Often, the fungus on the toenails appears in men, in women, hands are more susceptible to this disease. The medical name for this problem is onychomycosis. It usually starts with the big toe. Only with the defeat of one nail can not be sure that the infection will not spread. And so you want to bare your legs at a party or in the summer. Often you have to hold back and, feeling uncomfortable, wait for the problem to evaporate on its own.
Regardless of what type of fungus causes nail disease, it will manifest similar symptoms and require the same treatment. Due to the fact that fungal infection of the nails does not pose a threat to life, most patients are in no hurry with treatment, considering the problem only cosmetic. This approach is fundamentally erroneous, because due to prolonged exposure to the fungus, immunity begins to suffer, and this opens the gate to many diseases.
When the first symptoms of nail fungus appear, therapy with the use of medications or folk remedies should be started. Both are very effective, and therefore the patient should decide for himself which method of treatment to prefer.
How to get rid of the problem?
It is worth noting that the fungus is difficult to treat, so it is extremely important to first determine the degree of the disease and its causes. Most often, the problem lies in the environment. A fungal disease can occur as a result of prolonged wearing of closed shoes in a warm period of time at a time of high humidity. Also, prolonged stay in the pool can lead to damage to the nails.
There is a high probability of catching this attack in people with reduced immunity who have problems with blood circulation. In addition, diabetics and housewives who are constantly in contact with water while cleaning the apartment and washing dishes may be at risk.
It is not difficult to understand that the nail is affected by fungal bacteria. You just have to look at its color. Usually it takes on a yellowish tint, but in some cases it can even be black, brown or gray. The nail becomes more dense and rough. A progressive infection causes it to stop growing and may fall off. Meanwhile, the skin begins to redden, itches and swells.
Before treating the disease, it is necessary to eliminate the cause of the disease, adverse factors of influence.
Important!You should not walk barefoot in public places where there is a high probability of catching an infection.
You can eliminate the infection in different ways. At the moment, both drug treatment and traditional medicine are used in practice. It happens that a particular ointment may not be suitable for one person, its use may not bring a positive result, but the skin of the legs will respond perfectly to inexpensive herbal treatment. In addition, not all people can use medications. Many drugs have contraindications. Pregnant women, for example, should avoid taking medications.
Sometimes doctors purposefully offer patients to combine traditional medicine with medication.
The use of folk remedies
The most popular and effective traditional medicine in the fight against fungal infection are:
- iodine;
- vinegar;
- tea mushroom;
- sea salt;
- potassium permanganate;
- ammonia;
- boric acid;
- tea tree oil;
- propolis tincture.
Home remedies are used primarily in cases where there is a danger of using medications that can cause an allergic reaction and are not suitable for everyone. The main thing is to know in what proportions to use them.
It is very important not to start treatment, otherwise the nails will not only be ugly, but will also lead to such consequences as skin diseases, hypersensitivity to allergens, mucosal disease and inflammation of the internal organs. The thing is that the fungus is very toxic and all family members are at risk, especially if the household has a habit of changing slippers.
Not many people manage to get rid of this problem with folk remedies, but it’s enough just to remember about the usual disinfecting tinctures or decoctions.
Use of iodine
Iodine has long been used in self-healing processes. It is also able to relieve skin diseases, including fungal infections. It can be used in its pure form. It is only necessary to pre-cleanse the skin under the nail and wipe it with iodine at the site of infection. No bandages are needed after this. The iodine should evaporate on its own. Typically, this takes a matter of minutes. So, you can wait. Otherwise, you may get a chemical burn.
Important!People with individual intolerance to iodine are not recommended to use it in the treatment of any diseases.
If someone does not know how his body reacts to this substance, then a painless experiment can be carried out at home. Apply a few drops of iodine to the elbow bend and monitor the reaction of the skin. Obviously, if the hand in the fold begins to turn red or stained, then you should not use iodine at all.
You can prepare a special antifungal mixture, which contains iodine, table vinegar and glycerin. These ingredients must be mixed in equal parts and proportionally add 2 times more boiled water. Now you can begin to soar your legs and rub the antifungal mixture into the sore nail. These actions should be repeated for ten days.
Vinegar treatment
Vinegar is the most popular antifungal agent among the people. Even for the prevention of such diseases, doctors recommend that they wipe the inside of the shoes. You just need to moisten a cotton swab in vinegar, put it in the shoes, which must be folded into a plastic bag, and send the shoes in this form to the wardrobe for a day. Then you can get it, ventilate it and walk calmly.
You can treat the infected areas of the skin with vinegar. To begin with, the nails should be thoroughly washed and cleaned with a file, then wipe the toes with a washcloth dipped in vinegar. A sore nail should be covered with a bandage so that the vinegar evaporates freely.
Before using vinegar, it is necessary to test the personal tolerance of this remedy. You should literally apply a drop of vinegar to the area of \u200b\u200bthe skin and observe the reaction of the body.
How to use propolis tincture?
Traditional medicine recipes are gentle on the human body, so people turn to them even before going to the clinic. Propolis has antiseptic qualities and can be purchased as an ointment, oil, or tincture.
When dealing with nail fungus, the main thing is to be patient, because this is a long process. You can prepare a special foot bath with the addition of propolis. It will be enough one spoonful of tincture in a small container of water. Legs should be steamed for 10 minutes. Then you need to get rid of the keratinized skin, and put a propolis cap on the sore finger, which you can mold yourself from softened propolis.
Important!In the process of treating nail fungus, you should pay more attention to personal hygiene and use clean socks daily.
The use of boric acid
Boric acid has a disinfecting effect. She needs to be as careful as possible. Treatment with this drug should be short-term, since a person can be poisoned with a large accumulation of a substance in the blood. It is not suitable for every person. It can be used both in liquid and dry form. There are several ways to treat this substance.
- It is necessary to pour 30 grams of powder into a bowl of water, the temperature of which does not exceed 60 degrees. Feet should be steamed for about 15 minutes, then wiped with a towel. This procedure should be done no more than once every 4 days.
- It is necessary to moisten a cotton swab in a 3% solution of this acid and apply it to the sore finger for a couple of minutes.
- You can sprinkle boric acid powder on your nail and then put on a sock.
Medicines for fungus
Now manufacturers are working on the release of therapeutic ointments for fungus, creams. Also, do not forget about taking pills and cutting-edge medical varnishes, which are used only once for 3-6 days.
Important!Without consulting a doctor, it is better not to engage in drug self-medication, since there are contraindications for certain groups of people.
There are a lot of drugs on the pharmacy counter, but how suitable are they for your problem? There is still some work to be done here. If the fungus has appeared recently, then it will be easier to get rid of it.
Disease prevention
In order not to pick up such an infection, you should just keep your feet clean and follow the rules of personal hygiene. You should also listen to the opinion of people who advise:
- do not use other people's scissors when doing a manicure;
- do not go to the gym or shower without shoes;
- use cotton socks that allow your feet to breathe;
- do not wear tight shoes;
- do not walk in wet shoes for a long time, if you are so "lucky" to get caught in the rain.
In principle, there are no special measures to prevent this scourge. You just need to wash your feet more often, wash your socks.
