Today we will talk about how to treat and prevent nail fungus so you know how to get rid of it and prevent it from recurring.
Statistics show that nail fungus occurs in almost every 10 people in the world. This means that this infection is very common and extremely insidious. This disease is extremely unpleasant for the eyes because the areas infected with the fungus look quite unpleasant.
If you think that this disease will never affect you, then do not make promises - it is very easy to get a fungal infection in any public place: on the beach, in the bathhouse, sauna, swimming pool, bathroom. exercise and other crowded places.
Signs and symptoms of nail fungus
In fact, few people know that there are thousands of types of fungal infections. But many of them are painless and invisible.
Due to this peculiarity, in the early stages of the disease, the person infected with the fungus may not even be aware of it. But some types of fungus can cause pain around and under the nails.
Note!
Since painful symptoms of fungus are extremely rare, doctors are consulted only in the final, severe stages of the disease, when there is a change in the color of the nail, deformation and peeling of the upper plate. In the final stages, treatment is difficult, so prevention must be observed. This will ensure you avoid infection.
For timely prevention and treatment of nail fungus, it is important to know that there are three stages of development of fungal infections affecting the nail plate:
The first stage of the onset of the disease is without obvious symptoms; spots and stripes appear on the nails and are barely visible;
Note!
Nail fungus (onychomycosis) can only be diagnosed in the early stages in a hospital, in a laboratory. That is why, if you notice the slightest change in the nail plate, 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 stage of progression of the fungus is severe peeling and brittleness of the nail, which can lead to complete loss.
In addition, fungal infections also affect the skin around the nails, accompanied by unpleasant feelings such as itching, burning and pain.
Preventing nail fungus
Every day, we have to face thousands of bacteria around us without even knowing it. But almost all of them are completely harmless to us, since the immune system is called upon, like an invisible guardian angel, to protect us from diseases.
Note!
So the first step in preventing nail fungus is a proper, balanced diet. If the body is saturated with minerals, vitamins and beneficial substances, then the immune system will only work in your favor.
Movement is life! And this is true, because playing sports and an active lifestyle make us healthy, strong and resilient both physically and mentally. Physical activity prevents diseases of the cardiovascular system.
If blood circulation is impaired, the protective function of the skin of the hands, feet and nails does not function normally, leading to disease.
Causes of fungal infections
Warm, damp rooms are breeding grounds for bacteria. Therefore, you need to ensure cleanliness in your home, especially in the bathroom and toilet.
It is important!
When going to public places: water parks, bathhouses, swimming pools, saunas, you need to wear clothes and shoes. Then wash thoroughly and take a shower.
In order not to create a favorable environment for the appearance and proliferation of fungi "under the nose", wear comfortable, natural shoes, socks, stockings, sandals, tights, etc. v. The inconvenience of wearing them can cause corns, calluses, sweating, and wounds. This leads to the emergence of an alkaline microclimate - an ideal place for fungi to grow.
Note!
When going to the beauty salon you need to pay attention and be careful. Go only to trusted and recommended places, because we are talking about preserving your health. Having a pedicure, manicure and nail extension done by a professional is completely safe and simple. Wounds, cuts, and poorly performed procedures are gateways to infection.
It is important to know that you should not wear someone else's shoes as this will harm your health. We strictly adhere to personal hygiene rules.
This is very important to know!
Fungi must be treated promptly and thoroughly. The disease does not go away on its own, and time only contributes to the spread of infection, since complications can occur: it can spread from the feet to the stomach, to the groin area, to the skin of the chest, to the skin. armpit.
If someone in your family has foot fungus, it is likely that healthy family members will also be infected. Maintain personal hygiene more carefully than usual, do not wear other people's shoes, towels, brushes, combs. . .
Traditional treatment for toenail fungus
It is very important not to get infected; you should definitely contact a specialist for qualified medical help.
Note!
In combination with pharmaceutical drugs, you can use traditional methods of treating toenail fungus that are quite effective and will help get rid of this unpleasant disease.
