Today we will talk about the treatment and prevention of nail fungus, so that you know how to get rid of it and prevent the recurrence of this disease.
Statistics show that nail fungus occurs in almost every tenth person in the world. This means that this infection is very common and extremely hidden. The disease is extremely unpleasant for the eyes, because the areas infected with the fungus look quite disgusting.
If you think that this disease will never affect you, do not promise - it is easy to catch a fungal infection in any public place: on the beach, in a bathhouse, sauna, swimming pool, gym and other crowded places.
Signs and symptoms of nail fungus
In fact, few people know that fungal infections come in thousands of types. But many of them do not cause pain and are not visible visually.
Due to this feature, in the initial stages of the disease, a person who has been infected with the fungus may not even be aware of it. But some types of fungus can cause pain around and under the nail.
Note!
Since the painful symptoms of the fungus are extremely rare, doctors are consulted only in the last, advanced stages of the disease, when there is a change in the color of the nail, its deformation and detachment of the upper plate. In the last stage, treatment is difficult, so prevention of the disease must be respected. This will ensure you avoid infection.
For the prevention and timely treatment of nail fungus, it is important to know that there are three stages of the development of a fungal infection that affects the nail plate:
The first stage of the onset of the disease is the absence of clearly expressed symptoms in the nails;
Note!
Nail fungus (onychomycosis) can be diagnosed at an early stage only in a hospital, in a laboratory setting. Therefore, if you notice the slightest change in the nail plate, consult a doctor immediately!
The second stage of onychomycosis is a change in the color of the nail plate, loss of shine, deformation of its lateral and upper parts:
The third advanced stage of the fungus is severe delamination and fragility of the nail, which can lead to its complete loss.
In addition, a fungal infection affects the skin around the nail, which is accompanied by unpleasant sensations of itching, burning and pain.
Prevention of nail fungus disease
Every day, without knowing it, we face thousands of bacteria around us. But almost all of them are absolutely harmless to us, since the immune system is called, like an invisible guardian angel, to protect us from diseases.
Note!
Therefore, the first step in preventing nail fungus is a proper and balanced diet. If the body is saturated with minerals, vitamins and useful substances, the immune system will work only for you.
Movement is life! And this is true, because playing sports and an active lifestyle makes us healthy, strong and resilient both physically and spiritually. Physical activity prevents diseases of the cardiovascular system.
If the blood circulation is damaged, the protective functions of the skin of the hands, feet and nails do not work properly, which leads to their diseases.
Causes of fungal infection
Warm and humid rooms are a breeding ground for bacteria. Therefore, you should ensure cleanliness in your home, especially in the bathroom and toilet.
It is important!
When visiting public places: water park, spa, swimming pool, sauna, you must dress and wear shoes. And then wash well and take a shower.
In order not to create a favorable environment for the appearance and spread of fungi "under your nose", wear comfortable shoes, preferably natural, socks, stockings, slippers, tights, etc. , and wounds. This leads to the emergence of an alkaline microclimate - an ideal place for fungi to multiply.
Note!
When visiting beauty salons you should be attentive and careful. Visit only trusted and recommended places, because we are talking about preserving your health. Getting a professional pedicure, manicure and nail extension is absolutely safe and easy. Wounds, cuts, poorly performed procedures are the gateway to infections.
It is important to know that you cannot wear someone else's shoes, as this will harm your health. We strictly observe the rules of personal hygiene.
This is important to know!
Fungi must be treated immediately and thoroughly. The disease does not go away by itself, and time only plays a role in the spread of the infection, as complications can occur: it can spread from the legs to the stomach, to the groin area, to the skin of the chest, to the armpits.
If someone in your family has athlete's foot, there is a chance that healthy family members will become infected. Maintain personal hygiene more carefully than usual, do not wear other people's shoes, towels, brushes, combs, etc.
Traditional treatment for nail fungus
It is very important not to start an infection, you should definitely contact a specialist for qualified medical help.
Note!
In combination with pharmaceutical drugs, you can use traditional methods of treating nail fungus, which are quite effective and will help get rid of this unpleasant disease.
Vinegar compresses for nail fungus
Ingredients:
- vegetable oil - two spoons;
- Apple cider vinegar - two spoons.
Preparation and use:
- Mix vinegar and oil in a 1: 1 ratio, then thoroughly soak a piece of cotton with the resulting solution and apply it to the nail affected by the fungus. We secure the upper part with an adhesive plaster or bandage.
- Leave the compress overnight and remove it in the morning. We use a vinegar compress to treat the fungus until the affected nail completely replaces the diseased plate with a healthy one.
