Nail fungus is an extremely unpleasant phenomenon. You can catch the disease, especially in summer, anywhere. But the fight against it often takes a long time. A quarter of the world's population, according to the statistician, suffers from this scourge. We will show you how to treat toenail fungus at home.
Vinegar for nail fungus
Few people know that vinegar can be used to solve the rather complex medical problem of removing nail fungus. Thanks to the presence of table vinegar (9% acid solution) and even vinegar essence (70% acid solution), which can be purchased at the hardware store or on the market, there are many ways to treat toenail fungus with this product.
Of course, self-medication with vinegar should be carried out only if the disease has not passed into a neglected form and it is advisable to combine it with specially developed drugs.
However, when there is an urgent need for nail fungus treatment and there is no money and time to see a doctor and no drug therapy, you can use vinegar yourself, the main thing is to adhere to the relevant safety rules.
Characteristics 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, left without access to new sources of nutrients, dies, and the absence of much more durable spores prevents the possibility of recurrence of the disease.
At first glance, everything is very simple - how to destroy bacteria with antiseptic. But in fact, the fungus is very persistent, because her body is not on the surface of the nail or skin, but goes into the thickness of the tissues.
In this regard, a positive result from the treatment of oncomycosis should be expected only with strict regularity of procedures, which will not leave the parasite time for rehabilitation and penetration under the skin.
Before treating nail fungus, make sure that the concentration of acetic acid used is the same as indicated in the recipe.
If the recipe contains a mention of vinegar essence, then this means a 70% solution that must be dissolved or applied topically. Edible or table vinegar, respectively, contains 6 and 9% acid. Ignoring these data may lead to the fact that the treatment will end in chemical burns.
In addition to this point there are no special 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.
A burning sensation may occur during the first procedures, but this is normal and will go away over time. Otherwise, vinegar, subject to safety rules, does not pose a threat to health.
Vinegar baths
Warm foot baths are considered an effective antifungal agent; regular use allows you to get rid of onychomycosis at an early stage without additional drugs.
Vinegar baths are also an excellent prevention of fungal infections. The procedure requires warm, about 50 degrees, water and a glass of vinegar with a 9% concentration.
The water level in the basin should not be high, but only to the ankles. The feet are immersed in the solution and kept there for 15 minutes.
Before the bath with vinegar, it is recommended to perform a complete pedicure procedure, including removal of the affected areas of the nail plate and dead skin layers, calluses and calluses on the feet, but without applying a decorative coating on the nails.
If you cut and file your nails yourself, then you should do it very carefully, as microdamage to the skin can contribute to the spread of fungal infection.
Immediately after the vinegar bath, wipe your feet with a towel and put on cotton socks. Repeat three times a week.
Lotions with vinegar
Lotions on the areas affected by the fungus are best made after baths with vinegar.
Both pharmacy products and pure 9% vinegar are suitable for this, in which a cotton swab is moistened and applied to the nail for fifteen minutes.
More complex recipe: a mixture of vodka or forty-degree medical alcohol, glycerin and acetic acid 70% in equal proportions, mix until smooth.
A cotton swab moistened with the solution is kept on 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 it in a few days.
Ointment against fungus on the feet
All existing topical preparations are based on the following active ingredients:
- bifonazole;
- sertocanazole;
- ketoconazole;
- terbinafine;
- naftifine;
- oxyconazole;
- cyclopyroxolamine.
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 of the types of pathogenic microorganism is the cause of mycosis:
- epidermophytes;
- trichotons;
- dermatophytes;
- microspores;
- mold fungi;
- yeast-like mushrooms.
Based on the results of the diagnosis, you need to buy the best ointment that can deal with the detected fungal pathogen.
Antifungal ointments
All antifungal agents designed to get rid of nail fungus are divided into 2 groups:
- allylamine. These drugs penetrate deep into the nail plate, completely destroying the fungal colony. After a course of treatment, the concentration of the accumulated active substance helps to resist relapse for a long time, in place of the nail affected by the fungus, a healthy nail grows.
- azole. They interfere with the synthesis of the fungus by destroying its cell membrane. The effect of the accumulation of the drug in the nail plate leads to 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 funds are used as an ordinary pedicure varnish, applied in a thin layer directly on the affected nail twice a week.
