Onychomycosis: folk remedies to get rid of onychomycosis at home

Changes in toenail color and thickness can safely be considered the first sign of an infectious fungal disease - onychomycosis. In the initial stages, there is still a chance that expensive medications will not be needed; it is important to know which folk remedies are most effective against onychomycosis. If you strictly follow all the rules and recommendations, you can get rid of this disease at home.

The main factors causing the disease

Onychomycosis is classified as an infectious disease, so the only way it can occur is through infection. The condition usually goes unnoticed, with few symptoms in the first stage. Minor flaking and small cracks on the nail plate are also rarely cause for alarm. Usually, treatment is started when obvious signs of disease are detected:

• Changes in nail color;
• Thickening of plates;
• Persistent itching at the base of the nail (sometimes between the toes).

It's easy to get a fungal infection - just by coming into contact with a sick loved one when visiting a sauna, bathhouse, fitness center together, using common household items such as bath mats or sheets. If not treated according to accepted standards, the disease can often be spread in public places such as swimming pools or water parks.There are also personal risk factors for yeast infections, such as a weakened immune system. To avoid triggering an illness, you should pay attention to your physical condition before traveling to places with a higher risk of infection. It is not recommended to take risks if the following situations occur:

1. The man had recently caught a cold and his immune system had not yet fully recovered.
2. Damage to nails or feet.
3. There are questions about proper hygiene of clubs or shoes, for example at a bowling centre.

Fighting onychomycosis is a long process. In its advanced form, this can lead not only to cosmetic discomfort but also to more serious disease that may require surgical intervention.

Modern medicine offers a large number of various antifungal drugs to get rid of this disease, but due to their high price, not everyone has the opportunity to buy them. When used correctly, traditional onychomycosis treatments are just as effective and cost significantly less.

Treat with iodine

Of all the options for treating fungi with folk remedies, iodine is rightly considered the most popular. The effectiveness of its use has been proven by dermatologists, who recommend the drug for the treatment of affected areas of the nails and feet. This product has advantages compared to:

• low price;
• Good disinfection performance;
• Easy to use.

Regular treatment of the affected area of the nail with iodine for two weeks has been proven to completely eliminate the fungus. To do this, the affected plaque must be soaked with medication every day until healthy nails have completely grown. As a precaution, healthy nails on other fingers can also be treated with iodine.

This medication is also often used as an additional ingredient in other home recipes to combat athlete's foot. For example, they mix iodine with apple cider vinegar to treat the skin around nails, or add the product to water for a foot bath. This drug is combined with celandine, vegetable oils or antibacterial agents to create a mixture that treats not only nail fungus, but also feet.Before using iodine, remember that this medication can cause allergic reactions, so you need to do a test: apply a small amount of iodine to your skin and wait a few hours. People with thyroid disease should use iodine with caution.

soda treatment

Baking soda is a fairly common way to fight various infections. It is also suitable for treating toenail fungus with folk remedies. It is recommended to use it twice.The first is to steam your feet in the bathtub. To do this, prepare a solution: add 1 tablespoon of baking soda per liter of hot water. Soak your feet in the solution for about 20 minutes. Then proceed to the next part of the process.For the second step, you need to prepare soda slurry (soda and a little water). The resulting mass is applied to the affected area of the steamed nail plate, using a wrapping method (a regular transparent film can be used). The duration of this process should not exceed 15 minutes. Therefore, feet should be rinsed with clean water to avoid irritation.If the disease begins, treatment must be carried out daily. For the initial stage, two to three times a week is enough. If you combine baking soda treatment with medication, the results will be noticeable faster. It usually takes about two months to completely eliminate the fungus, but even after complete recovery, it is recommended to do a weekly soda wash to avoid recurrence.

alcohol tablets

A great way to combat nail fungus is with alcohol compresses. This is done before bedtime and left overnight. Due to the heating, the affected area of the nail plate expands, which facilitates the penetration of the disinfectant into the interior. Ammonia compression is considered the most effective, but regular compression will also work. To perform this procedure correctly you must:

1. Steam your feet.
2. Use a file to remove the top layer of dead skin from the affected nail.
3. Treat with hydrogen peroxide.
4. Apply a cotton pad soaked in alcohol solution to your nails.
5. Place on fingertips or wrap in foil.
6. In the morning, remove the dressing and lubricate the nails with antifungal gel or cream.
7. Repeat this process every other day until the fungal disease is completely gone.

To enhance the effect, pure alcohol can be replaced with tinctures based on it. A compress of alcohol-filled celandine once a week will help significantly speed up the treatment, and the juice of the fresh plant can be used instead of antifungal creams.Applying an alcohol tincture of propolis can also help get rid of fungus quickly. The product's therapeutic benefits have long been known. It not only treats fungus on the nails, but also on the entire foot. Propolis has antifungal and antiseptic properties and does not require the use of other medications after removing the dressing.

Kombucha uses

A concentrated solution of kombucha is very effective in treating foot fungus using folk remedies. The infusion has antibacterial properties, and the stronger the concentration, the better. Three months of soaking of mushrooms is considered optimal.Treatment with this popular method can be carried out in two ways. The first is to use a cotton pad soaked in kombucha concentrate and boil it overnight. The second is to lubricate the affected area with the fungus itself and rub it into a paste.In both the first and second methods, the dead layer of the nail should be removed after surgery. At the end of the treatment, it is necessary to disinfect the nails themselves and the instruments used.Although kombucha is a completely natural remedy, there are some contraindications to its use. The ____ does not work:

• Women during pregnancy and lactation;
• Alcoholics;
• People with diabetes and hepatitis;
• People with HIV and AIDS.

In other cases, kombucha has become one of the most effective ways to treat fungal diseases without the use of medications.

Birch tar uses

The oldest method of getting rid of foot fungus is birch tar. Its uses have long been known, but it has not lost its effectiveness. Tar can be used in its pure form or an ointment can be prepared by mixing it with cream.Before using this substance, you should pre-treat your legs and nails, steam them and remove dead skin. Then you can process it with tar. A distinctive feature of this method is that the administered pharmaceutical composition requires air access. The entire process takes approximately two hours, so you should get into a comfortable body position in advance.A more modern method is to use tar soap. But it is more suitable for daily prevention of disease recurrence rather than treatment. In some cases, using soap can cause allergic reactions and dry skin, so use with caution. Even a bad smell that lasts for a few hours doesn't do the product any favors.

Don't rely solely on tar treatments. It is best used as a complementary natural remedy to medications.

salt and vinegar

Vinegar and salt are often used as adjuvants in the fight against nail and foot fungus. Additionally, salt is used for marine and culinary purposes. It has strong antibacterial properties and absorbs well. Vinegar helps soften nails for further processing. Usually solutions are made from these ingredients. The solution is very simple:

• 100 ml vinegar (preferably apple juice);
• 2 liters of hot water;
• 0. 5 cups salt.

Mix everything thoroughly and soak your feet in the solution for 20-30 minutes. Such a bath not only helps to steam the nails before surgery, but also disinfects the entire foot surface.Whatever folk remedies are used to fight onychomycosis, you should remember: if treatment does not produce noticeable results after two weeks, you should see a doctor immediately.