Antifungal oil
This natural aromatic oil will help fight fungal infections on the feet and nails, soothe irritated skin and relieve tired feet.
Ingredients:
- Eph. clove oil - 5 drops;
- Eph. cinnamon bark oil - 5 drops;
- Eph. oil - thyme (thrush) - 20 drops;
- Eph. sage oil - 10 drops;
- Eph. lavender oil - 30 drops;
- tea tree essential oil - 25 drops;
- Jojoba oil - 100 milliliters.
Preparation:
- Pour jojoba oils into a dark bottle, add essential oils to it and mix vigorously for three minutes.
- Place the bottle in a dark place at normal room temperature and leave it for a day so that the healing oil matures.
After this time, the aromatic antifungal oil is ready.
How to use:
Wash your feet well and dry them. Shake the oil well in the bottle and apply a few drops to both feet. Even if the fungus has affected one leg, then we also apply a healing agent to the second leg for preventive purposes.
Apply the oil to your nails and between your toes, massage the skin a little and wait until the oil is absorbed. Then we put cotton socks on the feet.
Use the medicinal oil two to three times a day, it can also be applied to acne and scars. The oil can be stored for up to two years in a cool place.
Tea mushroom
This is a simple and very good remedy for treating fungus.
This is useful!
Before going to bed, it is recommended to make compresses from a strong infusion of kombucha, and the longer the mushroom is infused, the better.
For the procedure: you need to steam your feet in warm water and put a compress with kombucha and fix them with a bandage. Leave it overnight and remove it in the morning. The course of treatment is four weeks.
Another treatment option: remove a small piece of kombucha, remove the film from it and grind the peeled part into a paste. Rub the resulting mass on the affected areas three times a day. It is important that for each procedure you need to take a fresh piece of mushroom.
Bath with celandine decoction
Baths with a decoction of celandine help very well.
- The ratio of grass to water is 2: 3. Add the necessary amount of celandine and water and boil for 3 minutes.
- Drain the liquid and steam the feet for half an hour.
- Make creams from the same decoction on the affected areas.
Baking soda
Using baking soda is effective.
- Therapeutic procedures: apply creams with soda and steam your feet in a soda solution.
- Soda solution recipe: for three liters of hot water, one tablespoon of soda. Mix the soda well until it is completely dissolved.
- You should completely steam your feet in a soda solution, then wipe them with a clean towel and apply celandine oil, which is sold in pharmacies.
After a gas bath, you can wet a cotton swab with celandine oil, put it between your fingers and fix it with a bandage. We put a sock on top. We keep this bandage for 20 minutes.
Procedures should be carried out twice a day for a month.
Ointment against fungi - recipe no. 1
Preparation: Wash the chicken egg and pour vinegar on it. Keep in a dark place until the peel is completely dissolved. Discard the film, mix the vinegar with the rest of the egg and mix this mixture with butter.
Application: The resulting ointment should be applied to areas affected by mold in the morning and evening. Do this until complete recovery, after which you can use the oil for preventive purposes.
Ointment against fungi - recipe no. 2
Ingredients:
- A raw chicken egg;
- A tablespoon of vegetable oil;
- A tablespoon of vinegar 70% essence.
Preparation:
Mix all the ingredients well and the healing ointment is ready. We store it in the refrigerator and use it as needed.
Application:
- Steam the feet, wipe them dry and apply ointment to the areas affected by the fungal infection.
- You need to put a plastic bag on top and fix it with a bandage or put on socks.
- Do the procedure at night and keep it until morning.
The course of treatment is 30 days.
Ointment against fungi - recipe no. 3
Another popular method of treating toenail fungus is using an easy-to-prepare and very effective vinegar-based ointment.
Ingredients:
- Raw chicken eggs (preferably from domestic chickens) - 2 pieces;
- Vinegar essence 70% - 1 glass;
- Butter - 200 grams.
Preparation of the ointment:
- Wash the eggs, put them in a half-liter jar and fill with vinegar essence so that it covers the contents of the jar.
- Place the jar in a dark place for 10 days, during which time the eggshells will completely dissolve into the essence.
- Take the eggs out of the jar with a fork, remove the film, put them in a container and add the softened butter (take the butter out of the refrigerator beforehand).
- Grind the eggs with a fork and mix them with the butter. We should get a homogeneous mass similar to yogurt. Add three tablespoons of acetic acid from the jar in which the eggs were placed to the mixture and mix again.
Store the finished oil in the refrigerator.
Application:
- Wash your feet and wipe them dry, apply ointment to the affected areas and let them dry for five minutes. The ointment will be absorbed quickly, then put on clean socks and go to bed.
