How to cure toenail fungus at home.

Toenails affected by fungus and healthy nails after home treatment.

Fungal toenail diseases (onychomycosis) are quite common. This disease is infectious in nature and is caused by pathogenic bacteria (epidermophytes). Almost from the moment of infection, a person begins to feel intense itching in the area of the fingers, which even proven methods do not help to cope with. The disease is difficult to treat, so you have to be patient and decide.How to properly treat toenail fungus.

Every fifth person in the world contracts the fungus at least once, so it is not difficult to determine its presence by external signs.

Why are mushrooms dangerous?

Nail fungus cannot be ignored, as this disease is contagious and can ruin the life of the patient and those around him.

In addition to the constant desire to scratch the affected area, the nail plates begin to change their structure, break off and infect the entire surrounding area with fungus. It is unpleasant to look at, so the sore cannot be ignored. Plus, you won't be able to forget about it, as it will constantly remind you of itching.

Currently, people are very reluctant to go to the clinic, so the question always remains relevant: how to cure nail fungus at home?

Treating toenail fungus with home remedies is becoming common. How to treat nail fungus at home?

People are used to thinking that fungus is not a serious disease and that you can get rid of it yourself. Only when they have been struggling unsuccessfully with a problem for several weeks and see no results do they turn to professionals for help.

During this time, the disease goes to the next stage, when the desire to scratch the leg becomes irresistible, causing a state of panic and stress.

You should know that toenail fungus visually affects only a separate area of the human body, although in reality it worsens the functioning of the entire body. Toxins that arise during the growth and reproduction of pathogenic fungi are deposited in it.

Blood flow favors its distribution throughout the body, which causes a disturbance in metabolic functions, increases sensitivity to many negative factors and causes all kinds of complications.

Externally, the affected nail is painted in different colors. It depends on the pathogen, since the fungus can be mold, yeast or dermatophyte.

Over time, keratinization of the nail leads to the fact that even cutting it becomes a problem, and how to cure nail fungus at home in this case? Traditional methods of treating toenail fungus are the first thing victims turn to.

Causes of fungus:

  • open wounds on the feet (scratches, ulcers, abrasions, calluses);
  • violation of hygiene rules;
  • weak immunity;
  • antibiotics or other medications used to treat any disease;
  • excessive sweating of the feet.

But all these reasons are secondary, since the main thing remains the infection contracted by a sick person. About a third of sufferers contracted a fungal infection while visiting saunas, swimming pools, nail salons and other crowded places.

The presence of moisture only activates the infection process and provides favorable conditions for the spread of bacteria. It is enough to walk barefoot through a public shower or wear someone else's flip-flops for the patient's scales to take effect on yours.

You can often get infected by using cloths, rugs, and other similar common items. But even at home no one is safe from fungal infection.

It is enough for one of the family members to go to the beach or pool, and they can become a carrier of bacteria, and if you share slippers or a sponge with them, the whole family can become infected.

The lack of humidity also does not interfere with the functioning of the fungus. For example, visiting a store fitting room can become a source of infection. People in the changing rooms usually take off their shoes and stand on the same mat.

Shoe stores, where people try on shoes without socks, are a real breeding ground for many diseases, including fungal ones.

Fungal spores are able to withstand high and low temperatures, which prolongs their life by several months, so even on the beach, in the most extreme heat, they live calmly in the sand.

Considering that sand or small pebbles on the beach are a natural exfoliant for the feet, infected skin particles are found there in large quantities and adhere to those who have open sores on their feet.

Worn shoes are another carrier of fungal spores. Of course, stores selling such products are obliged to put them on sale only after undergoing appropriate chemical treatment, but this is not always done.

The first manifestations of the fungus.

The initial signs of fungus are a change in the color of the nail plate, the appearance of spots.

The fungus manifests itself in different ways all the time. If a person is healthy and does not have any damage to the legs, this can manifest itself in the form of peeling. If there is damage between the toes or on the heel, the symptoms may be more severe.

The disease begins with peeling of the skin near the nails, slight redness and itching. This cannot be given any importance, since the cause may be uncomfortable or poorly breathable shoes. Also, redness between the fingers is quite difficult to notice right away.

Clear signs of fungus are most visible in areas where the skin of the feet sweats. Diaper rash appears there and, in later stages, blisters appear.

The color of the nails changes from transparent to yellowish, the plate becomes cloudy and lumpy. As bacteria begin to attack the nail, yellowish streaks and spots will appear and the nail will begin to crack and peel.

The subungual space will be filled with a mixture of crumbs and alternated with empty pits. But the biggest problem will come from increased itching and putrid foot odor, which will intensify if the foot sweats.

The advanced stage may be accompanied by fever and movement problems. Treatment of toe fungus in this case will require urgent medical intervention. He will determine which species caused the disease and what measures must be taken to combat it.

In the initial stage, toenail fungus can be treated with home remedies or pharmaceutical antifungal ointments and gels.

Options for traditional foot fungus treatment methods.

