Onychomycosis is an infectious disease caused by pathogenic fungi.The problem is relevant for many, as the disease is extremely common and highly contagious.Therefore, learning how to get rid of nail fungus will be useful for everyone.Let's find out which medicines can be used in the treatment process and how traditional medicine can help.
Most often, fungal nail infections develop in old age.However, the disease can develop in a young, full-bodied person.Onychomycosis is less common in children.Anyone is at risk of getting an infection, so the question of how to get rid of nail fungus is relevant for everyone.
Symptoms
To start treatment in a timely manner, you need to know how it manifests itself.The insidiousness of this disease is that it develops gradually.In the early stages, when you can get rid of nail fungus quickly, most people simply do not pay attention to the appearance of the first signs.
In fact, few people will be alarmed if a stain appears in the corner of the nail.And only then, when the disease affects most of the nail and the plate begins to collapse, do people begin treatment.
Meanwhile, there is only one answer to the question of how to quickly get rid of the fungus - you need to start treatment as early as possible.If the affected area already exceeds a third of the nail plate area, the treatment will take a long time.
So, the main sign of the disease is a change in the color of the nail plate.Most often, this change is observed at the corner of the big toe nail.Much less commonly, the stain appears on the inner edge of the nail or on the other toe.
The appearance of fungus on fingernails is even less common;Most often, women experience this type of onychomycosis.The fact is that women often do manicures, and poor disinfection of instruments and injuries to the nails are predisposing factors to the development of the disease.
Advice!Of course, the manicure itself is not harmful and there is no need to refuse this hygiene procedure.You just need to ensure that the technician carefully sterilizes the instruments or uses individual files and tweezers.
If left untreated, the spot will begin to increase in size.Additionally, the structure of the nail will begin to change.The plate becomes thicker, cracks may appear and the plate begins to collapse.
Often, onychomycosis occurs simultaneously with mycosis of the skin of the feet.In this case, the skin in the affected area becomes red, inflamed and painful cracks appear.The disease is accompanied by the appearance of an unpleasant odor from the feet.
At this stage it is impossible not to notice the manifestations of the disease, as it is at this advanced stage that most patients consult a doctor or start trying to treat themselves.
Advice!Self-medication for fungal nail diseases is very dangerous, as the patient cannot determine the type of pathogen.Therefore, the measures he takes may be ineffective.
If there is no treatment or if it is ineffective, the disease will progress.The nail plate will begin to peel off.At this stage, a bacterial infection often occurs, causing the development of a purulent process.If the disease is seriously advanced, it would be advisable to completely remove the diseased nail.Therefore, it is better not to take the matter to surgery, but to start treatment in a timely manner.
Basic principles
It must be remembered that getting rid of onychomycosis forever is not easy.This disease recurs very frequently.Especially if the patient did not complete the treatment, interrupting the course as soon as the visible symptoms of the disease passed.
To exclude the development of a relapse, it is necessary to continue treatment until laboratory tests confirm the absence of infection.
Advice!It is recommended to carry out control tests twice with an interval of two weeks.If both tests give negative results, the disease is considered completely cured.
The basic principles of treating fungal diseases are:
- regularity;
- integrated approach.
Not a single medicine, even the most effective one, will help immediately.The duration of treatment is determined individually;its duration is influenced by:
- type of pathogen (mold forms a lesion on the surface of the nail, so it is easier to cure this type of onychomycosis than a disease caused by yeast or dermatophytes);
- the degree of damage, at the initial stage, the course of treatment can take 3-5 weeks, but if onychomycosis actively progresses, treatment will take several months or even more than a year;
- patient's health status, many effective antifungal drugs have an impressive list of contraindications, therefore it is necessary to use less effective, but safer agents.
In addition, it must be remembered that not a single medicine, even the most modern and effective one, will help if the patient does not follow the following rules:
- It is important to maintain hygiene.You will have to disinfect all your shoes, and it is best to replace your socks and slippers with new ones.You will need to regularly disinfect the bathtub, as well as the manicure tools used to treat diseased nails.
- Follow your diet.You need to reduce the amount of sugar in your diet as much as possible, give up alcohol and very fatty foods.But fermented milk products, cereals and vegetables, on the contrary, will be useful.
