How to cure toenail fungus at home

Fungal diseases of the toenails (onychomycosis) are quite common. This disease is of an infectious nature and is caused by pathogenic bacteria (epidermophytes). Almost from the moment of infection, a person feels severe itching in the finger area, which even proven methods cannot do anything with. The disease is difficult to treat, so you need to be patient and make a decisionhow to properly treat fungus on toenails.

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 is fungus dangerous?

Fungus on the nails 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, peel off and infect the entire area with fungi. It's unpleasant to look at, so you can't ignore the wound. In addition, it will not be possible to forget about it, since it constantly reminds you of yourself with 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 folk remedies is becoming increasingly common. How to treat nail fungus at home?

People are used to thinking that fungi are not a serious disease and that you can get rid of them yourself. Only when they have struggled unsuccessfully with a problem for several weeks and are not seeing any results do they turn to professionals for help.

During this period, the disease moves to the next stage, where the desire to scratch your leg becomes irresistible, causing a state of panic and stress.

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

Blood flow promotes their distribution throughout the body, which leads to disruption of 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, as the fungus can be mold, yeast or dermatophyte.

Over time, the hardening of the nail causes even cutting to become a problem. In this case, how to cure nail fungus at home? Traditional methods of treating toenail fungus are the first thing victims resort to.

Causes of fungi:

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

But all these reasons are secondary, because the main thing is still the infection that a sick person caught. About a third of those sick became infected with a fungal infection while visiting saunas, swimming pools, nail salons and other crowded places.

The presence of moisture simply activates the infection process and creates favorable conditions for the spread of bacteria. It is enough to walk barefoot through a public shower or use someone else's flip-flops for the patient's dander to act on your skin.

You can often become infected by using washcloths, rugs, and similar everyday items. But no one is safe from a fungal infection even at home.

It is enough for one family member to go to the beach or swimming pool and he can become a carrier of bacteria, and if he shares slippers or a sponge with him, the whole family can become infected.

Even the lack of humidity does not affect the function of the fungus. For example, visiting a changing room in a store can become a source of infection. People in locker rooms often 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 diseases.

Fungal spores can withstand low and high temperatures, which extends their life for several months, so they live quietly on the sand even on the beach in the most extreme heat.

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

Used shoes are another carrier of fungal spores. Of course, shops selling such goods are obliged to offer them for sale only after appropriate chemical treatment, but this does not always happen.

The first manifestations of the fungus

The fungus always manifests itself in different ways. If a person is healthy and has no damage to his legs, this may manifest itself in the form of peeling. If there is damage between the toes or the heel, symptoms may be more severe.

The disease begins with peeling of the skin near the nails, slight redness and itching. No importance should be attached to this, as the cause can be uncomfortable or poorly breathable shoes. In addition, redness between the fingers is difficult to notice immediately.

In the areas where the skin of the feet sweats, clear signs of fungal infection are more noticeable. Diaper rash occurs there, and blisters form in later stages.

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

The subungual space will be filled with a crumb mixture and will alternate with empty pits. The worst thing, however, is the increasing itching and foul smell on the feet, which increases when the foot sweats.

In advanced stages, fever and movement disorders may occur. Treatment of toe fungus in this case requires urgent medical attention. He will determine which species caused the disease and what measures need to be taken to combat it.

In the initial stages, you can treat toenail fungus with folk remedies or with pharmaceutical antifungal ointments and gels.

Options for traditional methods of treating athlete's foot

1. The use of washing powder has always been considered effective because it contains alkalis that can kill any type of fungus. Pour half a glass of powder into a hot bath and soak your feet in it. You should not sit for longer than 15 minutes. The process 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 by cutting the cloves into two parts and dipping them in salt. Garlic does not need to be eaten, it must be rubbed on the area of the leg damaged by the fungus. Garlic can cause even more irritation and redness and should therefore not be used for a long period of time. 5-7 minutes is enough.
3. A compress with ammonia at night is also a method of treating athlete's foot with folk remedies. Add a spoonful of ammonia to 250 mg of water, soak a natural fabric that retains moisture well in the solution and wrap the leg.
4. Apply a paste of baking soda and water to the foot for 20 minutes. This stops the spread of bacteria.
5. Sprinkle the 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 the damaged areas. A product made from iodine, vinegar essence, glycerin and water in a ratio of 1: 2 (2 parts water) helps when rubbed into the affected areas at night. Beforehand, they must be steamed so that the pores open and the medicine can penetrate 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 is completely dry.
8. Grated onion pulp also helps stop the spread of infections, which is why it needs to be used for several hours.
9. How to treat foot and nail fungus with herbs? Dry chamomile, mint, sage and nettle are suitable for this. They can be crushed in equal parts, poured into a sock and left on overnight. The same powder cannot be used a second time, just like a sock. In summer it is possible to use fresh inflorescences.
10. Treating athlete's foot with vinegar is very effective. How do you treat nail fungus with vinegar? To do this, you need to make baths with a solution of 9% vinegar. First you need to steam your feet, then pour vinegar into warm water and lower your feet there for 15 minutes so that the soles of your feet do not touch the floor. After the procedure, let your feet dry naturally without rinsing them with plain water.
11. We treat nail fungus with hydrogen peroxide. The application process is the same as vinegar, only 3% peroxide is used.
12. Cut the lemon into slices and apply to the affected nail. Cover the top with cheesecloth and wrap in foil overnight.

prevention

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

• Do not go barefoot in public places.
• Wear rubber slippers when visiting the gym, swimming pool or water park.
• use an antifungal varnish with a fungicidal effect.
• Buy comfortable shoes made of fabric or leather.
• Make sure that nail salons only work 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 morning and evening;
• 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 old fungus can cause complications in diseases such as diabetes, bronchial asthma or allergies. It becomes a vector for other infections that can affect internal organs.

An increased amount of toxins in the body leads to intoxication.

An old fungus cannot be cured with folk remedies alone. How do you treat advanced toenail fungus? This requires drug treatment under the supervision of a dermatologist, and folk remedies should also be used.

The causes of an advanced fungus can be a late visit to the doctor, incorrectly prescribed treatment or the ineffectiveness of the medication used.

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

A doctor can make a diagnosis only after analyzing an abrasion of the damaged area. He will then prescribe antifungal medication. Caution should be exercised with some medications as they may be contraindicated during pregnancy.

In parallel with the tablets, creams and ointments are used, which are applied to the lesion.

How to cure advanced toenail fungus with folk remedies

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. The application takes place several hours a day.
3. An ointment made from 100 grams of butter, peeled eggs and 50 mg of 70% acetic acid is used daily. All ingredients are placed in a glass and not mixed. The ointment should be kept in the refrigerator for a week until the peels have completely dissolved. The ingredients can then be mixed into a smooth mixture.
4. 15 grams of calamus root are poured with boiling water and left to stand for 30 minutes. The infusion should be drunk four times in a quarter glass.
5. At night you need to apply an ointment made from the ashes of 3 cigarettes with 1/2 tsp to your 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; in higher stages, complex drug treatment in combination with home medicine methods is required.