Toenail fungus is a disease in which the nail plate becomes porous and brittle. It loses its external gloss and smoothness, acquires a dirty yellow color and becomes covered with numerous tubercles. A sick nail looks extremely unaesthetic. This disease is not customary to discuss in public, since, according to many inhabitants, the underlying reason for the appearance of mycosis of the nails is non-compliance with the rules of personal hygiene. In fact, the true cause of this disease is not at all reduced to slovenliness.
According to most dermatologists, every fifth inhabitant of the Earth is infected with various forms of fungal infections, it's just that the disease is almost asymptomatic or secretive. With the appearance of favorable factors, the fungus begins to activate and manifest itself.
What causes nail mycosis
Nail fungus on the legs or hands most often appears due to the ingress of pathogenicmicroorganisms on the surface of the plate. Another name for such phenomena is onychomycosis. This disease is contagious. Usually it can be "purchased" in public baths, saunas, swimming pools or on the beach. It can be contracted from visiting nail parlors, trying on someone else's shoes, or using some personal care products belonging to another person.
Under favorable conditions, the fungus begins to develop rapidly, quickly covering the entire area of the nail plate. If the necessary measures are not taken in time, then soon the surfaces of all nails will be affected by the fungus.
Types of fungal infections
Dermatologists distinguish between several types of nail fungus, differing in characteristic manifestations and severity of the disease. Among them, there are such types as:
- Yeast. It occurs due to the defeat of the nail plate by the fungal pathogen Candida. With this form of mycosis, many tubercles and yellow spots appear on the nail. The bed of the nail begins to gradually peel off. If the nail fungus is not treated, the plate may fall off altogether, which often causes serious complications.
- Dermatophyte. It is caused by a fungus that feeds on keratin. With the development of this form of mycosis, the nail loses its transparency, white or yellow stripes appear on its surface. The structure of diseased nails becomes very dense, which is why they resemble a beak or claws. Over time, the plate begins to crumble and flake off.
- Moldy fungus. Appears only onthe surface of the nail in the form of areas covered with a formation very similar to mold. Able to hit not only the nail, but also the skin and hair. Such a disease is recommended to be treated under the supervision of a dermatologist, since the risk of infection of other areas of the body remains.
Treatment of nail fungus at home can be quite effective, but in this case, the disease should not have advanced forms. The sooner a curative effect is exerted on mycosis, the more effective the outcome of the treatment will be.
What contributes to the development of fungal nail diseases
Despite the fact that fungal infections can appear at absolutely any age, it is believed that the incidence increases with age. This is due to the physiological slowdown of metabolic processes in the body. Additional risk factors include:
- symptoms of diabetes and other endocrine disorders;
- pathology of the blood vessels of the extremities;
- immunodeficiency syndrome;
- presence of fungal infections in the body;
- injuries to the nail plates and adjacent tissues;
- risks associated with work.
Therefore, sometimes before starting treatment for nail fungus, it is necessary to undergo an examination. Perhaps this will help to identify and prevent some serious diseases.
Traditional medicine in the treatment of nail fungus
As a medical means of combating the manifestations of external mycoses, topical agents are more often used. It can be a special ointment, antifungal cream,spray or medicated nail polish based on synthetic and herbal remedies. In severe cases of the course of the disease, oral tablets and antiseptic preparations can be prescribed to treat the affected areas.
When treating nail fungus, folk remedies can also be recommended by a doctor. For these purposes, plant components are mainly used that have a fungicidal (slowing growth) or fungistatic (destroying) effect.
In the treatment of various nail mycoses, hardware and laser therapy have proven themselves well. The procedure of complete nail removal, popular in the past, is practically not used in modern medicine.
Folk treatment of nail fungus: iodine against mycosis
Just a few decades ago, people didn't even hear about onychomycosis. Nevertheless, when it manifested itself, they used available traditional medicine and were quite successfully cured of unwanted symptoms.
Iodine has always been widely used by the people to treat and relieve the symptoms associated with nail fungus. This tool is still used by many people. Iodine helps to quickly and easily eliminate the manifestations of mycosis in the early stages and prevents infection of other nails. In addition, if the disease has affected the skin between the fingers, then this remedy will be able to effectively cope with such manifestations.
To achieve the desired result, iodine is most oftenused as a surface treatment. At the same time, medical procedures are carried out using a conventional pipette or cotton swab, distributing the agent over the entire nail plate. Such manipulations are done twice a day for 30 days. After a week of such treatment, you can feel a slight burning sensation and tingling in the area of fungal infection. However, this indicates that the process of getting rid of the disease is going well.
When using this treatment for toenail fungus, it must be remembered that iodine dries the skin very much and in some cases can lead to a chemical burn. Such an effect of the drug is quite capable of provoking the development of dermatitis. To protect the skin from undesirable consequences, it is necessary to lubricate the finger with a protective cream.
Another effective way to relieve the main symptoms are baths with iodine. To do this, add a few drops of a 5% alcohol solution of iodine to a small amount of hot water. Soar for 10 minutes, then remove the softened area of the nail plate affected by the fungus. After that, the surrounding skin is treated with hydrogen peroxide. A bandage with antimycotic ointment is applied to the surface of the diseased nail. Such procedures should be carried out at least three times.
