To cure nail fungus at home, you need to use special medicines.Treatment methods differ for 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 lasts a long time and is difficult to treat.A particular toenail fungus remedy is chosen 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 the rapid expansion, the nail plates begin to turn yellow, crack, crumble and thicken.As a result of fungal growth, you may lose your nails completely.If left untreated, they will collapse.It is easy to get infected with the 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 that are shared with a sick person.People with excessively sweaty feet are more prone to nail fungus.More often, athlete's foot occurs in adults;it occurs much less often in children.The causes of disease development 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 fungus that can affect toenails.The following are considered the main ones:
- Moldy.People weakened by a long illness are more likely to be affected by it.The nail takes on a bluish, yellowish or greenish hue, and can even turn black.Nail fungus can be completely removed in 1-2 months.
- Yeast.The nail becomes uneven, covered with grooves and waves and turns yellow or brown.As the disease progresses, the board 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 beyond the bed.As the condition worsens, the yellowness completely consumes the nail.
Signs
The disease first affects the big toes.It destroys the nail over time.When the fungus spreads, other fingers are also affected.The person feels intense itching between them.The skin begins to peel and crack.Furthermore, the pathology is manifested by the following symptoms:
- Change in the color of the nail plate.In its normal state, it is transparent and has a pink tint.After a fungal infection, the color of the nail changes to yellow, brown or black.
- Thickening of the nail plate.Increased keratinization occurs, so it becomes thick.In advanced cases, it even interferes with treatment.
- Crumbling.In the absence of appropriate therapy, the nail plate is destroyed and completely changed.
Phases
Signs of a fungal infection vary depending on the stage of onychomycosis.The infection occurs quickly, and the pathology can be recognized by the following symptoms:
- The first stage.It is very difficult to recognize with the naked eye.This can only be done by a doctor who, with multiple magnifications, can see small faint spots.
- The second stage.The pathology continues to progress.Small stripes and dots develop into entire grooves.This leads to the destruction of the board.The shine of the nail plate disappears and it starts to turn yellow.
- The third phase.If you ignore the previous symptoms, you can lose the nail completely.The skin around it will be red and flaky.The nail is completely peeled off.On this background, there is an unpleasant smell
How to diagnose 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 by laboratory tests.In order to prescribe adequate therapy, onychomycosis is differentiated from psoriasis, lichen planus, etc.If there are signs, it is necessary to 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.
- Research on bacteria.This involves placing the material in a nutrient medium.The causative agent of the infection is determined by the growth rate, color and shape of the colonies.This study allows us to identify the sensitivity of microorganisms to drugs.
- DNA diagnostics.This method detects areas affected only by dermatophytes and candida.Diagnostics is done 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 shoe treatment, which help with mild or moderate fungal infections;
- tablets when the disease progresses to a severe stage;
- surgical removal of the nail plate due to 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 in the treatment of onychomycosis.These include peel-off patches, medicated polishes, creams, gels and ointments.Such drugs are effective only in the initial stage of onychomycosis.They are applied directly to the damaged nail and the surrounding tissue for a long time.Sometimes it takes about a year for full recovery.
neglected mushroom
If the disease is already advanced, then external remedies will be of little effect.It is necessary to use medicines for internal use.These include antifungals in the form of tablets and capsules.They inhibit the development of pathogens and block their spread.In addition, the tablets have a prolonged effect, thus reducing the likelihood of re-infection.
How to treat toenail fungus
Depending on the stage of the disease, the doctor prescribes certain medicines to the patients.The main groups of antifungal drugs are:
-
medicines for systemic use;
- products for local use.
The last group of drugs includes a number of drugs 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 to soften the nail plate and increase the concentration of medicinal substances in them.
Ointments and creams
The effectiveness of local drugs is a consequence of the direct contact of the drug with the lesion.In the first stage of the disease, only such drugs are prescribed, because tablets have more side effects.
Antifungal tablets
If the 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 the toenail fungus is in an advanced stage and cannot be treated with drugs, then more radical methods are used.One of the effective methods is laser therapy.When exposed to radiation, the fungal spores die.In addition, the laser does not damage the surrounding tissues.Even an advanced stage of onychomycosis can be cured in 3-4 treatments.
Treatment of toenail fungus with folk remedies
Along with the use of medicines, you should use folk remedies to treat toenail fungus.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 remove fungus.It must be mixed with warm water in a ratio of 1:1.You should soak your feet in this solution for about 15-20 minutes.Afterwards, your feet should be allowed to dry completely.It is recommended that the procedure be repeated daily for 2 weeks.During this time, you can notice how a new nail, which is not damaged by the fungus, starts to grow.
Iodine
Effective treatment of toenail fungus is also carried out with the help of iodine.The course of treatment is 3 weeks.It is necessary to treat the affected nail plates with iodine every day.It is important to constantly remove the tip of the nail that has grown.This remedy for athlete's foot gets good reviews.Iodine can also be used for warm baths.To do this, dissolve 10 drops of the product in 0.5 liters of water and soak your feet for 10 minutes.
Kombucha
Compresses are made using kombucha.To do this, a plate of this product must be applied to the painful nail, wrapped in cellophane and bandaged.You must wear socks over the top.It is better to do the procedure at night, and in the morning wash 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 juice extracted from the resulting pulp using 3-4 layers of cheesecloth.You need to take enough herbs to make 200 ml of liquid.Add 200 ml of 70% alcohol and let it stand all day.Apply the prepared product to the affected areas after steaming your feet for 10 minutes and let them dry completely.The course of treatment is at least 10-12 days.Nail plates should be treated 3-4 times a day.