Onychomycosis (onychomycosis) is one of the most common infections on our planet. She watches us in the shower, in the pool, in the beauty salon during pedicures, on the beach, and while trying on clothes at the shoe store. The disease develops rapidly and very quickly, affecting not only the nail plates, but also the skin around them. It is important not to ignore the moment of disease onset, when nail fungus can still be treated with folk remedies.
Treatment of fungal diseases in general and onychomycosis in particular is still one of the most complicated and unresolved problems in medicine. Every third inhabitant of our planet suffers from this disease (according to WHO).
Symptoms of the disease
It is impossible not to notice this disease even in the earliest stages of development. This greatly facilitates diagnosis and allows timely initiation of treatment of the pathology. First of all, the color of the nails begins to change: from light pink to yellow, brown and sometimes black. Other typical symptoms of this disease include:
- itching of the skin around the nails;
- grooves, spots or impurities on the nail plate;
- hurt;
- nail peeling;
- foul smell;
- leave the nail plate;
- A white coating appears under the nail plate on soft tissue.
How does infection happen?
Nail fungus can occur in people with weakened immune systems and age-related skin changes. The risk of infection is significantly increased in patients with diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and thyroid gland. At the first signs of infection, you should immediately consult a doctor to confirm the diagnosis and begin treatment. Otherwise, the infection will spread to other areas. All family members of an infected person are at risk. During treatment, you must stop walking barefoot on the floor. It is necessary to strictly follow simple hygiene rules when bathing (rinsing the bathroom after bathing, using personal towels).
Is it possible to get rid of nail fungus with folk remedies?
This is a very common question. Yes, in the early stages of the disease this is not difficult to do. The situation is much worse in its advanced form, when the disease can seriously damage health:
- weakens the immune system;
- causes allergic reactions;
- Stimulation aggravates chronic diseases.
Witches and healers know how to cure toenail fungus with folk remedies. Of course, it will not be possible to fix the problem quickly (in a few days), but still there will be a positive result. Traditional medicines are divided into two groups:
- for internal use – tea, tinctures, decoctions;
- for external use - solution, compresses, ointment.
By combining these methods, you can recover from illness and restore your health. Below we will describe how to treat nail fungus at home using folk remedies.
Preparations based on celandine
This plant is known not only to experts in the field of herbal medicine, but also to ordinary townspeople: many people have seen small bushes covered with small yellow flowers near houses and along the entrance roads. spring. But not everyone knows that this plant has antiseptic and wound-healing properties. It is also used to treat nail fungus. Most often, celandine is used in the form of a tincture. Pure plant juice can also be used.
Fresh juice
The simplest way to use celandine is to lubricate the nail plate and damaged cuticle with the juice of the plant three times a day. Treatment continues for a week.
vodka alcohol
Wash and dry the celandine, chop it and put it in a glass container. Pour vodka into raw ingredients (1: 2). Close the jar tightly and place in a dark place for two weeks. The medicine is taken according to the following scheme: in the first three days – 3 drops, diluting them in ½ cup of water. Then each day increase the dosage by 1 drop. When you reach 20 drops, gradually reduce it to 3 drops.
Celandine and calendula
How else can you treat toenail fungus? Folk remedies, such as celandine and calendula, are very effective in combating this pathology. To one teaspoon of celandine juice, add two drops of calendula and oregano essential oils. Add 4 tablespoons to the resulting mixture. I. Water. The composition is applied to the affected nail plate three times a day.
Vinegar in the treatment of fungus
Healers claim that vinegar can help cure nail fungus. Folk remedies based on it may be different. Next, let's look at some popular recipes.
Vinegar essence
Treat the affected nail plate with 70% acetic acid. However, this rather powerful method is not suitable for people with disorders of the heart and blood vessels, allergies to this substance and hypertension.
Eggs and vinegar
Perhaps this is the most popular folk method of treating nail fungus, helping you quickly get rid of the pathology. To make the medicine, you will need apple cider vinegar and eggs, preferably homemade. Pour vinegar into a 200 ml glass jar, add eggs and keep in a dark place. When the egg is completely dissolved, remove the remaining film, pour the resulting mixture into another glass container, add a teaspoon of butter (teaspoon) and mix thoroughly.
Steam your feet, apply the product to the affected area, fold the bandage several times, wrap it with plastic wrap and secure it. After 12-14 hours, the nail will lift and soften. It must be cut with pre-sterilized scissors. The procedure is repeated until the symptoms of the disease disappear.
Ointment
Mix one part glycerin, o-phthalic acid dimethyl ester, olive oil with two parts acetic acid (70%). Ointment is applied to the affected nail for 8-10 hours. It is recommended to carry out the procedure before going to bed.