Vinegar compresses treat nail fungus
Ingredient:
- 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 fungus nail. We fix the upper part with plaster or tape.
- Leave the compress on overnight and remove it in the morning. We use vinegar to treat the fungus until the affected nail completely replaces the diseased plate with a healthy one.
Antifungal oil
This natural balm will help fight fungal infections in the feet and nails, soothe irritated skin and relieve tired feet.
Ingredient:
- 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 ml.
Preparation:
- Pour jojoba oil into a dark bottle, add essential oils there and mix vigorously for three minutes.
- Place the bottle in a dark place at normal room temperature and leave for a day for the healing oil to ripen.
After this time, the antifungal balm is ready.
Using:
Wash your feet thoroughly and dry them. Shake the oil well in the bottle and apply a few drops to both legs. Even if the fungus has affected one foot, we apply the treatment to the second foot as a precaution.
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 our feet.
Use medicated oil two to three times a day; It can also be applied to acne and wounds. The oil can be stored for up to two years in a cool place.
tea mushrooms
This is a simple and very good way to treat fungus.
This is very helpful!
Before going to bed, you should make a compress from a strong infusion of kombucha. The longer the mushrooms are soaked, the better.
For the procedure: you need to steam your feet in warm water and apply a kombucha compress and fix it with a bandage. Leave it on overnight and remove it in the morning. The course of treatment is four weeks.
Another treatment option: break off a small piece of kombucha, remove the membrane, and grind the peeled portion into a paste. Rub the resulting mass into the affected area three times a day. It is important that for each procedure you need to take a piece of fresh mushroom.
Bath with celandine decoction
Bathing with a decoction of celandine helps a lot.
- The ratio of grass and water is 2: 3. Add the required amount of celandine and water and boil for 3 minutes.
- Filter the broth and steam the feet for half an hour.
- Make a decoction from the same decoction on the affected areas.
baking soda
The use of baking soda is effective.
- Treatment procedure: apply soda water and steam your feet in the soda solution.
- Soda solution recipe: add one teaspoon of soda to three liters of hot water. Mix soda well until completely dissolved.
- You need to thoroughly steam your feet in a soda solution, then dry them with a clean towel and apply celandine oil, which is sold at the pharmacy.
After bathing with soda, you can moisten a cotton swab with celandine oil, place it between your toes and secure it with a bandage. We put a sock on top. We maintain this bandage for 20 minutes.
The procedure should be performed twice a day for a month.
Mushroom ointment - recipe number 1
Preparation: wash eggs and pour vinegar on top. Keep in a dark place until the peel is completely dissolved. Discard the membrane, mix vinegar with the rest of the egg and mix the mass with butter.
Application: The resulting ointment should be applied to the area affected by the fungus in the morning and evening. Do this until complete recovery, after which you can use the ointment for preventive purposes.
Mushroom ointment - recipe number 2
Ingredient:
- One raw egg;
- One tablespoon of vegetable oil;
- One tablespoon of 70% pure vinegar.
Preparation:
Thoroughly mix all the ingredients and the healing ointment is ready. We store it in the refrigerator and use it when necessary.
Application:
- We steam our feet, dry them and apply ointment to areas infected with fungus.
- You need to put a plastic bag on top and secure it with tape or socks.
- Perform the procedure at night and keep until morning.
The course of treatment is 30 days.
Mushroom ointment - recipe number 3
Another folk method for treating toenail fungus is an easy-to-prepare and very effective ointment based on vinegar essence.
Ingredient:
- Raw chicken eggs (preferably domestic chickens) - 2 eggs;
- Vinegar essence 70% - 1 cup;
- Butter - 200 grams.
Prepare ointment:
- Wash the eggs, put them in a half-liter jar and pour in the 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 eggshell will completely dissolve in the essence.
- We use a fork to remove the eggs from the jar, peel off the film, put them in a bowl and add softened butter (remove the butter from the refrigerator first).
- Mash the eggs with a fork and mix them with the butter. We will get a homogeneous mass similar to sour cream. Add three tablespoons of acetic acid from the egg jar to the mixture and mix again.