For prevention, healthy nails on adjacent fingers should also be varnished, as fungal spores spread very quickly and easily in space.
Preparatory procedures
These guidelines will help you use the antifungal ointment more effectively.
- If the fungus has infected several areas of your body, then they should be treated at the same time to avoid recurrence of the disease.
- Apply the ointment not only on the affected nail or skin, but also on the areas adjacent to them.
- During the application of the ointment, observe strict hygiene, both on the affected area of the skin and on the whole body as a whole.
- Before applying the medicine, clean the well-affected area with antibacterial soap under running water. Then take a softening bath. To do this, dilute 1-2 tablets of furacillin or potassium permanganate in 5 liters of warm boiled water. Soak your hands or feet in the solution for 10-15 minutes.
If after a few weeks of using the drug does not appear the first signs of remission of the disease, it is necessary to change the ointment and consult a dermatologist.
Ointment with naftifine
Antifungal cream with the active substance naftifine hydrochloride, which contributes to the disruption of the structure of the cell wall of the infection. Penetrates into the deep layers of the skin. It also exists in the form of a solution.
It is used in the treatment of fungus on the feet, nails, various lichens on the body. The product is applied to the affected, cleaned surface and adjacent areas once a day.
The duration of the course is from several to eight weeks with fungus on the skin. In case of nail infection, it is applied several times a day for six months.
Contraindicated in case of hypersensitivity to naftifine. It can sometimes cause redness and burning of the skin, but you should not interrupt treatment.
Terbinafine ointment
One of the safest and most effective antifungal agents. This may be due to the active ingredient terbinafine.
The ointment is applied in a thin layer on the base of the nail and on adjacent skin areas and rubbed. The procedure is repeated 1-2 times a day.
The course of treatment is from 14 days to 1 month. Usually the first results are visible after the first two weeks. If no improvement is observed, then it is recommended to replace the agent with another drug. The drug is approved for both adults and children from 2 years.
Ketoconazole ointment
This drug is most effective in fungal infections, especially on the skin. Ketoconazole - the main active ingredient of the ointment, penetrates into the deep layers of the skin and acts directly on the cells of the fungus, preventing their reproduction and causing death.
Good because it quickly relieves the symptoms of fungus. It is applied once a day for a month if the lesion is localized on the hands and up to two months if it is localized on the legs.
Clotrimazole ointment
An effective antifungal drug is a cream that is used to treat nail plate and skin. The main component of the drug is clotrimazole, which destroys the membranes of fungi and this leads to their death, applied to diseased nails twice a day.
The duration of treatment depends on the stage of the disease. But even after the disappearance of its symptoms, treatment should continue for a month.
The ointment is contraindicated in individual intolerance to its components and liver disease.
Cheap ointments: salicylic, zinc and sulfur
Salicylic ointment can be used to successfully treat toenail fungus. It is used in two ways. In the first case, apply a thin layer on the affected areas.
In the second case, with the help of ointment, compresses are made at night. After such procedures, the skin of the feet will begin to peel off strongly. Baths with soap and soda will help speed up the peeling process.
Sulfur ointment is an old proven remedy against nail fungus. It is applied once a day at night for a week, the concentration is prescribed by the doctor individually.
It is a powerful allergen, therefore, before use, it is necessary to test on a healthy area of skin.
Tea tree oil against fungus
Tea tree oil is an effective remedy against onchomycosis, acting directly on the cause of the disease - dermatophyte fungi.
Tea tree essential oil contains alpha-terpinene, alpha-phelandrene, lemon, sabine, cineole 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 little product on the skin of the wrist, if there is no irritation, redness, rash and other reactions within 12 hours, then the product can be used for medical purposes.
Otherwise it must be diluted to a safe concentration or this technique must be completely abandoned.
Ways to use tea tree oil:
- Foot bath with tea tree oil. Warm water is poured into a basin to the level of the ankles, 15-20 drops of essential oil are added and the feet are kept in it for twenty minutes, maintaining a high water temperature (45-50 degrees). The course of treatment is two months, baths should be done daily. During the treatment procedure it is necessary to remove the affected areas of the nail plate with a file, nail clippers or scissors.