Declaim food
Table vinegar (200 ml) is added to water heated to 50 ° C. Its level should reach the ankle. Your feet float in this solution for a quarter of an hour. The procedure is performed three times a week.
Uses of iodine
Many people are interested in how to quickly treat toenail fungus with folk remedies. At the beginning of the article we said that positive results can be achieved only in the early stages of the disease. Onychomycosis can be treated with regular iodine. This is an affordable but painful procedure and is best done on the weekend.
Steam thoroughly and dry your feet. Lubricate infected nail plates with iodine, burying in cracks until absorption stops. After a while, you will have an intense burning sensation that you have to endure. If the discomfort becomes unbearable, lower your feet into a basin of cold water. At the beginning of the disease, one procedure is enough to cure it.
baking soda
Traditional methods are often used in the treatment of nail fungus. How to treat nail fungus with baking soda? The powder is used for warm baths at the rate of two tablespoons per three liters of water. To make the procedure more effective, add half a teaspoon (teaspoon) of ground laundry soap to the water. The procedure lasts at least a quarter of an hour. Once completed, do not wipe your feet but let them dry naturally. Then you need to wear cotton socks. For complete cure, such procedures should be carried out every three days for a month.
Oil
Many people believe that if the disease is severe, treating toenail fungus with folk remedies is quite difficult. Healers believe that essential oils can fulfill this task well. They are comparable in terms of impact with expensive antifungal drugs. In addition to its antifungal effect, the oil has many beneficial properties:
- clean;
- regeneration;
- Anti-inflammatory;
- disinfectant.
Essential oils not only kill fungal cells, but also restore the normal state of the nail plate. These nail fungus treatments are used in different procedures:
- Compression.Heat tea tree oil to 30°C and dilute with two teaspoons of warm water. Soak a cotton pad in the resulting mixture and place it on the nail plate for an hour. After the procedure, it will become soft and elastic, which will allow trimming.
- Bathtub.Pour three liters of hot water into the basin, add ylang ylang essential oil, add rosemary or lavender (10 drops). Soak clean feet in the solution for a quarter of an hour. After the procedure, wrap your legs in a warm towel for a quarter of an hour.
- Use in pure form.If there is no allergic reaction to the oil, you can use it to lubricate a nail plate that was previously steamed in hot water with 72% laundry soap. Soak a cotton swab in the oil and lubricate the affected nail. It should not be washed.
Propolis tincture
There are many traditional methods for treating nail fungus. A popular and safe remedy is propolis, or more precisely, its tincture. The drug has fungicidal, wound healing and bacteriostatic properties.
With nail fungus, propolis prevents pathogens from multiplying. Judging by the reviews, itching and inflammation disappear after just a few procedures. Gradually, the affected nail will be replaced by a healthy nail. There are several ways to treat pathology with propolis:
- A piece of propolis is applied to the affected nail, previously steamed in a solution of potassium permanganate, for half an hour. The procedure should be performed twice a day for a month.
- Moisten a cotton pad with propolis solution (20%) and apply to the nail plate, covering with a layer of dry cotton on top. At the end of the procedure, bandage your finger. The bandage can be removed after a day and the soft nail can be removed.
tea mushrooms
The healing properties of this unique remedy are used in the treatment of many infectious diseases. You can use this folk remedy to treat nail fungus. Use it as follows:
- Separate a thin layer from the fungus, soak in water for an hour, then apply a piece to each affected nail;
- Wrap the gauze pad in plastic wrap and put on a wool sock;
- Leave the compress overnight.
The procedure, which may feel burning and itchy, is repeated every two days until symptoms of the disease disappear.
Garlic
Many patients are interested in what folk remedies can treat nail fungus. Many remedies are available in every home. For example, garlic is as effective as special antifungal drugs.
- Pour a glass of apple cider vinegar over a clove of garlic in a glass container with a lid and place in a dark place for two weeks. The finished composition is applied to the nails affected by the fungus in the evening, a gauze bandage is applied on top and left until the morning. Treatment continues until pathological symptoms disappear.
- Squeeze the juice from five cloves of garlic. It should be diluted in 30 ml of boiled water. This product is used to lubricate sore nails, which must first be steamed and dried.
Hydrogen peroxide
How to treat nail fungus quickly with folk remedies? Traditional healers believe that there are methods to help cure the disease in a very short time. These include preparations based on hydrogen peroxide. It can be used in different ways and in different combinations:
- A mixture of several products.Dissolve 1/2 cup soda mixed with vinegar, 1/4 cup hydrogen peroxide and 1/2 cup magnesium sulfate in 4 cups of water. Secure a piece of cotton soaked in this mixture to the affected nail using tape. The bandage remains on the affected area for 10 hours. Then it is replaced with a new one. Treatment continues for 10 days.
