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 one in ten people in the world. This means that this infection is very common and extremely insidious. The disease is extremely unpleasant for the eyes because areas affected by the fungus look quite disgusting.
If you think that this disease will never affect you, don't promise it - you can easily catch a fungal infection in any public place: on the beach, in a bathhouse, in a sauna, in a swimming pool, in a gym and other crowded places.
Signs and symptoms of nail fungus
In fact, few people know that there are thousands of types of fungal infections. However, many of them do not cause pain and are not visually visible.
Due to this peculiarity, a person who has become infected with the fungus may not even be aware of it at the initial stages of the disease. But different types of fungi can cause pain around and under the nail.
Take note!
Since painful fungal symptoms are extremely rare, the doctor is 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 nail plate. In the final stage, treatment is difficult, so disease prevention must be observed. This will ensure that you avoid infection.
For the prevention and timely treatment of nail fungus, it is important to know that there are three stages of development of a fungal infection affecting the nail plate:
The first stage of the onset of the disease is the absence of clearly pronounced symptoms on the nails;
Take note!
In the early stages, nail fungus (onychomycosis) can only be diagnosed in a hospital laboratory. That's why if you notice the slightest change in the nail plate, you should immediately consult a doctor!
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 brittleness 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 such as itching, burning and pain.
Prevention of fungal nail diseases
Every day, without knowing it, we deal with thousands of bacteria around us. But almost all of them are completely harmless to us, because the immune system is like an invisible guardian angel, designed to protect us from diseases.
Take note!
Therefore, the first step in preventing nail fungus is a proper, balanced diet. When the body is saturated with minerals, vitamins and useful substances, the immune system works just for you.
Movement is life! And that's true, because sport and an active lifestyle make us healthy, strong and resilient both physically and mentally. Physical activity prevents diseases of the cardiovascular system.
When blood circulation is impaired, the protective functions of the skin on the hands, feet and nails do not function properly, which leads to diseases.
Causes of a fungal infection
Warm, damp rooms are a breeding ground for bacteria. That's why you need to maintain cleanliness in your home, especially in the bathroom and toilet.
It is important!
When visiting public places: water park, bathhouse, swimming pool, sauna, you must dress and wear shoes. And then wash thoroughly and shower.
In order not to create a favorable environment for the appearance and reproduction of fungi "under your nose", wear comfortable, preferably natural, shoes, socks, stockings, slippers, tights, etc. Inconvenience when wearing them can lead to calluses, corns, sweating and sores. This creates an alkaline microclimate - an ideal place for mushrooms to multiply.
Take note!
When visiting beauty salons, you need to be attentive and careful. Only visit trusted and recommended places because it's about maintaining your health. Getting a pedicure, manicure and nail extensions done by a professional is completely safe and easy. Wounds, cuts and poorly performed procedures are the gateway to infections.
It is important to know that you should not wear other people's shoes as this will harm your health. We strictly adhere to the rules of personal hygiene.
This is important to know!
The fungus must be treated promptly and thoroughly. The disease does not go away on its own, and time only plays a role in the spread of the infection, as complications can arise: it can spread from the feet to the stomach, to the groin, to the skin of the chest, etc. Armpits.
If someone in your family has athlete's foot, there is a chance that healthy family members could become infected. Pay more attention to personal hygiene than usual, do not wear other people's shoes, towels, brushes, combs, etc.
Traditional treatment for toenail fungus
It is very important not to cause infection; You should definitely seek qualified medical help from a specialist.
Take note!
In combination with medicines, you can use traditional methods of treating toenail fungus, which are very effective and help get rid of this unpleasant disease.
Vinegar compress against nail fungus
Ingredients:
- vegetable oil – two tablespoons;
- Apple cider vinegar – two tablespoons.
Preparation and use:
- Mix vinegar and oil in a 1: 1 ratio, then thoroughly moisten a cotton pad with the resulting solution and apply it to the nail affected by the fungus. We secure the top with an adhesive plaster or bandage.
- Leave the compress on all night and remove it in the morning. We treat the fungus with a vinegar compress until the affected nail completely replaces the diseased plate with a healthy one.
Antifungal oil
This aromatic natural oil helps fight fungal infections on feet and nails, soothes irritated skin and soothes tired feet.
Ingredients:
- Ef. clove oil - 5 drops;
- Ef. Cinnamon bark oil – 5 drops;
- Ef. Oil - thyme (thyme) - 20 drops;
- Ef. Sage oil – 10 drops;
- Ef. 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 and stir vigorously for three minutes.
- Place the bottle in a dark place at normal room temperature and leave it for a day to allow the healing oil to mature.
After this time, the aromatic antifungal oil is ready.
How to use:
Wash your feet well and dry them. Shake the oil in the bottle well and apply a few drops to both legs. Even if the fungus has affected one foot, we also apply a remedy to the second foot as a preventive measure.
Apply the oil to your nails and between your toes, massage the skin a little and wait for the oil to absorb. Then we put cotton socks on our feet.
Use the medicated oil two to three times daily; it can also be applied to acne and wounds. The oil will last 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 kombucha infusion, and the longer the mushroom is infused, the better.
For the procedure: You need to steam your feet in warm water, apply a kombucha compress and fix it with a bandage. Leave it on overnight and remove it in the morning. The treatment period is four weeks.
Another treatment option: Cut a small piece of kombucha, remove the foil from it and mash the peeled part into a paste. Rub the resulting mass into the affected areas three times a day. It is important that for each procedure you must take a fresh piece of mushroom.
Baths with celandine decoction
Baths with a decoction of celandine help very well.
- The ratio of grass to water is 2: 3. Add the required amount of celandine and water and cook for 3 minutes.
