How to treat toenail fungus? This question is of great concern to those suffering from this disease. Or rather, it suffers from it. Fungus on the toenails (onychomycosis) causes discomfort as the appearance of the nails becomes very unattractive. And there is no point in painting a sore nail with varnish. It is better to learn than to cure the fungus. In addition, there are many drugs that successfully fight the disease. Let's try to find the most effective remedy for toenail fungus.
The fungus can overwhelm everyone, which is why it is necessary to know the methods of dealing with this disease.
Mushroom from the beach
It is easy to get infected with nail fungus. It is enough to wear the shoes of a sick person, walk barefoot on the beach or on the pool floor. The fungus prefers humid places with a fairly high temperature. These are baths, saunas, sports complexes. But it also happens that someone in the family becomes the source of the infection. That is why it is so important that everyone have their own slippers and wear special shoes in places suspected of infection.
Toenail fungus is usually treated by adults. Among children, this disease practically does not occur. The conditions for the development of the disease are:
- sudden decrease in immunity;
- various diseases (diabetes mellitus, obesity, circulatory disorders in the legs, etc. );
- age-related changes in the acid-base balance of the skin and nails.
It is impossible not to notice the fungus on the legs, the nail changes so much. The color from pink becomes gray, yellow or green, the plaque thickens and crumbles, pain and itching appear at the site of the lesion.
But not only the unsightly appearance of the foot is an indication for the treatment of mycosis. The fungus during its growth and reproduction poisons nearby tissues, toxic substances accumulate and cause metabolic disorders, interfere with the normal functioning of the digestive, nervous and cardiovascular systems. Also, if you don't follow the rules of personal hygiene, disputes "capture" new areas.
The fight against the fungus should be started as soon as possible and certainly under the supervision of a specialist. It is he who will help to understand the variety of means of combating the disease and to choose the right method of treatment.
The sooner you start fighting a fungal infection, the sooner you can get rid of it.
Cream, paint or pills?
Means for the treatment of fungi are divided into several groups. First, pharmacies offer both expensive drugs and drugs at an affordable price. And in this case, economic means don't mean bad.
Secondly, there are many ways to treat toenail fungus. For this use:
- paints;
- creams;
- tablets;
- folk remedies.
But be patient. If you decide to use traditional medicine, you will have to wait a long time for the result - several months or even a whole year. Ready for a quick effect? Use complex therapy: local remedies (paints, ointments) plus tablets. Active substances are able to accumulate in the tissues, reducing the duration of the disease. But this is exactly the case when the treatment should be under the supervision of a doctor. Nail fungus remedies have many contraindications, their uncontrolled use can nullify the effectiveness of treatment and lead to further progression of the disease.
Varnish is a good remedy for nail fungus in the initial stage of the disease. Paints destroy the fungus on a cellular level. They are applied according to the scheme, the treatment is quite long. By the way, it is not forbidden to apply the usual over the medical varnish. You can try a special serum and patches.
It is also recommended to carry out treatment, actively using preparations for removing the nail plate. Means do not get rid of the fungus, but simply dissolve the affected nail. Before using the funds, it is necessary to steam the feet, then dry the feet and apply the preparation. Try not to get on the skin near the nail. After the time specified in the instructions, remove the patch with which the finger was sealed and scrape the affected tissues. This procedure is carried out until the complete elimination of the fungus.
Quite effective remedy for mycosis: creams, ointments, sprays. There are many of them, each based on the active ingredient:
- naftifine;
- ketoconazole;
- oxiconazole;
- terbinafine;
- bifonazole.
Tablets are the most effective remedy for nail fungus, but they are also the most dangerous. Children's age, liver and kidney pathologies, taking hormonal drugs are absolute contraindications to taking this medicine.
Your doctor will check the effectiveness of the toenail fungus treatment. Over time, the damaged tissue should be replaced by healthy tissue. Complete healing is laboratory confirmed. It is necessary to pass the necessary tests and wait for the results. You should also consider the likelihood of an allergy to the medicine. In this case, it is necessary to use another remedy against the fungus.
Unconventional but not useless
The main thing to remember is that it is not recommended to walk barefoot on the beach, in a public swimming pool, in the shower and the like. These seats are a threat to your legs.
In the fight against mycoses, all means are good. Some of them are quite unexpected. Here, for example, Creolin is a drug used in veterinary medicine. The feedback on its effectiveness is positive. It has an antiseptic, disinfectant and antiparasitic action.
The mouthwash will also help in treating fungi. Baths with apple cider vinegar, Fukortsin, a blend of essential oils of lavender and tea tree are also used as medicines. Natural oils are needed, which means they can't be cheap.
In combination with drug therapy, it is good to use treatment with folk remedies. Here are some of the most effective ways.
- In the morning and in the evening, treat your nails with iodine tincture (1 drop is enough). The duration of the treatment is 10 days. There may be pain. It should pass in 2-3 days.
- Grind 2 cloves of garlic and mix with butter (100 g). In one day, treat the feet with the resulting ointment. Repeat every day for a month. The result can be seen after a week of application.
- Dissolve 1 tbsp. L. sea salt in 1 liter of warm water. Soak your feet in the solution every day for 2 weeks in a row
- Moisten a cotton swab in an alcoholic solution of propolis and apply for 15 minutes on the affected nail. The procedures continue for 3 weeks.
- Cut a lemon circle into 2 parts, attach it to the affected nail, fix it with a bandage and polyethylene. It is enough to carry out this procedure for 8 - 10 days.
- Rub kombucha into the sore nail daily. The course of treatment is 20 days.
- Mix equal amounts of chamomile, violet and twine. Pour a liter of boiling water, leave for 2 hours. Moisten the gauze in the resulting infusion, apply to the nail.
- Grind 100 g of aspen bark, boil in 0, 5 liters of water. Raise your nails in this decoction. Then treat them with a mixture of laundry soap and soda (1 tsp each). Treat every day.
- Mix with water 70% vinegar essence in a proportion of 1/1. Add the flour. Fix the resulting dough on the nail. The skin must not come into contact with the dough. After a few days, the affected nail will come off and a healthy one will grow in its place.
There are many folk methods by which the treatment is carried out. Many believe that this therapy is the best remedy for nail fungus.
Don't go barefoot
It is unlikely that you will be able to protect yourself 100% from nail fungus. But it is worth remembering the preventive measures, especially since they are not that complicated and the medicines are mostly expensive.
Do not try on new shoes with bare feet, be sure to wear a sock. Wash your feet with soap before going to bed. Use special shoes in showers, saunas, swimming pools, on the beach. If you suffer from sweating, use special preparations. Change socks, stockings, tights every day.
The fungus is difficult to defeat, but it is quite possible.
Just like not getting infected at all.