- Peroxide and vinegar.Mix equal parts peroxide and 6% vinegar. Dip your finger into this mixture and hold until it sizzles. Then, wash your feet with warm water, apply tea tree oil mixed in equal proportions with Vaseline on dry nails. This procedure should be done daily for a week.
Procaine-based anesthetic
Well, this is not exactly a folk remedy, but it would be wrong not to mention it in this article. The cotton swab is moistened with anesthetic and fixed to the affected nail. Some patients claim that this simple method can eliminate the fungus after just two treatments.
Herbs
How else can you treat nail fungus? Folk remedies based on herbs and medicinal plants have antiseptic and anti-inflammatory effects.
Cooking recipe:
- Mix equal parts of wormwood, burdock leaves and chamomile flowers. Pour a tablespoon (tbsp) of the mixture with a cup of boiling water. After 20 minutes, when the composition cools down a bit, dip your finger in it for 15-20 minutes.
- Chamomile, oak bark and marigold flowers should be taken in equal proportions. Pour boiling water (one liter) into three spoons of the mixture. Let the mixture sit for half an hour. Then add a spoonful of sea salt to the broth. Put your foot in it. The procedure continues for a quarter of an hour.
- Raspberry leaves, verbena, horsetail, marigold flowers and oak bark are crushed and mixed in equal parts. Pour boiling water (200 ml) into one spoon (teaspoon) of the mixture. Place the container containing the herbal mixture in a water bath for a quarter of an hour. Filter, cool and moisten a cotton pad with the resulting decoction. They are applied as topical medications to relieve nail pain at night.
- Use a spoon to gently smash the burdock leaves to release the juice. Pieces of the plate are placed on the nail plate, the finger is bandaged and a sock is put on. Bandages should be changed every 12 hours. Continue treatment for 10 days.
- Kalanchoe leaves and golden mustache must be ground to a mushy state. The mass is applied to the infected surface and fixed with a bandage. In the morning, remove the bandage and wash your feet with warm water. Treatment is carried out until symptoms disappear.
- Pour 150 ml of vodka with 10-15 g of lilac flowers. Raw materials are soaked for two weeks in a dark place. Wipe the damaged nail plate with prepared alcohol twice a day for a week.
Mushrooms in advanced form
If the nail is completely yellow, does not fit tightly to the nail bed, is crumbly, the nail folds are red or painful, it means the nail fungus has progressed to a severe stage. Treating this form of pathology with folk remedies is impractical and ineffective. In this case, alternative medicine is used only as an adjunct to drug treatment.
Affected nails are washed with tar soap at night. Sprinkle salt on top and cover with a sterile bandage. In the morning, remove the bandage and wash your feet with warm water. Repeat the procedure for at least a week.
Disease prevention
If you are against traditional medicine or for some reason cannot buy pharmaceuticals, you can try to fight the disease with folk remedies. In this case, it is necessary to treat nail fungus when the first symptoms of the disease are detected.
Prevention of this pathology is no less important. The causative agents of onychomycosis are inert to common disinfectants. Powders, soaps and detergents do not affect the viability of spores. In this regard, nail fungus is a dangerous disease, treatment at home is quite difficult, and preventive measures are often ineffective.
However, it is necessary to follow the basic rules of prevention:
- Do not use other people's cleaning products. This rule must also be followed within the family, because according to medical statistics, more than 60% of infections occur at home.
- Treat bathrooms and carpets with disinfectant solution.
- Use 5% chloramine solution to treat bed sheets and towels used by patients.
- Socks or socks should be changed daily. The fungal spores travel to the fabric and you can only remove them by boiling, which is not always possible.
- After going to the pool, treat your fingernails and feet with a 40% hexamethylenetetramine solution.
- Dry or sweaty skin is an ideal place for infections to breed. Doctors have proven the high effectiveness of boric acid, hexamethylenetetramine and talcum powder in helping to deal with dry or excessive sweating of the feet.
If treating fungus with alternative medicine does not give positive results, you should consult a doctor who knows exactly how to treat nails with medicine.
Alternative treatments for nail fungus: patient reviews and doctors' opinions
Many people believe that they can completely get rid of this disease only by using folk remedies, the recipes given in this material. Yes, they all claim that they achieved positive results because treatment was started after the first symptoms of the disease were detected.
Doctors are not so optimistic. They believe that treating nail fungus with folk remedies is not always safe. The fact is that many of them are quite aggressive, and doctors have more than once had to deal with the consequences of uncontrolled use - burns, inflammation, etc. v.
Therefore, doctors advise that if you suspect a fungus, consult a doctor, scrape, determine the sensitivity of the pathogen to various drugs and then begin treatment. If in your case the doctor believes that nail fungus can be treated with traditional methods, he will include effective remedies as part of complex therapy.