- Use it for a month, every day at night. Then, when you feel that the disease is passing, you should apply it once a week.
As a result of the treatment, the feet and nails will become clean and healthy, itching and diaper rash will disappear, and the skin will become smooth and healthy.
Antifungal baths
Such therapeutic baths can be done every day with the addition of a weak solution of vinegar, potassium permanganate, baking soda and a solution of essential oils.
Note!
Prevention of fungal nail infections should be carried out regularly to avoid recurrence of the disease.
Eucalyptus and Kalanchoe
Kalanchoe juice, eucalyptus oil or eucalyptus tincture also help well in the treatment of nail fungus. Their use is quite simple: you need to lubricate the affected areas three times a day until recovery.
Essential oils for athlete's foot
Traditional methods of treating toenail fungus with essential oils have proven themselves quite well in practice, as they have good antifungal properties.
Oils to use: tea tree, lemon, fir, sandalwood, patchouli.
Contraindications: individual intolerance, pregnancy.
Tea tree oil
Let's look at the main points of using essential oils using tea tree as an example. This recipe can be used with other oils.
Bathroom - method no. 1
- In a liter of hot water, we must dilute 20 drops of oil and a teaspoon of shower gel.
- Take a bath for 20 minutes until the water cools. The procedure should be performed daily until complete recovery.
At the end of the treatment, preventive baths with tea tree oil (or other oil) once a week are recommended.
Friction oil - method no. 2
Rub essential oils on nail plates affected by fungal infections using cotton wool.
To perform the procedure, you should wash your feet well with laundry soap and wipe them dry. Then rub the oil on the affected areas and let it absorb. There is no need to wash your feet after rubbing for the oil to have a healing effect.
Note!
Lemon essential oil is also good to use for the described procedures, it helps against infections and does not stain the nails, preserving their natural appearance.
The duration of treatment is three or even four months, it all depends on the patient's immunity and the stage of the fungus.
Alcoholic tincture of propolis
At the pharmacy, buy a 20% solution of propolis in alcohol, which you apply to the sore nails using a cotton swab. Do this procedure every day.
Soon you will see the result: the sick nail will go away and a new one will grow.
Sea salt
Take sea salt baths every day for a week. Lubricate the feet with fresh celandine juice three times a day for 3 months.
Treatment of mold with iodine
Every day for 3 weeks, in the morning and in the evening, apply a drop of iodine to the sore nails. Be sure to also treat the neighboring nails (healthy from the outside).
After about a week or a little earlier, a slight burning sensation and pain around the nail may appear - a sign of a successful treatment. For severe pain, apply iodine less often.
Table salt with mint
The healing properties of common salt will help treat nail fungus.
For preparation:
- Mix finely chopped mint with salt in a 1: 1 ratio.
- The resulting pulp should be placed on the affected nail plates and between the fingers.
Repeat until the infection is completely healed.
Ointments and pharmacy preparations
For the treatment and prevention of nail fungus, in combination with folk remedies, it is best to use effective pharmaceutical drugs, this will allow you to quickly cure the disease and prevent its recurrence.
Salicylic ointment
This pharmaceutical drug is often used in the treatment of various skin diseases: lichen, acne, diaper rash. This ointment also helps with fungal infections. It contains 25% salicylic acid.
How to use: apply to the affected areas 2-3 times a day.
Zinc ointment
Another cheap "popular" drug sold in pharmacies. The ointment contains zinc oxide and petroleum jelly.
Zinc ointment has no contraindications, it can be used by women during pregnancy and nursing mothers, as well as by children. This medicine should be applied to the affected area up to 5 times a day. However, if the scale of the fungus is not too severe, the number of applications can be reduced.
Sulfur ointment
This medicine contains sulfur from 10 to 33% and is a good remedy for the treatment of foot and nail fungus. For treatment, it is better to take a 10% solution. The drug should be applied 1-2 times a day. The course of treatment is one week.
It can be used in the treatment of skin diseases in young children.
Note!
Before using traditional methods of treating toenail fungus or any other medication, consult your doctor.
Treatment and prevention of nail fungus takes time and a lot of effort, you need to be patient and not wait for a quick recovery.
It is important to know!
Nail fungus is extremely persistent and very quickly develops immunity to the substances contained in antifungal drugs. Therefore, if you have been infected with it again or the last time it was not treated, the medicine used before will be useless. You need to buy a drug with a completely different principle of action.
It is recommended to consult a doctor at the right time for diagnosis, do not allow the disease to progress, start treatment on time, complete it, in this case you will forget about such an unpleasant disease as nail fungus.
Be healthy!