug, thoroughly clean the affected area under running water with antibacterial soap. Then take an emollient bath. To do this, dilute 1-2 tablets of furacilin or potassium permanganate in 5 liters of warm boiled water. Soak your hands or feet in the solution for 10-15 minutes.
If the first signs of relapse do not appear after a few weeks of using the drug, it is necessary to change the ointment and consult a dermatologist.
Ointment with naftifin
Antifungal cream with naftifine hydrochloride, the active ingredient that helps to disrupt the structure of the cell wall of the infection. Penetrates deep layers of skinAlso available as a solution.
It is used to treat fungus on the feet, nails and various lichens on the body. The agent is applied once a day to the affected, cleaned surface and adjacent areas.
The duration of the course is from a few weeks to eight weeks with fungus on the skin. It is applied several times a day for six months with nail infections.
Contraindicated in hypersensitivity to naphthylene. Sometimes it can cause redness and burning of the skin, but you should not stop treatment.
Terbinafine ointment
It is one of the safest and most effective antifungal agents. Perhaps this is due to the active ingredient terbinafine.
The ointment is applied in a thin layer to the bottom of the nail and adjacent skin areas and rubbed. The procedure is repeated 1-2 times a day.
The course of therapy lasts from 14 days to 1 month. Usually the first results appear after the first two weeks. If no improvement is observed, it is recommended to replace the agent with another drug. The drug is allowed for both adults and children from 2 years.
Ketoconazole ointment
This remedy is most effective for yeast infections, especially on the skin. Ketoconazole - the main active ingredient of the ointment, penetrates into the deeper layers of the skin and acts directly on the fungal cells, preventing their proliferation and causing death.
It is good because it quickly eliminates the symptoms of the fungus. If the damage is localized on the hands, once a day for a month, if it is localized on the feet, it is applied for up to two months.
Clotrimazole ointment
An effective antifungal drug is a cream used to treat nail plate and skin. The main component of the drug is clotrimazole, which destroys the membranes of fungi, causing their death, and is applied to diseased nails twice a day.
The duration of treatment depends on the stage of the disease. But even after the disappearance of his symptoms, treatment should be continued for a month.
The ointment is contraindicated in case of individual intolerance to its components and liver disease.
Cheap ointments: salicylic, zinc and sulfur
Salicylic ointment can be used to successfully treat toenail fungus. Used in two ways. In the first case, it is rubbed into the affected areas with a thin layer.
In the second case, night compresses are made using the ointment. After such procedures, the skin of the feet will begin to peel off strongly. Soap and soda baths will help speed up the peeling process.
Sulfur ointment is an old proven remedy against nail fungus. It is applied once a day for a week at night, the concentration is determined individually by the doctor.
It is a strong allergen, so it should be tested on a healthy area of skin before use.
Tea tree oil against fungi
Tea tree oil is an effective tool against oncomycosis, acting directly on the cause of the disease - dermatophyte fungi.
Tea tree essential oil contains alpha-terpine, alpha-fellandren, limonene, sabinen, sineol and other substances that provide its antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties.
Before using the essential oil, it is necessary to conduct an allergy test - apply a small amount of product on the skin of the wrist, if within 12 hours there is no irritation, redness of the rash and other reactions, then the product can be used for medicinal purposes. .
Otherwise, it should be diluted to a safe concentration or this technique should be abandoned altogether.
Methods of using tea tree oil:
- Foot bath with tea tree oil. Pour warm water to the level of the ankle, add 15-20 drops of essential oil and keep the feet there for twenty minutes, keeping the water temperature high (45-50 degrees). The course of treatment is two months, you need to take a bath every day. During the treatment procedure, the affected areas of the nail plate should be removed using a file, nail clipper or scissors.
- Rub oil on the nail plate. If you do not have a reaction to undiluted tea tree oil, then apply it to the affected areas of the nail in pure form to increase the effectiveness of the effect. Previously, the legs are steamed in hot water with the addition of laundry soap (can be grated to better dissolve). The oil is rubbed on the nail plate twice a day with a cotton swab, there is no need to wash the product.