After treating the fungus with iodine, the nail plate will turn yellow. Therefore, in the hot season, you should stop wearing open shoes.
Vinegar in the fight against fungus
Usually, vinegar as a treatment for nail fungus is used as part of ointments or baths. Howeverhere it is important to clearly understand that the main point of acetic therapy is the optimal concentration of acid. Treatment should begin with a low concentration essence.
To achieve the best result, you need to steam your feet well in warm water, and then carefully remove the rough skin and fungus-affected areas of the nails. Do not use vinegar if there are wounds or cracks in the skin in the treated area. Otherwise, vinegar therapy can cause serious inflammation and burns.
There are many recipes for treating toenail fungus in folk ways using vinegar. Nevertheless, the most popular recipes remain techniques such as:
- Ointment made on the basis of a mixture of 100 g of Kalanchoe, 30 ml of eucalyptus oil, 1 tsp. natural honey and 1 tsp. apple cider or table vinegar. All components of this mixture are thoroughly mixed and left in a cool place for 3 days. The finished ointment is applied twice a day to the affected areas of the nails.
- Cream made from regular chicken egg, vinegar and butter. The egg is placed in a small non-metallic container so that it touches the walls, poured with vinegar. Leave it in this form for several days until the shell is completely dissolved, then the remaining film is removed and butter is added to the resulting solution. The density of the mixture should resemble ointment. This composition is applied to the area of the nail fungus and a bandage is applied.
- A 1:1 mixture of glycerin and vinegar. Use daily until completely gone.diseases.
Another effective option for using vinegar in antimycotic therapy is the use of compresses. The simplest recipe is a mixture of ordinary warm water and 9% vinegar in a ratio of 8:1. Sometimes the acid is diluted with vegetable oils (sunflower, sea buckthorn, olive and other types) at the rate of 1:1.
Potassium permanganate
Potassium permanganate, well known as potassium permanganate, is one of the most sought after antimicrobials used in home medicine.
Many people note the special effect of this substance in the treatment of toenail fungus with folk methods. The medicinal properties of potassium permanganate are due to the strong oxidizing ability of the drug. It must be remembered that the prepared solution has therapeutic properties for only 1-2 days. After that, the mixture is no longer suitable for use. Therefore, a new solution must be prepared for each application.
Usually, potassium permanganate in antifungal therapy is used to prepare foot baths. A variety of therapeutic agents with a fungicidal or fungistatic effect can be added to them. Such ingredients can be vinegar, salicylic acid, bee propolis and even ordinary garlic. The benefits of these wellness recipes are simplicity and affordability.
Drinking soda
Very often, the treatment of nail fungus with folk methods involves the use of ordinary baking soda. However, despite the fact that many sources recommend sucha remedy as a panacea for all diseases, including for the treatment of fungal diseases, this is far from being the case. The optimal effect of using this technique is not curative at all. Rather, it is a good preparatory, cleansing and softening procedure used before the direct application of therapeutic mixtures.
Acceptance of soda baths contributes to an excellent softening of the keratinized layers of the skin and the nail plate. This allows the antimycotic composition to be well absorbed into the layer affected by the fungus and have the maximum therapeutic effect.
The easiest way to prepare a foot bath with sodium bicarbonate is to dilute 100 grams of white crystals in three liters of warm water. You can add a little sea s alt, a bar of soap or a few drops of essential oil to this composition. The duration of the procedure is 15-20 minutes. After taking such a bath, the zones of the affected areas are easier to further process.
Antiseptic oils in the treatment of nail fungus
Methods of effective treatment of nail fungus on the legs and hands with the help of oils of medicinal plants have been known since ancient times. Until now, many of these recipes are widely used in traditional medicine. Essential products of medicinal plants are added to the composition of antimycotic creams and ointments. All kinds of therapeutic baths, lotions and compresses are made from them.
The most effective types of antiseptic essential oils used in the treatment of nail fungus include oils of celandine, tea tree, cinnamon, oregano, sage andcarnations.
The effect of these drugs in the treatment of fungal manifestations directly depends on the quality of the preparation of the nail plate for processing. Therefore, before direct exposure to antiseptic oils, it is necessary to take a softening bath and treat the nail.
Prevention
Nail fungus is an insidious disease that can be contracted in any public place. And as you know, any disease is easier to prevent than to treat later.
In order not to bother yourself with long-term treatment, you must adhere to the basic rules of personal hygiene and take some preventive measures.
- You need to carefully monitor the condition of the skin of the hands and feet. After all, cracks, scratches and calluses are a direct path to infection with fungal infections.
- Regular and thorough hygiene of hands and feet, as well as daily change of socks and tights, is the key to he althy nails.
- Use only personal items: shoes, socks, washcloths, manicure supplies and other things.
- Avoid being barefoot in public places, especially in showers, baths, saunas, pools or on the beach.
Take care of your feet and be he althy!