Lemon drop compresses a popular remedy for toenail fungus
  1. The use of washing powder has always been considered effective as it contains alkalis that can kill any type of fungus. Half a glass of powder should be poured into a hot bath and immerse your feet in it. You should not sit for more than 15 minutes. The procedure must be repeated for 10 days.
  2. Everyone knows that garlic kills bacteria. In the fight against fungi it is used in its pure form, cutting the cloves into two parts and immersing them in salt. It is not necessary to eat garlic, it is necessary to rub it on the area of the leg damaged by the fungus. Garlic can cause even more irritation and redness, so it should not be applied for long periods of time. 5-7 minutes are enough.
  3. An ammonia compress at night is also a method of treating foot fungus with home remedies. Add a tablespoon of ammonia to 250 mg of water, soak a natural fabric in the solution that will retain moisture well, and wrap the leg.
  4. Spread the foot with a paste of baking soda and water for 20 minutes. This will stop the spread of bacteria.
  5. Sprinkle steamed legs with boric acid powder and put on socks.
  6. Does iodine cure nail fungus? Treatment of toenail fungus with iodine is not limited to the usual smearing of damaged areas. A product made from iodine, vinegar essence, glycerin and water in a 1: 2 ratio (2 parts water) helps if you rub it on the affected areas at night. Before that, it is necessary to steam them so that the pores open and the medicine penetrates better.
  7. The simplest method, which can only be used in the first stage of the disease, is to insert tampons soaked in alcohol between the fingers. You can do this overnight or until the alcohol dries completely.
  8. Grated onion gruel will also help stop the spread of infection, for which it needs to be applied for several hours.
  9. How to treat foot and nail fungus with herbs? Dried chamomile, mint, sage and nettle are suitable for this purpose. They can be crushed in equal parts, poured into a sock and put on at night. The same powder cannot be used a second time, like a sock. In summer it is possible to use fresh inflorescences.
  10. Treating foot fungus with vinegar is very effective. How to treat nail fungus with vinegar? To do this, it is necessary to make baths with a 9% vinegar solution. First, you need to steam your feet, then pour vinegar into warm water, lower your feet there for 15 minutes so that the soles of your feet do not touch the bottom. After the procedure, let your feet dry naturally without rinsing with clean water.
  11. We treat nail fungus with hydrogen peroxide. The application process is the same as in the case of vinegar, only 3% peroxide is used.
  12. Cut the lemon into slices and apply it to the affected nail. Cover the top with cheesecloth and wrap in plastic wrap overnight.

Prevention

To prevent fungal infection, it is necessary to wear slippers when walking on the beach.

To effectively treat toenail fungus, it is best to prevent the infection in the first place. To get rid of an unpleasant disease, you must follow the recommendations:

  • do not walk barefoot in public places;
  • when visiting the gym, swimming pool, water park, wear rubber slippers;
  • use antifungal varnish that has a fungicidal effect;
  • buy comfortable types of cloth or leather shoes;
  • make sure that in nail salons they work with you only with tools that have undergone heat treatment;
  • do not use strangers' slippers, towels or socks;
  • don't wear the same socks every day;
  • wash your feet in the morning and at night;
  • take vitamins;
  • At the first signs of a fungal disease, use a gel that relieves itching, peeling and erosion.

What is dangerous and how to treat advanced nail fungus at home?

An ancient fungus can cause complications of diseases such as diabetes, bronchial asthma or allergies. It becomes a conduit for other infections that can affect internal organs.

An increased amount of toxins in the body causes poisoning.

An old fungus cannot be cured with home remedies alone. How to treat advanced toenail fungus? This will require drug treatment under the supervision of a dermatologist and home remedies should be used as a complement.

The causes of the appearance of advanced fungus may be a late visit to the doctor, incorrectly prescribed treatment, or the ineffectiveness of the medications used.

Old mushrooms require long-term treatment, which can last six months. How to cure old toenail fungus?

A doctor can make a diagnosis only after analyzing a scraping of the damaged area, after which he will prescribe antifungal medications. It is necessary to be careful with some of the medications, they may be contraindicated during pregnancy.

In parallel with the pills, creams and ointments are used, which are applied to the injury.

How to cure advanced toenail fungus with home remedies

    Healthy toenails thanks to the comprehensive treatment of onychomycosis
  1. Cotton swabs are soaked in propolis tincture with 20% alcohol and applied to damaged nails. Propolis helps to quickly destroy the fungus, after which the old nail plate falls off and a healthy one grows back.
  2. Kombucha porridge applied to the affected area helps fight the fungus. It is applied for several hours daily.
  3. An ointment of 100 grams of butter, shelled eggs and 50 mg of 70% acetic acid is used daily. All ingredients are placed in a jar and do not mix. The ointment should be kept in the refrigerator for a week until the peels completely dissolve. The ingredients can then be mixed until smooth.
  4. 15 grams of calamus root are poured with boiling water and left for 30 minutes. The infusion should be drunk a quarter glass 4 times.
  5. At night, it is necessary to apply an ointment from the ashes of 3 cigarettes with 1/2 teaspoon to the nails. toothpaste with fluoride.

What is the best way to treat toenail fungus? There are many effective remedies, but they can be used depending on the stage of the disease.

The initial stages can be treated with folk remedies, for the older stages a complex treatment with medications in combination with home medicine methods will have to be used.