- Try to lead a healthy lifestyle.Follow a work and rest schedule, spend time outdoors, get enough sleep and try to avoid stress.All of these measures will help support the immune system.
- Choose the right shoes.Avoid tight-fitting styles and opt for shoes and boots made from breathable materials.Now there are even artificial materials that can ensure normal air exchange;for example, ecological leather has such properties.
Advice!To disinfect shoes, it is convenient to use special sprays, but you can also use home remedies.For example, vinegar.
Pharmaceuticals
There are many medications available to combat fungal diseases.They differ in the form of release and the active substance.It is impossible to recommend any remedy that will help everyone without exception.A doctor should prescribe treatment for nail fungus.Most often, the following scheme is recommended:
- Use of local agents.Most often, antifungal drugs are prescribed in the form of a solution or varnish, less often it is recommended to use creams;
- Taking systemic medications, i.e. capsules or tablets.The need to use tablets is determined by the doctor.As a rule, they are prescribed at an advanced stage or if local remedies are unsuccessful;
- take multivitamin complexes and means for general strengthening of the body.
Topical products
To cure nail fungus, it is necessary to use medications that are applied directly to the diseased nail.The doctor must prescribe medications;the patient's task is to use them correctly.
First of all, you need to prepare your nail.The nail plate, unlike the skin, absorbs less medicinal substances, which is why the treatment of onychomycosis is more difficult than cutaneous mycosis.Nail preparation is as follows:
- You should make your nails softer with a hot shower.Soda, vinegar, sea salt and herbal decoctions are added to the water (of course, you need to add one product, and not all at the same time);
- The bath lasts about 20 minutes, during which time your nails will have time to soften sufficiently;
- After that, you need to treat your nails: cut them as short as possible, file them, removing loose and peeling layers in the affected areas.
After this treatment, the use of topical agents will be more helpful.Its active substances will be able to penetrate deeper, directly to the source of the fungal infection.
Local agents are applied 1-2 times a day.The solution is applied using a dropper (usually equipped with a bottle) or pipette.You don't need to drip on the horizontal surface of the nail, but on the outer edge.
Creams are applied to the entire surface of the dish and rubbed lightly.Medicinal varnishes are one of the most convenient means for treating onychomycosis.They do not need to be applied daily, but twice a week.However, this remedy only helps in the initial stages of the disease.
Advice!Women especially like to use medicated varnishes, as they can apply decorative varnish over the medicated coating layer.
Additional measures
To speed up the healing process, in the process of eliminating nail fungus, it is recommended to perform a hardware pedicure (manicure) or use laser treatment.During the procedure, the affected part of the nail is carefully removed.
When performing a hardware pedicure, removal is done mechanically, that is, the nail is cut using special cutters.After treatment is complete, an antifungal medication is applied to the surface.The laser procedure not only removes the affected part of the nail, but also provides treatment, as the laser beam can kill the fungus.
Home methods
Some people are able to get rid of a fungal infection by using simple, inexpensive remedies to treat the condition.Here is a description of the most effective means.
Vinegar
This is one of the most effective remedies and can be used in combination with drug treatment.The essence of the method is that an acidic environment has a detrimental effect on fungi.
The simplest treatment option is to add vinegar to baths.For two liters of warm water, take a glass of table vinegar (9%).It is recommended to do this bath every night before applying topical medications.You can also make applications by applying pieces of cotton wool soaked in table vinegar to sore nails for a quarter of an hour.
Garlic
The most common garlic effectively fights fungal diseases.You can simply lubricate sore spots with fresh juice or make compresses.To carry out the procedure, it is necessary to prepare a garlic paste, place it between two layers of gauze and apply the resulting lotion to the affected area for an hour.
Celandine
Celandine juice effectively destroys fungal infections.The affected areas are lubricated with fresh juice.In winter, you can use celandine tincture for this purpose, and a decoction of this herb is suitable for baths.
Thus, only a specialist can answer the question of how to get rid of nail fungus after carrying out tests.Treatment is prescribed taking into account the type of pathogen.It is best to use a combination of medicines;you can combine the use of medicines and home remedies.