How to quickly treat nail fungus
The internal and external use of hydrogen peroxide for the treatment of infectious and other diseases is described by Professor Neumyvakin in a book based on personal experience.
He notes hydrogen peroxide as a prophylactic agent with antibacterial properties.
External use of hydrogen peroxide for the treatment of fungal infections is carried out after steaming the feet in warm water with soda dissolved in a teaspoon per liter.
When the nail plates soften, squeeze a small part of the affected area of the nail using nail clippers and moisten with 3% peroxide solution, apply to the nail plate.
Leave on for 10-15 minutes on nails or 40 minutes to an hour on feet. Perform the procedure twice a day until the symptoms of the fungal infection disappear.
To reduce the evaporation of peroxide and increase the intensity of the effect, the nail plate is wrapped with plastic wrap with lotion.
At the end of the exposure period, wash your toes and hands thoroughly under running water.
For therapeutic and prophylactic purposes, it is recommended to instill hydrogen peroxide into the nail cavity three times a day.
Good results are given baths for hands and feet with hydrogen peroxide (depending on the localization of onychomycosis).
Dilute 3% hydrogen peroxide in water at a temperature of 40-50 degrees at the rate of two tablespoons per liter of water. The duration of the procedure is fifteen minutes, the regularity of the procedure is twice a day for a week.
Other folk remedies
Comprehensive treatment of toenail fungus using folk recipes based on hydrogen peroxide allows you to destroy the fungus and permanently get rid of unpleasant odors and other accompanying symptoms.
Two effective folk remedies for fungal infections:
- Recipe with peroxide 1. To prepare the mixture, you need baking soda (0, 5 cups), boiling water (4 cups), 3% hydrogen peroxide (0, 25 cups) and half a cup of magnesium sulfate or Epsom salts. Mix all ingredients well and add a quarter cup of vinegar. Soak a cotton swab in the resulting solution and apply a plaster to the nail plate affected by the fungus. The bandage should be renewed every ten hours, the course of treatment is one month.
- Peroxide recipe 2. According to this recipe, the procedure for treating fungi consists of three stages. First you need to prepare a solution to treat the nail and skin surfaces affected by the fungus - mix 3% vinegar and peroxide in a 1: 1 ratio of 3%. This mixture is applied to the feet while squeaking. The second step is to soak the fingers with a fungal infection of the nail in a weak solution of bleach in water for half a minute, then wash it thoroughly under running water and dry it with a towel. Finally, tea tree oil mixed with oil gel in equal proportions is applied to the nail plate. Wear warm socks or gloves (if this method is used to treat nail cancer). The course of treatment is one week.
- Novocaine lotion. A very simple but effective folk remedy for the treatment of fungus is novocaine lotion. Just soak a piece of cotton wool with novocaine and apply to the fungus overnight. Just two such lotions are enough to get rid of the fungus forever.
- Apricot resin tincture: 1 tablespoon wood resin, pour a glass of vodka, leave for three days. Lubricate the skin of the feet and nails with this solution. Shake well before each use. We took a month for treatment, the damaged nails were cut as they cooled, and new, healthy ones grew. During the examination, the doctor confirmed the fact of recovery. In this case, I can recommend the use of old, concentrated sunflower oil.
- Garlic applications: I took a clove of garlic, squeezed it with a garlic straightener, applied the mass to the nail, covered it with cellophane, tied it with a bandage or pulled it with your fingertips. I kept the bandage on until the morning, and for the first few days I felt a throbbing pain like an abscess, but I had to put up with it. The procedures are repeated every day and new nails grow.
- Strong coffee. Few people know that regular but strong coffee is a very good folk remedy for the treatment of fungi. Make your coffee stronger and simply dip your hands or feet into the cup, depending on where you are mushrooming. This procedure is best done in the evening, before bedtime. After several such evening procedures, the fungus disappears completely. At the same time, the skin becomes smoother and the pain passes quickly.