Onychomycosis - onychomycosis - is a disease caused by a parasitic fungus.20% of adults have this disorder.Fungal infections can easily occur; to do this, simply touch the skin of your feet with a surface that contains this type of fungus.
Infections can occur in places such as public bathrooms or swimming pools; in some cases, fungal infections can occur when trying on shoes in a store or visiting a beauty salon that uses poorly sterilized manicure and pedicure equipment.Infections can occur when using shoes worn by someone who had a fungal infection several months ago; this condition can lead to reinfection.
Treatment should be started immediately when the first symptoms of a fungal infection appear.Due to the high incidence of this pathology, almost everyone should know how to treat onychomycosis at home.
Popular folk methods for treating onychomycosis
Prompt treatment of onychomycosis at home using the fastest methods allows you to effectively deal with the disease at the earliest stages of the infection process.
When treating onychomycosis with folk remedies, you can use fairly simple and effective treatments.Folk remedies have simple formulas and simple procedures, and anyone can use them independently.
To treat this disease in the initial stages of infection, you can use apple cider vinegar, tea tree oil, celandine juice, iodine solution, hydrogen peroxide and kombucha dressings.
The most popular recipes are as follows:
- Soak your feet in a 1:1 ratio of apple cider vinegar and warm water once or twice daily.Soaking time is 15-20 minutes.After this, you should let your feet dry.The procedure should be completed within two weeks.Gradually, the fungus begins to disappear and healthy nails replace the damaged nails.
- It is recommended to lubricate fungal infected skin and nail plates with tea tree oil three times a day.For a single use, you will need 4 to 10 drops of oil.The antifungal effect of the use of this drug was observed two weeks after the start of treatment.In some cases, a longer course of treatment is needed.The drug is prohibited for use in the treatment of diseases in children and pregnant women.
- Use Kombucha.For treatment, you should prepare a dressing.To do this, you should wrap a plate of kombucha in cellophane and wrap a bandage on your leg. After doing this, you should put on socks.This procedure must be performed at night before going to bed.Lower limbs need to be washed with warm water in the morning.And remove dead corners and lubricate the removed areas with iodine solution.One of the side effects of this treatment is quite intense pain, but the advantage of this method is rapid and positive treatment results.
- Using tampons containing propolis can cure the infection.For this, you can use propolis tincture or its extract.This product can be used every day.Exposure to propolis can accelerate the growth of the nail plate.This will speed up the healing process.
If the condition does not improve after using traditional methods, then you should seek the help of a doctor to conduct examinations and prescribe complex therapies to treat the pathology.
The application of iodine in the treatment of onychomycosis
One way to help fight toenail fungus is an iodine solution.It is very easy to eliminate the infection with iodine.Additionally, this method of destruction is low-cost and accessible to everyone.
Most experts in traditional treatments recommend starting treatment of infections with iodine solutions, most likely due to the availability of this drug and its widespread use.Medical iodine solution has obvious disinfection and antiseptic properties.
For treatment, you need to use iodine every day, applying the solution to the damaged areas of the skin of your feet and nails.
To treat foot fungus at home with an iodine solution, you need to apply a few drops to the affected area twice a day.Use a cotton swab or swab to treat the affected area.It is best to apply the solution directly onto the nail plate.
Treating fungal infections with iodine can speed up the healing of the damaged area, making skin recovery possible.In order to provide a more significant antifungal effect during surgery, it is recommended to treat not only the affected area, but also the area adjacent to the wound.
When treating affected nails, it is enough to apply one drop of the pharmaceutical composition.
Another way to use an iodine solution to kill fungi is to take a bath with this medication.
When preparing to take a bath, add half a bottle of iodine solution to a bowl of warm water and steam your feet for 10 minutes.After surgery, damaged tissue is removed from the affected area without causing harm to healthy skin.After removing the affected area, you need to treat the skin surface with hydrogen peroxide and use a bandage coated with antibacterial ingredients.
If necessary, you can mix iodine with apple cider vinegar.This mixture is used once in the morning and once in the evening, and the course of treatment lasts for more than two weeks.
How to treat with vinegar?
You can use vinegar to get rid of fungal infections.To perform this operation, mix 70% acetic acid and glycerin in equal proportions and shake well before use; lubricate the affected nail plate with the resulting mixture three times a day.The duration of treatment is approximately three weeks.
Traditional medicine has developed a simple antifungal remedy - take a daily bath with apple cider vinegar before bed.The usual course of this treatment is three weeks or longer.
Using apple cider vinegar, you can prepare products with the addition of vegetable oil.The solution is prepared in a 1:1 ingredient ratio.To treat a fungal infection, moisten a gauze or bandage with the resulting solution and apply it to the damaged nail.It is recommended to wear this bandage for 4 hours a day until the infection is completely healed.
In addition to these treatments, there are other vinegar-based home remedies, the most common of which are the following:
- egg and vinegar ointment;
- Use pure vinegar;
- Use wine vinegar.
When preparing vinegar-based products, vinegar essence can be used, pre-diluted with water to the desired concentration.
Chelidonium Treats Fungus
Using celandine at home can help cure the infection.It is recommended to lubricate deformed and fungal infected nail plates with celandine juice using a cotton swab 3 times a day.To do this, squeeze the juice from freshly picked plants.
Some fresh juices can be used immediately upon receipt, while some can be fermented in the dark for 2-3 weeks.Chelidonium therapy requires considerable time; surgery may be necessary until a new nail has grown back.
Chelidonium mixed with alcohol is used to treat pathologies.To do this, prepare a juice solution with 70% alcohol in a 1:1 ratio.Apply the prepared solution to the affected area 4 times daily.