Store the finished ointment in the refrigerator.
Application:
- Wash and dry your feet, lubricate the affected area with ointment and leave to dry for five minutes. The ointment will be quickly absorbed, then put on clean socks and go to bed.
- Use for one month, every day at night. Then, when you feel the disease has cured, you need to apply the medicine once a week.
As a result of treatment, feet and nails will become clean and healthy, itching and diaper rash will disappear, and the skin will become smooth and healthy.
Antifungal bath
Such a therapeutic bath can be done daily by adding a weak solution of vinegar, potassium permanganate, soda solution and essential oil solution.
Note!
Preventing fungal nail infections needs to be done regularly to avoid recurrence.
Eucalyptus and Kalanchoe
Kalanchoe juice, eucalyptus oil or eucalyptus tincture also work well in treating nail fungus. Their use is quite simple: you need to lubricate the affected area three times a day until recovery.
Essential oils treat foot fungus
Traditional toenail fungus treatments using essential oils have proven quite effective in practice because they have good antifungal properties.
Recommended 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 formula can be used with other oils.
Bathing - method number 1
- In a liter of hot water we need to dilute 20 drops of oil and a spoonful of shower gel.
- Bathe for 20 minutes until the water cools. The procedure must be performed daily until complete recovery.
At the end of treatment, preventative baths with tea tree oil (or other oil) should be taken once a week.
Oil rubbing - method number 2
Rub the essential oil into the fungus-infected nail plates with a cotton ball.
To carry out the procedure, you need to wash your feet thoroughly with laundry soap and dry them. Then rub the oil into the affected area 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 great to use for the procedures described; it helps fight infection and does not stain the nails black, maintaining 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.
Propolis tincture
At the pharmacy, you can buy propolis tincture mixed with 20% alcohol to apply to the sore nail with a cotton swab. Perform this procedure daily.
You will soon see results: the diseased nail will disappear and a new nail will grow.
Sea salt
Take a sea salt bath every day for a week. Lubricate the feet with fresh celandine juice three times a day for 3 months.
Treat fungus with iodine
Every day for 3 weeks, morning and evening, apply a drop of iodine to the affected nail. Remember to treat neighboring nails (healthy outer nails) as well.
After about a week or a little earlier, a slight burning sensation and soreness around the nail may appear - a sign of successful treatment. For severe pain, apply iodine less often.
Salt with mint
The healing properties of common salt will help treat nail fungus.
To prepare:
- Mix 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 cured.
Ointments and pharmaceutical preparations
To treat and prevent nail fungus, in combination with folk remedies, effective medicinal drugs should be used, which will help quickly cure the disease and prevent recurrence.
Salicylic ointment
This pharmaceutical drug is often used in the treatment of various skin diseases: lichen, acne, diaper rash. This ointment also helps treat fungal infections. It contains 25% salicylic acid.
Method of use: apply to the affected area 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 lactation, as well as children. This medication should be applied to the affected area up to 5 times a day. However, if the degree of fungus is not too severe, the number of applications can be reduced.
Sulfur ointment
This medicine contains sulfur from 10 to 33%, which is a good remedy to treat foot and nail fungus. For treatment, it is better to use a 10% solution. The medicine should be applied 1-2 times a day. The course of treatment is one week.
Can be used to treat skin diseases in children.
Note!
Before using traditional toenail fungus treatments or any other medications, consult your doctor.
Treating and preventing nail fungus takes time and a lot of effort; You need to be patient, don't wait for the disease to recover quickly.
It's important to know!
Nail fungus is unusually tenacious and develops immunity very quickly to substances contained in antifungal drugs. So, if you get infected again or were not treated last time, the medicine used before will be useless. You should buy a drug with a completely different principle of action.
It is advisable to promptly consult a doctor for diagnosis, not to let the disease progress, to start treatment in time, to complete it, in this case you will forget about such an unpleasant disease as nail fungus.
Be healthy!