- Strain the broth and steam the feet for half an hour.
- Apply lotions from the same decoction to the affected areas.
baking powder
Using baking soda is effective.
- Therapeutic procedures: Apply soda lotions and soak your feet in a soda solution.
- Recipe for a soda solution: For three liters of hot water, one tablespoon of soda. Mix the soda well until it is completely dissolved.
- You need to thoroughly steam your feet in a soda solution, then wipe them dry with a clean towel and coat with celandine oil, which can be purchased at the pharmacy.
After a soda bath, you can moisten a cotton swab with celandine oil, place it between your toes and fix it with a plaster. We put a sock on top. We care for this bandage for 20 minutes.
The procedures should be carried out twice a day for a month.
Mushroom ointment - recipe number 1
Preparation: Wash the chicken egg and pour vinegar over it. Store in a dark place until the peel is completely dissolved. Throw away the foil, mix the vinegar with the remaining egg and mix this mixture with butter.
Application: The resulting ointment should be applied morning and evening to the areas affected by the fungus. Do this until full recovery. You can then use the ointment as a preventive measure.
Mushroom ointment - recipe number 2
Ingredients:
- A raw chicken egg;
- A tablespoon of vegetable oil;
- One tablespoon of vinegar essence 70%.
Preparation:
Mix all the ingredients thoroughly and the healing ointment is ready. We store it in the refrigerator and use it as needed.
Application:
- We steam our 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 secure it with a bandage or put on socks.
- Carry out the procedure at night and keep it until morning.
The duration of treatment is 30 days.
Mushroom ointment - recipe number 3
Another popular method of treating toenail fungus is to use an easy-to-prepare and very effective ointment based on vinegar essence.
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 it with vinegar essence so that the contents of the jar are covered.
- Place the jar in a dark place for 10 days. During this time, the eggshells will completely dissolve in the essence.
- We take the eggs out of the jar with a fork, remove the foil, put them in a bowl and add softened butter (take the butter out of the refrigerator beforehand).
- Mash the eggs with a fork and mix with the butter. We should get a homogeneous mass resembling sour cream. Add three tablespoons of acetic acid from the jar where the eggs were placed to the mixture and mix again.
Store the finished ointment in the refrigerator.
Application:
- Wash your feet and wipe them dry, lubricate the affected areas with ointment and let them dry for five minutes. The ointment is quickly absorbed, then put on clean socks and go to bed.
- Use every day in the evening for one month. Then, when you feel that the disease passes, you need to smear it once a week.
As a result of the treatment, feet and nails become clean and healthy, itching and diaper rash disappear, and the skin becomes smooth and healthy.
Antifungal baths
Such therapeutic baths can be carried out daily with the addition of a weak vinegar solution, potassium permanganate, soda solution and a solution of essential oils.
Take 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 treating nail fungus. Its application is very 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 to work quite well in practice because 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.
Baths - method number 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 down. The procedure must be carried out daily until complete recovery.
At the end of the treatment, preventive baths with tea tree oil (or other oil) are recommended once a week.
Rubbing Oil – Method #2
Using cotton wool, rub essential oils into the nail plates affected by fungal infections.
To carry out the procedure, you need to wash your feet thoroughly with laundry soap and wipe dry. Then massage the oil into the affected areas and allow it to absorb. It is not necessary to wash your feet after rubbing in for the oil to have a healing effect.
Take note!
Lemon essential oil is also well suited for the procedures described; It helps against infections and does not darken 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.
Alcohol tincture of propolis
Buy a 20 percent tincture of propolis in alcohol from the pharmacy and apply it to sore nails with a cotton swab. Do this process daily.
You will soon see the result: the diseased nail will disappear and a new one will grow back.
sea-salt
Take sea salt baths daily for a week. Lubricate your feet with fresh celandine juice three times a day for 3 months.
Treatment of fungus with iodine
Apply a drop of iodine to sore nails every morning and evening for 3 weeks. Be sure to also treat neighboring (outwardly healthy) nails.
After about a week or a little sooner, a slight burning sensation and pain may occur around the nail - a sign of successful treatment. Use iodine less frequently if pain is severe.
Table salt with mint
The healing properties of ordinary salt 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 toes.
Repeat until the infection is completely healed.
Pharmacy ointments and preparations
To treat and prevent nail fungus, it is recommended to use effective medicines in combination with folk remedies so that you can quickly cure the disease and prevent its recurrence.
Salicylic ointment
This medicine is often used to treat various skin diseases: lichen, acne, diaper rash. This ointment also helps with fungal infections. It contains 25% salicylic acid.
Method of application: Lubricate the affected areas 2 – 3 times a day.
Zinc ointment
Another inexpensive "folk medicine" 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 children. This medicine should be applied to the affected area up to five times daily. However, if the fungal infection is not very severe, the number of applications can be reduced.
Sulfur ointment
This medication contains 10 to 33% sulfur and is a good remedy for treating foot and nail fungus. For treatment it is better to take a 10% solution. The medicine should be used 1-2 times daily. The duration of treatment is one week.
Can be used to treat skin diseases in young children.
Take note!
Before using traditional toenail fungus treatment methods or other medications, consult your doctor.
Treating and preventing nail fungus takes time and a lot of effort; You must be patient and not wait for a quick recovery.
It is important to know!
Nail fungus is unusually stubborn and very quickly develops immunity to the substances contained in antimycotics. So if you become infected with it again or were not treated the last time, the drug you used before will be useless. You should buy a drug with a completely different principle of action.
It is recommended to consult a doctor in a timely manner for diagnosis, not to let the disease progress, and to start and complete treatment in a timely manner. In this case, you will forget about such an unpleasant disease as nail fungus.
Health!