Onychomycosis (nail fungus) is one of the most common infections on our planet. She takes care of us in the bathhouse, in the pool, in the beauty salon during a pedicure procedure, on the beach and during the fitting in a shoe store. The disease develops rapidly and very soon affects not only the nail plates, but also the skin areas surrounding them. It is important not to miss the onset of the disease, when it is still possible to treat nail fungus with folk remedies.
The therapy of fungal diseases in general, and onychomycosis in particular, remains one of the most complex and not completely solved problems in medicine. One in three inhabitants of our planet suffers from this disease (according to the WHO).
Symptoms of the disease
It is impossible not to notice this disease even in the early stages of development. This greatly facilitates the diagnosis and allows the treatment of the pathology to be started in a timely manner. First of all, the color of the nail begins to change: from pale pink it turns to yellow, brown, and sometimes black. Other typical symptoms of this disease include:
- itchy skin around the nail;
- grooves, spots or inclusions in the nail plate;
- pain;
- peeling of the nail;
- putrid smell;
- exit of the nail bed plate;
- A white coating appears under the nail plate in the soft tissues.
How infection occurs?
Nail fungus is possible in people with weakened immune systems and age-related skin changes. The risk of infection increases significantly in patients suffering from diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and thyroid gland. At the first signs of infection, you should immediately consult a doctor to establish a diagnosis and begin treatment. Otherwise, the infection will spread to other areas. All family members of an infected person are at risk. During the treatment period, it is necessary to stop walking barefoot on the floor. It is necessary to strictly follow simple hygiene rules when showering (rinse the bathroom thoroughly, use a personal towel).
Is it possible to get rid of nail fungus with home remedies?
This is a very common question. Yes, in the early stages of the disease this is not difficult to do. The situation is much worse in the advanced form, when the disease can seriously harm health:
- weaken the immune system;
- cause an allergic reaction;
- Cause exacerbation of chronic diseases.
Healers and healers know how to treat toenail fungus with folk remedies. Of course, it will not be possible to fix the problem quickly (in a couple of days), but there will still be a positive result. Traditional medicines are divided into two groups:
- for internal use – teas, tinctures, decoctions;
- for external use: solutions, compresses, ointments.
Combining these methods, you can get rid of the disease and restore health. Below we will describe how to treat nail fungus at home using home remedies.
Preparations based on celandine.
This plant is well known not only to specialists in the field of herbal medicine, but also to ordinary people: many have seen small bushes covered with small yellow flowers near houses and along roads in spring. But not everyone knows that the plant has disinfectant and healing properties. It is also used to treat nail fungus. Most often, celandine is used in the form of a tincture. It is also possible to use pure plant juice.
Fresh juice
The easiest way to use celandine is to lubricate the damaged nail plate and cuticle with the juice of the plant three times a day. Treatment continues for a week.
vodka tincture
Wash and dry the celandine herb well, chop it and place it in a glass container. Fill the raw materials with vodka (1: 2). Close the jar tightly and place it in a dark place for two weeks. The tincture is taken according to the following scheme: during the first three days – 3 drops, diluting them in ½ glass of water. Then every day the dose is increased by 1 drop. When it reaches 20 drops, it is also gradually reduced to three.
Celandine and calendula
How else can toenail fungus be cured? Home remedies, such as celandine and calendula, are very effective in combating this pathology. To a teaspoon of celandine juice, add two drops of calendula and oregano tincture. Add 4 tablespoons to the resulting mixture. l. water. The composition is applied to the affected nail plate three times a day.
Vinegar in the treatment of fungus.
Healers claim that vinegar can help cure nail fungus. Folk remedies based on it can be different. Next, let's look at some popular recipes.
vinegar essence
Treat the affected nail plate with 70% acetic acid. However, this rather aggressive method is not suitable for people with disorders of the heart and blood vessels, who suffer from allergic reactions to this substance and hypertension.
egg and vinegar
Perhaps this is the most common folk method of treating nail fungus, which will allow you to quickly get rid of the pathology. To prepare the medicine you will need apple cider vinegar and a chicken egg, preferably homemade. Pour vinegar into a 200 ml glass jar, place the egg in it and place it in a dark place. When the egg has completely dissolved, remove the remaining film, pour the resulting mixture into another glass container, add a teaspoon of butter (teaspoon) and mix well.
Steam the legs, apply the product to the affected areas, cover with a bandage folded several times, wrap with plastic wrap and secure. After 12 to 14 hours, the nail will be lifted and smooth. It should be cut with previously disinfected scissors. The procedures are repeated until the symptoms of the disease disappear.
Ointment
Mix one part glycerin, dimethyl ester of o-phthalic acid, olive oil with two parts acetic acid (70%). The ointment is applied to the affected nails for 8 to 10 hours. It is recommended to perform the procedure before going to bed.
foot baths
Table vinegar (200 ml) is added to water heated to 50ºC. Its level should reach the ankles. Your feet float in this solution for a quarter of an hour. The procedure is performed three times a week.