For treatment, you can use the dry herb celandine.To do this, the herbs must be ground into a powdered state in a coffee grinder and mixed with iodine, vinegar or tea tree oil.The result of mixing should be a porridge-like substance.
Using the resulting composition, damaged nail plates are compressed.
Hydrogen peroxide in treatment
Hydrogen peroxide is not a composition capable of destroying fungal infections.The use of solutions of this chemical can halt and prevent the progression of pathology.
Peroxide is characterized by significant deodorizing properties, making it ideal for treating damaged areas.
When using peroxide, you must follow its instructions.
Hydrogen peroxide solution treatment can be carried out according to the following regimen:
- Make a hot foot bath and add copper sulfate to it.Place the feet into the solution and steam them well.
- After steaming, dry your skin with a clean towel, paying special attention to the skin between your fingers.
- After your skin is dry, apply a cotton pad or swab soaked in hydrogen peroxide solution to the affected area.Use tape to secure the tampon to the damaged area.After using a tampon, wrap a towel around the affected area of your leg.This compression should be maintained for 4-50 minutes.The procedure should be performed twice a day with 12 hours of rest in between.
- After your toenails lighten, the soft areas of the nail plate should be trimmed and an antifungal cream applied to the surface.
This disease disappears faster if you use a special foot bath prepared with a solution of hydrogen peroxide.To do this, you need to take two liters of water and dissolve 100 ml of peroxide in it.You need to steam your feet in the resulting solution for 20 minutes.
After surgery, dry the skin of your feet with a clean towel and carefully file away the softened nails with a nail file.At the end of the process of removing damaged nails, apply antifungal cream to the treated area.It is recommended to perform this procedure once a day.
Another benefit of using peroxide is that it speeds up the healing process.Under its influence, pathogenic microorganisms stop multiplying and spread to new areas.In addition, when using this compound, the recurrence of the infectious process can be avoided.
Pregnant women with infections should be especially careful with this chemical.Because its use does not have negative effects on the mother's body and the unborn child.
Treatment of advanced disease
An ancient and overlooked fungus may threaten patients with nail loss.Therefore, treatment measures should be initiated as early as possible.It is recommended to start recovery at the earliest stages of the infection process, when the first signs of damage appear.
If the nail plate thickens and develops a loose and flaky appearance, treatment measures may be significantly delayed.
Before starting to treat a fungal infection, it is necessary to identify and eliminate the factors that lead to the growth of microorganisms.There are a range of treatments that are very effective in fighting old and advanced infections.
Here are some methods you can use at home:
- Lubricate the skin around the affected area with a nourishing cream and apply kombucha peroxide to sore areas.The damaged area is then wrapped in polyethylene and secured with a bandage, which is left overnight and the process itself is carried out several times;
- You can use a potassium permanganate solution to get rid of old or neglected fungal diseases.
When using the second method, the legs should be steamed in a solution of potassium permanganate and a compress made of a previously prepared paste mixture of alcohol and propolis should be applied to the damaged area.Secure the compression with a bandage.It is recommended to perform surgery every other day until the pathological process is completely eliminated.
In treating older forms of the fungus, topical antifungal creams and oral medications are used.
The use of compresses based on 5% sulfur ointment and iodine preparation has excellent results.Additionally, it is recommended to nourish your nails with lavender and tea tree essential oils every day.
Medication use during home treatment
When eliminating the infectious process, tablets should be chosen by the attending physician.The modern pharmaceutical market offers patients a wide choice of such drugs.
When using antifungal medications at home, you should remember that they all have a large number of contraindications that must be taken into account when taking them.
Additionally, all of these medications can cause many side effects to patients.Therefore, self-prescription of these drugs is prohibited; they should only be taken under the prescription of your attending physician.
Currently, pharmacies offer patients tablets to treat fungal infections, as well as effective products in the form of creams and gels.
If no positive effects are observed when using prescribed medications at home, you should contact your doctor immediately for advice and adjustments to the medications you are taking.
If the nail plate needs to be removed, you can use a special cream as a dressing.
After exposure to the compress, use a nail file to clean the softened portion of the nail.This procedure should be performed daily until the nail bed is completely clean.
Prevent disease from happening
The most effective way to fight fungal infections is to prevent them.
To prevent the infection process from occurring, you should only use individual pedicure products.In order to perform hygienic procedures, you must have your own towel.You should not put someone else's shoes on your feet.
Eliminating an infection is a complex, time-consuming, and financially expensive task, so you need to work to prevent it.For this reason, it is recommended to clean toilets, bathrooms and rooms regularly with disinfectants.
Special shoes must be worn when visiting swimming pools, saunas and hammams.Which should be personal.After bathing and showering, it is recommended to dry the skin, especially between the fingers.
If you are prone to diabetes, you should regularly monitor glucose levels in your body, as increased levels of this component in the body are a factor in viral infections of the skin on the legs.
Be sure to wash your feet with soap every day and dry your shoes if they get wet.Changing socks is also necessary.
When choosing a shoe type, it is recommended to give priority to varieties that do not restrict movement and allow free circulation of air.
When buying socks, tights, stockings and shoes, give priority to quality products.
In addition to this, in order to prevent the occurrence of fungal infections, it is recommended to control your diet.Due to a lack of certain vitamins and nutritional compounds in the diet, the body becomes exhausted and becomes susceptible to infection.In order to supplement the loss of vitamins and bioactive compounds, it is recommended to eat more vegetables and fruits, especially in spring, when vitamin deficiency in the body is particularly serious.
It is important to monitor the condition of your foot nails and the surrounding skin on a daily basis; it is necessary to trim them promptly using personal sterilizing tools.