To cure nail fungus at home, you need to use special medications.Treatment methods differ for the initial and advanced stages of the disease.Each of them can be recognized by certain symptoms.The disease itself is called onychomycosis.It cannot be left to chance, because the pathology takes a long time and is difficult to treat.A specific medicine for toenail fungus is selected based on the severity of the symptoms.
What is nail fungus
Onychomycosis is one of the most common infectious diseases caused by microorganisms in the form of yeast and mold.Due to their rapid spread, the nail plates begin to turn yellow, crack, crumble and thicken.As a result of fungal growth, you can completely lose your nails.If left untreated, they will crumble.It is easy to become infected with fungus in public places.This is especially true for saunas, swimming pools, beaches, nail salons, and fitness clubs.
What does it come from?
Most cases of infection occur through household items or shoes shared with a sick person.People with excessive sweating of their feet are more prone to nail fungus.More often, foot fungus appears in adults; in children it occurs much less frequently.The causes of the development of the disease are:
- wearing tight shoes;
- insufficient hygiene;
- endocrine and nervous system disorders;
- weakened immune system;
- poor blood circulation in the lower extremities;
- frequent visits to places with high humidity;
- infectious chronic diseases;
- foot deformities;
- vascular diseases.
Types of toenail fungus
There are several types of fungi that can affect toenails.The main ones are considered to be the following:
- Moldy.People weakened by a long illness are more likely to be affected by it.The nail takes on a bluish, yellowish or greenish tint, and may even turn black.Toenail fungus can be completely removed in 1-2 months.
- Yeast.The nail becomes uneven, becomes covered with grooves and waves, and becomes yellow or brown.As the disease progresses, the plate lags behind the bed.At the same time, the nail folds fester and thicken.
- Dermatophytes.They appear as yellow spots on the nail plate.The edges of the nail extend away from the bed.As the condition worsens, the yellowness completely consumes the nail.
Signs
The disease first affects the big toes.Over time, it destroys the nail.When the fungus spreads, other fingers are also affected.The person feels severe itching between them.The skin begins to peel and crack.Further, the pathology is manifested by the following symptoms:
- Change in color of the nail plate.In its normal state it is translucent and has a pinkish tint.After a fungal infection, the color of the nail changes to yellow, brown or black.
- Thickening of the nail plate.Its increased keratinization occurs, so it becomes thick.In advanced cases, this even interferes with treatment.
- Crumbling.In the absence of proper therapy, the nail plate is destroyed and completely discolored.
Stages
Signs of fungal infection differ depending on the stage of onychomycosis.Infection occurs quickly, and the pathology can be recognized by the following symptoms:
- First stage.It is very difficult for the naked eye to recognize.This can only be done by a doctor who, with multiple magnifications, is able to see small pale spots.
- Second stage.The pathology continues to progress.Small stripes and dots develop into entire grooves.This leads to destruction of the plate.The shine of the nail plate disappears and it begins to turn yellow.
- Third stage.If you ignore the previous symptoms, you can completely lose your nail.The skin around it will be red and flaky.The nail is completely exfoliated.Against this background, there is an unpleasant odor
How to diagnose a fungus
External manifestations of the disease only confirm that the toenails are affected by a fungal infection.The cause of the disease can only be determined through laboratory tests.To prescribe adequate therapy, onychomycosis is differentiated from psoriasis, lichen planus, etc.If there are signs, you should consult a mycologist or dermatologist.Diagnostic methods are as follows:
- Microsporia.It is a scraping from the nail plate.To collect the material, the nail is treated with a special substance that destroys keratin.In this form, the material is easier to study.
- Bacteria research.It involves placing the material in a nutrient medium.The causative agent of infection is determined by the growth rate, color and shape of the colonies.This study allows us to identify the sensitivity of a microorganism to drugs.
- DNA diagnostics.This method reveals areas affected only by dermatophytes and candida fungus.Diagnostics are carried out with special devices, so they are expensive.