Uses of iodine
Many people are interested in how to quickly treat toenail fungus with folk remedies. At the beginning of the article we said that a positive result can be achieved only at the initial stage of the disease. Onychomycosis can be treated with common iodine. This is an affordable but painful procedure that is preferably performed on weekends.
Steam well and dry your feet. Lubricate infected nail plates with iodine, bury it in the cracks until it stops being absorbed. After a while, you will feel a strong burning sensation that you will have to endure. If the discomfort is unbearable, soak your feet in a bowl of cold water. At the beginning of the disease, one procedure is enough to cure it.
Baking soda
Traditional methods are often used in the treatment of onychomycosis. How to treat nail fungus with baking soda? The powder is used for warm baths at the rate of two tablespoons per three liters of water. To make the procedure more effective, add half a tablespoon (teaspoon) of grated laundry soap to the water. The procedure lasts at least a quarter of an hour. When finished, you should not clean your feet: let them dry naturally. Then you should put on cotton socks. For complete healing, such procedures must be carried out every three days for a month.
Essential oils
Many people say that if the disease is advanced, it is quite difficult to cure toenail fungus with home remedies. Healers believe that essential oils do a good job with this task. They compare in terms of their level of impact with expensive antifungal medications. In addition to the antifungal effect, the oils have numerous beneficial properties:
- cleaning;
- regenerating;
- anti-inflammatory;
- bactericide.
Essential oils not only destroy fungal cells, but also restore the normal state of the nail plate. These remedies for the treatment of nail fungus are used in various procedures:
- Compresses.Heat the tea tree oil to 30°C and dilute it with two teaspoons of warm water. Soak a cotton pad in the resulting mixture and place it on the nail plate for an hour. After the procedure, it will become soft and elastic, which will allow it to be trimmed.
- Spa.Pour three liters of hot water into a container, add ylang-ylang essential oil, add rosemary or lavender (10 drops). Immerse clean feet in the solution for a quarter of an hour. After the procedure, wrap your feet in a warm towel for a quarter of an hour.
- Use it in its pure form.If there are no allergic reactions to the oil, it can be used to lubricate the nail plate, previously steamed in hot water with 72% laundry soap. Soak a cotton swab in oil and lubricate the affected nails. It should not be washed.
propolis tincture
There are many traditional methods to treat nail fungus. A universal and safe remedy is propolis, or more precisely, its alcohol tincture. The drug has fungicidal, healing and bacteriostatic properties.
With onychomycosis, propolis does not allow the pathogen to multiply. Judging by the reviews, itching and inflammation disappear after just a few procedures. Little by little, the affected nail is replaced by a healthy one. There are several ways to treat pathology with propolis:
- A piece of propolis, previously steamed in a solution of potassium permanganate, is applied to the affected nail for half an hour. The procedure must be done twice a day for a month.
- Moisten a cotton pad with an alcoholic solution (20%) of propolis and apply it to the nail plate, covering it with dry cotton wool on top. At the end of the procedure, bandage your finger. The bandage can be removed after a day and the softened nail can be removed.
tea mushroom
The healing properties of this unique remedy are used in the treatment of many infectious diseases. You can use this folk remedy to treat nail fungus. Use it as follows:
- separate a thin layer of the fungus, soak it in water for an hour, and then apply a piece to each affected nail;
- cover the compress with plastic wrap and put on a woolen sock;
- Leave the compress on overnight.
The procedure, during which burning and itching may be felt, is repeated every two days until the symptoms of the disease disappear.
Garlic
Many patients are interested in knowing what home remedies can treat nail fungus. Many of the remedies are always available in every home. For example, garlic, which is no less effective than special antifungal drugs.
- Pour a glass of apple cider vinegar over a clove of garlic in a glass container with a lid and place it in a dark place for two weeks. The finished composition is applied to the nails affected by the fungus at night, a gauze bandage is applied on top and left until the morning. Treatment continues until the symptoms of the pathology disappear.
- Squeeze the juice from five cloves of garlic. It should be diluted in 30 ml of boiled water. This product is used to lubricate sore nails, which must first be steamed and dried.
Hydrogen peroxide
How to quickly treat nail fungus with home remedies? Traditional healers claim that there are methods that help get rid of the disease in a very short time. These include preparations based on hydrogen peroxide. It can be used in different ways and in different combinations:
- A mixture of several products.Dissolve 1/2 cup of soda slaked with vinegar, 1/4 cup of hydrogen peroxide and 1/2 cup of magnesium sulfate in four glasses of water. Secure a cotton swab soaked in this mixture on the affected nail with a band-aid. The bandage remains on the affected area for 10 hours. It is then replaced with a new one. Treatment continues for 10 days.
