Fungal nail infections are a very common phenomenon, affecting up to 20% of the population.It is not a life-threatening disease.However, it causes many problems in the form of itching, deformation of the nail plate and discoloration.Pathogenic fungi release toxins that spread throughout the body, increasing its susceptibility to external adverse influences.Knowing how to cure nail fungus at home, you can deal with the problem yourself.
How does the infection occur?
Factors that cause the disease include cuts, wounds, abrasions on the legs and damage caused by wearing tight shoes.Insufficient foot care, especially excessive sweating, as well as taking antibiotics and reduced immunity contribute to the appearance of mycoses.
Infection is possible through contact with a sick person, using someone else's shoes, rags or carpet.
Therefore, the greatest chance of catching a fungus exists when one of the family members suffers from this disease.Flakes of skin from a person infected with a fungus can fly into the surrounding space, infecting another person.
This often happens in crowded places and in conditions of high humidity - in bathhouses, saunas, swimming pools.Fungal infection can occur even in manicure and pedicure salons, where sanitary standards are not sufficiently monitored.Adults are more susceptible to the disease, but sometimes a child's leg can also suffer from the fungus.
Symptoms of the disease
The manifestation of ringworm begins with increased dryness and flaking on the heels and feet.Redness is sometimes observed, accompanied by severe itching, the formation of blisters and calluses.People who suffer from excessive sweating experience diaper rash.The nail changes structure and color, becoming yellowish and cracked.When the spores penetrate deep into the plaque, voids form under it, filled with a crumbly mixture, and an unpleasant putrefactive odor occurs.
In its advanced stage, nail fungus makes walking difficult and can cause fever.In these cases, you should immediately contact a dermatologist.Complications associated with ringworm can manifest themselves in the form of psoriasis and eczema.
There are three types of toenail fungal infection, the symptoms of which differ:
- Vesicular.In this case, the lower part of the foot suffers, where small blisters filled with liquid form.
- Membrane.It appears between the toes in the form of fissures.
- Moccasin type.Thickening of the skin with the formation of fissures appears on the heels and soles of the feet.By capturing the nails, the fungal pathogen causes disturbances in their structure.The body can react with an allergy.
To avoid resorting to surgical methods of removing the affected nail, it is necessary to consult a doctor in a timely manner.He will select the appropriate medicines and tell you how to treat nail fungus at home.
Why is the fungus dangerous?
The disease is not harmless and can cause serious damage to the human body.Nail fungus is the cause of difficult-to-treat diseases.Eroding the nail plate, it spreads to nearby tissues, becoming a conductor for any other infection.Weakened immunity allows the fungus to penetrate internal organs.
Ringworm can also be associated with general intoxication of the body.Toxins released by some types of fungi accumulate inside and lead to poisoning.The disease also causes serious psychological discomfort, provoking negative emotions regarding its development.
Treatment options
Ringworm can be successfully treated at home with the help of medications and traditional medicine.It is important to start treatment on time.The pulse therapy method is very popular today, when the fungus is eliminated in a short period of time with the use of antifungals prescribed in large dosages.It is important to take long breaks between courses.
You can cure nail fungus at home with products for external use (ointments, gels, varnishes).Created based on fungicidal medicines, they have an effective antimycotic effect.The success of treatment depends on how accurately the type of pathogen and the degree of pathology are determined.Each affected area of the foot may require different medications.
To increase the effectiveness of treatment, it is recommended to combine local and systemic agents.An additional way is to use traditional medicine recipes to help speed up the healing process.You can treat nail fungus with the most common products - garlic, vinegar, lemon.
Drug therapy
There is a wide variety of effective medications against fungal infections.Used both orally and externally.This question of how to treat fungus on fingernails and toenails should be addressed by a specialist.He selects the appropriate medicine.
Local remedies
At the very beginning of the disease, when the area of nail damage does not exceed 50%, solve the problem with the help of ointments and sprays.
Most come in different forms and help kill many types of fungi.The ointment is used twice a day, after cleaning and drying the affected area.The lack of results when using the ointment for more than two weeks requires replacing the medication with another to prevent the fungus from developing resistance.
For mild symptoms, home treatment can be carried out with special medical varnishes and serums.
Oral medications
When topical remedies for nail fungus do not have a positive effect, the attending physician prescribes oral medications that block the ability of microorganisms to reproduce and destroy them.
Combining oral medications with ointments and sprays helps to quickly remove toenail fungus.
Traditional medicine
Our grandmothers knew very well how to treat nail fungus at home.Since ancient times, to solve this problem, all kinds of recipes have been used with garlic, soda, vinegar and other ingredients available in any housewife's kitchen.Common means are:
- Garlic.Used to eliminate different types of fungi.Not only on the feet, but it also helps treat nail fungus at home, a product known for its healing properties.To prepare garlic tincture, several cloves are crushed into a paste, mixed equally with alcohol and the resulting mixture is diluted with a little water.Apply the dye to the affected nail.You can also use pure garlic;simply lubricate the nail plate with chopped garlic.
- Treating nail fungus with vinegar.First, your feet must be well steamed.Then a bath with vinegar is prepared.A hot 9% essence solution is prepared in a small basin.Put your feet in it for 15 minutes.Then clean without rinsing with water.It is recommended to take vinegar baths to treat your feet at home up to twice a week.
- Iodine.Thanks to the antiseptic and disinfectant effect of alcohol tincture, the fungus is destroyed.A drop of 5% iodine solution is applied to the nail twice a day for the first week.Then the number of treatments is gradually reduced.The course lasts one month.
- Onion.Applying crushed onion to the nail helps fight fungal infections.
- Lemon.The fruit, cut into thin slices, is placed on the sore nail, wrapped in plastic wrap and fixed on top with a bandage.The procedure is carried out for 12 days.
- Propolis- a hive product, famous for its healing effects.Helps relieve unpleasant symptoms by relieving itching and inflammation.After moistening the tampon in 20% propolis tincture, apply it to the affected area, securing it with a bandage.Propolis helps to renew the nail plate.
Prevention
You can protect yourself from fungal nail infections by taking certain preventive measures.To do this, follow the basic rule - avoid walking barefoot in the pool, bathhouse or hostel.Furthermore, it is important: not to use someone else's shoes;wash your feet morning and evening;take measures to strengthen the immune system (play sports, take walks in the fresh air, adhere to a proper diet, take vitamins);pay attention to diseases associated with ringworm (diabetes mellitus, gastritis, varicose veins);treat shoes with formaldehyde or vinegar.
At the first signs of suspected fungal infection, appropriate measures should be taken.At the initial stage, it is much easier to get rid of nail fungus at home than with severe damage.