How to treat toenail fungus
Depending on the clinical form of the disease, the size of the affected area and the degree of change in the nail, the doctor prescribes a comprehensive treatment.Therapy may include:
- ointments, creams, lotions, drops, sprays for disinfection and treatment of shoes, which help with mild or moderate fungal infections;
- tablets when the disease progresses to a severe stage;
- surgical removal of the nail plate for severe or recurrent infection;
- folk remedies, for example, soda, garlic, hydrogen peroxide, birch tar ointments, tea tree oil, celandine tincture, propolis, acetic acid.
In the initial stage
For small lesions, local therapy will help cure onychomycosis.These include peel-off patches, medicated varnishes, creams, gels and ointments.Such drugs are effective only at the initial stage of onychomycosis.They are applied directly to the damaged nail and surrounding tissue for a long time.Sometimes it takes about a year for complete recovery.
neglected fungus
If the disease is already advanced, then external remedies will be of little effectiveness.It is necessary to use medications for internal use.This includes antimycotics in the form of tablets and capsules.They inhibit the development of the pathogen and block its spread.In addition, the tablets have a prolonged effect, therefore reducing the likelihood of re-infection.
How to treat toenail fungus
Depending on the stage of the disease, the doctor prescribes certain medications to patients.The main groups of antifungal drugs are:
-
drugs for systemic use;
- products for topical use.
The last group of drugs includes a variety of medications that are applied directly to the affected nail.The main ones are:
- varnishes;
- sprays;
- solutions;
- cream
Special varnishes
In the initial stages of the disease, antifungal varnishes can be used.They help soften the nail plate and increase the concentration of the medicinal substance in them.
Ointments and creams
The effectiveness of local drugs is due to direct contact of the drug with the lesion.At the first stage of the disease, only such medications are prescribed, because tablets have more side effects.
Antifungal tablets
If signs of toenail fungus indicate an advanced stage of the disease, then the doctor will prescribe more serious antifungal drugs in the form of tablets.
Laser therapy
If toenail fungus is in an advanced stage and cannot be treated with medications, then more radical methods are used.One of the effective methods is laser therapy.When exposed to radiation, fungal spores die.In addition, the laser does not harm surrounding tissues.Even an advanced stage of onychomycosis can be cured in 3-4 treatment procedures.
Treatment of toenail fungus with folk remedies
Ways to treat fungus on toenails with folk remedies should be used along with the use of medications.This is especially true for the advanced stage of the disease.In this case, using only folk recipes will not help.At the first signs of onychomycosis, you can use vinegar, iodine, kombucha, and celandine tincture.
Vinegar
Apple cider vinegar is used to get rid of fungus.It must be mixed with warm water in a 1:1 ratio.You need to soak your feet in this solution for about 15-20 minutes.After this, your feet should be allowed to dry completely.It is recommended to repeat the procedure daily for 2 weeks.During this time, you can notice how a new nail, not damaged by the fungus, begins to grow.
Iodine
Effective treatment of toenail fungus is also carried out with the help of iodine.The course of treatment is 3 weeks.Every day it is necessary to treat the affected nail plates with iodine.It is important to constantly remove the tip of the nail that has grown.This remedy for foot fungus gets good reviews.Iodine can also be used for hot baths.To do this, dissolve 10 drops of the product in 0.5 liters of water, and soak your feet in it for 10 minutes.
Kombucha
Compresses are made using kombucha.To do this, a plate of this product must be applied to the sore nail, wrapped in cellophane and a bandage.You need to wear socks over the top.It is better to do the procedure at night, and in the morning rinse your feet under warm water, then remove the affected areas and lubricate them with iodine.Many patients report severe pain, but if you are patient, you can quickly recover from the fungus.
Celandine
Fresh celandine must be passed through a meat grinder and the juice extracted from the resulting pulp using 3-4 layers of gauze.You need to take enough herb to make 200 ml of liquid.200 ml of 70% alcohol are added to it and left to infuse for a whole day.Apply the prepared product to the affected areas after steaming the feet for 10 minutes and allowing them to dry completely.The course of treatment is at least 10-12 days.Nail plates need to be treated 3-4 times per day.