- Peroxide and vinegar.Mix equal parts peroxide and 6% vinegar. Dip your fingers into this mixture and keep it until it sizzles. The feet are then washed with warm water and tea tree oil mixed in equal parts with Vaseline is applied to the dry nails. This procedure must be done every day for a week.
Procaine-based anesthetic.
Yes, this is not exactly a popular remedy, but it would be a mistake not to mention it in this article. Cotton swabs are moistened with anesthetic and attached to the affected nails. Some patients claim that this simple method can eliminate fungus in just two procedures.
Herbs
How else can nail fungus be treated? Home remedies based on herbs and medicinal plants have disinfectant and anti-inflammatory effects.
Recipes:
- Mix equal parts of wormwood, burdock leaves and chamomile flowers. Pour a tablespoon (tablespoon) of the mixture with a glass of boiling water. After 20 minutes, when the composition has cooled a little, dip your fingers in it for 15-20 minutes.
- Chamomile flowers, oak bark and calendula should be taken in equal proportions. Pour boiling water (one liter) into three tablespoons of the mixture. Let the mixture rest for half an hour. Then add a tablespoon of sea salt to the broth. Place your feet on it. The procedure continues for a quarter of an hour.
- Blackberry leaves, verbena herb, horsetail, calendula flowers and oak bark are crushed and mixed in equal parts. Pour boiling water (200 ml) into a tablespoon (teaspoon) of the mixture. Place the container with the herbal mixture in a water bath for a quarter of an hour. Strain, cool and moisten cotton balls with the resulting decoction. They are applied in the form of lotions to sore nails at night.
- Gently beat the burdock leaf with a spoon so that the juice comes out. Pieces of the sheet are placed on the nail plate, the finger is bandaged and a sock is put on. The dressing should be changed every 12 hours. Continue treatment for 10 days.
- Kalanchoe and golden mustache leaves should be ground to a pasty state. The mass is applied to the infected surface and fixed with a bandage. In the morning, remove the bandage and wash your feet with warm water. Treatment is carried out until the symptoms disappear.
- Pour 150 ml of vodka with 10-15 g of lilac flowers. Raw materials are infused for two weeks in a dark place. Wipe the damaged nail plate with the prepared tincture twice a day for a week.
Mushroom in advanced form
If the nail is completely yellowed, does not fit tightly to the nail bed, crumbles, the folds of the nail are red or painful, this means that the nail fungus is advanced. Treating this form of pathology with home remedies is neither practical nor effective. In this case, alternative medicine is used only as a complement to pharmacological treatment.
Affected nails are washed with tar soap at night. Sprinkle salt on top and bandage with a sterile bandage. In the morning, remove the bandage and wash your feet with warm water. Repeat the procedures for at least a week.
Disease prevention
If you are opposed to traditional medicine or for some reason cannot buy medicines, you can try to cope with the disease with folk remedies. In this case, treatment of nail fungus is necessary when the first symptoms of the disease are detected.
The prevention of this pathology is no less important. The causative agents of onychomycosis are inert to conventional disinfectants. Powders, soaps and detergents do not affect the viability of the spores. In this sense, nail fungus is a dangerous disease, treating it at home is quite difficult, and preventive measures often turn out to be ineffective.
However, it is necessary to follow basic preventive rules:
- Do not use other people's hygiene products. This rule must also be observed within the family circle, since, judging by medical statistics, more than 60% of infection cases occur at home.
- Treat the bathroom and carpets with disinfectant solutions.
- Use a 5% chloramine solution to treat bed linen and towels used by the patient.
- Stockings or socks should be changed daily. Fungal spores migrate to the fabric and you can only remove them by boiling, which is not always possible.
- After visiting the pool, treat your nails and feet with a 40% hexamethylenetetramine solution.
- Dry or sweaty skin is an ideal place for infections to grow. Doctors have proven the high effectiveness of boric acid, hexamethylenetetramine and talc in helping to cope with excessive dryness or sweating of the feet.
If the treatment of the fungus with alternative medicine does not give a positive result, you should consult a doctor who knows exactly how to treat nails with the help of medications.
Alternative treatment for nail fungus: patient reviews and doctors' opinions.
Many people claim that they were able to completely get rid of this pathology using only folk remedies, the recipes for which are given in this material. True, they all claim that they achieved a positive result, because the treatment was started after the first symptoms of the disease were detected.
Doctors are not so optimistic. They believe that treating nail fungus with home remedies is not always safe. The fact is that many of them are quite aggressive and doctors have had to deal more than once with the consequences of their uncontrolled use: burns, inflammation, etc.
Therefore, doctors recommend that if you suspect a fungus, consult a doctor, do a scraping, identify the susceptibility of the causative agent to various medications, and then start treatment. If in your case the doctor considers it possible to treat nail fungus with traditional methods, he will include effective remedies as part of complex therapy.