Often the fungus appears on the toenails in men, in women the hands are more prone to this disease. The medical name for this problem is onychomycosis. It usually starts with the big toe. Only with the defeat of a nail can not be sure that the infection will not spread. And so you want to bare your legs during a visit or in summer. Often you have to hold back and wait with an uncomfortable feeling for the problem to go away on its own.
Regardless of what type of fungus causes nail disease, you will experience similar symptoms and require the same treatment. Due to the fact that a fungal infection of the nails does not pose a threat to life, most patients are in no hurry to treat it, considering the problem only cosmetic. This approach is fundamentally wrong, as immunity begins to suffer due to prolonged exposure to the fungus, and this opens the door to many diseases.
When the first symptoms of nail fungus appear, therapy with drugs or folk remedies should be started. Both are very effective, so the patient should decide for himself which method of treatment he prefers.
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 of the time the problem is in the environment. A fungal disease can appear as a result of prolonged wearing of closed shoes in a warm period with high humidity. Spending a long time in the pool can also damage your nails.
There is a high probability of this attack occurring in people with reduced immunity who have problems with blood circulation. In addition, diabetics and housewives who constantly come into contact with water when cleaning the apartment and washing dishes can 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. It usually takes on a yellowish tint, but in some cases it can even be black, brown, or gray. The nail becomes denser and rougher. Progressive infection will cause it to stop growing and may fall off. Meanwhile, the skin begins to redden, become itchy and swollen.
Before treating the disease, the cause of the disease, the adverse influencing factors, should be eliminated.
Important!You should not go barefoot in public places where there is a high risk of infection.
You can get rid of the infection in a number of ways. In practice, both drug treatment and traditional medicine are currently used. It happens that a particular ointment may not be suitable for a person, its use may not bring a positive result, but the skin of the legs perfectly responds to inexpensive herbal treatment. In addition, not all people can take medication. Many drugs have contraindications. For example, pregnant women should avoid taking medication.
Sometimes doctors specifically offer patients to combine traditional medicine with drugs.
The use of folk remedies
The most popular and effective traditional medicines in the fight against fungal infections are:
- Iodine;
- Vinegar;
- tea fungus;
- Sea-salt;
- potassium permanganate;
- Ammonia;
- boric acid;
- tea tree oil;
- Propolis tincture.
Home remedies are mainly used when there is a risk of using drugs that can cause allergic reactions 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 become ugly, but also lead to such consequences as skin diseases, hypersensitivity to allergens, diseases of the mucous membranes, inflammation of the internal organs. The thing is that the fungus is very poisonous 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 is enough just to recall 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-clean the skin under the nail and wipe it with iodine at the site of infection. After that, no more bandages are needed. The iodine should evaporate on its own. Usually this only takes a few minutes. So you can wait. Otherwise you can get a chemical burn.
Important!People with individual intolerance to iodine are not recommended to use it to treat diseases.
If someone does not know how their body reacts to this substance, a painless experiment can be carried out at home. Apply a few drops of iodine to the crook of your elbow and observe the skin's reaction. Of course, if the hand gets red or blotchy in the crease, you shouldn't be using iodine at all.
You can make a special antifungal mixture that contains iodine, vinegar, and glycerin. These ingredients need to be mixed in equal parts and proportionally add 2 times more boiled water. Now you can start elevating your legs and rubbing the antifungal mixture into the sore nail. These actions should be repeated for ten days.
vinegar treatment
Vinegar is the most popular antifungal among people. Also, for the prevention of such diseases, doctors recommend wiping the inside of the shoes. You just need to moisten a cotton swab with vinegar, put it in the shoes, which need to be folded into a plastic bag, and in this form send the shoes to the closet for a day. Then you can get it, air it and leave calmly.
You can treat the infected areas of skin with vinegar. First of all, the nails should be thoroughly washed and cleaned with a file, then the toes should be wiped with a washcloth dipped in vinegar. A sore nail should be covered with a bandage to allow the vinegar to evaporate freely.
Before using vinegar, it is necessary to test the personal tolerance of this remedy. You should literally put a drop of vinegar on the skin area and watch the body's reaction.
How to use propolis tincture?
The recipes of traditional medicine are gentle on the human body, so people turn to them even before going to the clinic. Propolis has antiseptic properties and can be purchased as an ointment, oil, or tincture.
When dealing with nail fungus, patience is particularly important because this is a lengthy process. With the addition of propolis, you can prepare a special foot bath. A spoonful of tincture in a small container with water is enough. Legs should be steamed for 10 minutes. Then you have to remove the callused skin and put a propolis cap on the sore finger, which you can shape yourself from softened propolis.
Important!When treating nail fungus, you should pay more attention to personal hygiene and use clean socks every day.
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 with a large accumulation of a substance in the blood can be poisoned. It is not suitable for every person. It can be used in both 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, and then wiped with a towel. This procedure should not be performed 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.
antifungal medicines
Now manufacturers are working on the release of therapeutic ointments for fungi, creams. Also, do not forget to take pills and state-of-the-art medicinal 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 many medicines on the pharmacy counter, but how suitable are they for your problem? There is still work to be done here. If the fungus appeared recently, then getting rid of it will be easier.
disease prevention
In order not to get such an infection, you should only keep your feet clean and follow the rules of personal hygiene. You should also listen to people who recommend the following:
- Do not use other people's scissors when manicuring.
- Don't go to the gym or shower barefoot;
- Use cotton socks that allow your feet to breathe;
- do not wear tight shoes;
- Don't walk long in wet shoes if you are "lucky" enough to get caught in the rain.
Basically, there are no special measures to prevent this scourge. You just need to wash your feet more often, wash your socks.