- Apply oil on the nail plate. If you do not have a reaction to undiluted tea tree oil, then to increase the effectiveness of the effect, it is applied in pure form on the affected areas of the nail. Before that, the feet are boiled in warm water with the addition of laundry soap (for better dissolution can be grated). The oil is rubbed into the nail plate with a cotton swab twice a day, it is not necessary to wash off the product.
How to quickly cure toenail fungus
The internal and external use of hydrogen peroxide for the treatment of infectious and other diseases is described by Professor Neumivakin in a book written on the basis of personal experience.
He mentions 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 dissolved soda in the amount of one teaspoon per liter.
When the nail plates become soft, pinch off a small fragment of the affected area of the nail using nail clippers and, soaking it with 3% peroxide solution, apply it to the nail plate.
Leave on for 10-15 minutes on your fingernails or 40 minutes to an hour on your feet. Do 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 impact, the nail plate with lotion is wrapped in plastic wrap.
After the exposure time, rinse your toes and hands thoroughly under running water.
For therapeutic and prophylactic purposes, it is recommended to drip the nail cavity with hydrogen peroxide three times a day.
Hand and foot baths (depending on the location of onychomycosis) with hydrogen peroxide give good results.
Dilute 3% hydrogen peroxide in water at a temperature of 40-50 degrees in the amount of two tablespoons per liter of water. The time for the procedure is fifteen minutes, the regularity of the procedure is twice a day for a week.
Other folk remedies
Complete treatment of toenail fungus with the help of folk recipes based on hydrogen peroxide allows you to destroy the fungus and get rid of the unpleasant odor and other accompanying symptoms.
Two effective folk remedies for fungal infections:
- Peroxide Recipe 1. To prepare the mixture, you will need baking soda (0. 5 cups), hot water (4 cups), 3% hydrogen peroxide (0. 25 cups) and half a cup of magnesium sulfate or English salt. Mix all ingredients well and add another quarter cup of vinegar. Soak a cotton swab with the resulting solution and fix it on the nail plate affected by the fungus with plaster. The dressing should be renewed every ten hours, the course of treatment is one month.
- Peroxide Recipe 2. The fungal treatment procedure for this recipe consists of three steps. First, it is necessary to prepare a solution for the treatment of nail and skin surfaces affected by the fungus - mix 3% vinegar and peroxide in 3% concentration in a ratio of 1: 1. This mixture is applied to the feet while squeaking. The second stage is to soak the fingers with a fungal infection of the nails for half a minute in a weak solution of bleach in water, then they are rinsed thoroughly under running water and wiped with a towel. Finally, tea tree oil mixed with Vaseline in equal proportions is applied to the nail plate. Wear warm socks or gloves (if this technique has been used to treat nail cancer). The course of treatment is one week.
- Novocaine lotion. Novocaine lotion is a very simple but effective folk remedy for treating fungus. Just soak a piece of cotton wool with novocaine and apply it on the fungus overnight. Just two such lotions are enough to get rid of the fungus forever.
- Apricot resin tincture: 1 tablespoon of resin removed from the tree, pour a glass of vodka, leave for three days. Apply this solution to the skin of the feet and nails. Shake well before each use. It took us a month to heal, the affected nails were cut off and peeled off, new, healthy ones grew. During the examination the doctor confirmed the fact of recovery. I can also recommend the use of old, thickened sunflower oil in this case.
- Garlic applications: I took a clove of garlic, squeezed it with garlic, applied the mass on the nail, covered it with cellophane and wrapped it in a bandage or put it on my fingertips. I left the bandage until the morning, the first days I felt throbbing pain, like an abscess, but I had to endure. The procedures were repeated daily and new nails grew.
- Strong coffee. Few people know that ordinary but strong coffee is a very good folk remedy for treating fungus. Make your coffee stronger and just dip your hands or feet in the cup, depending on where you have the fungus. This procedure is best done in the evening before bedtime. The fungus completely disappears after several such evening procedures. At the same time, the skin becomes smooth and the pain passes quickly.