Nail fungus can affect even those who lead a normal and healthy lifestyle. Most fungi spread in saunas, swimming pools and beaches. But, since the disease is not new, it can always be overcome with the help of folk remedies. According to statistics, people who lead a healthy lifestyle most often suffer from fungal diseases. Periodically, they visit places of active public recreation, where they are attacked by viruses. It is the gyms, swimming pools and saunas that are the main distributors of the disease.
Causes of toenail fungus
It should be noted immediately that nail fungus (in medicine, onychomycosis) is a relatively stable type of infection. The disease affects the entire nail as a whole, destroying it and gradually moving to the skin. The causative agent is a common fungal infection, which is relatively easily spread between humans. Onychomycosis can affect the feet in a variety of areas. For example, you can wipe your feet once with a stranger’s towel and resolve this unpleasant virus on your body. That is why it is necessary to comply with all rules of personal hygiene when visiting public places of active recreation and sports. The discomfort of this disease lies in the fact that it is not limited to the destruction of the nail, it gradually passes through the skin. Treating skin fungus is fundamentally different than treating nail fungus. In any case, if you find fungus in yourself, immediately visit a mycologist. Only he can determine how to remove the fungus from your body. Nail fungus is often caused by fungal organisms called dermatophytes. The favorite place of this organism is the toes. The problem is that ordinary people wear relatively tight shoes, which creates ideal conditions for the existence and prosperity of the fungus (lack of light, heat and moisture). Also, the circulation in the legs is much worse than in other parts of the body, so it is very difficult for our body’s immune system to detect and destroy the bacteria. In addition, the risk of getting a fungal infection increases:
- When working in hot conditions;
- In the presence of psoriasis;
- When wearing uncomfortable shoes with poor airflow;
- In case of damage to the nails;
- With diabetes;
- When walking barefoot in various public places (baths, swimming pools, gyms);
- With a weakened immune system, you can catch toenail fungus;
Symptoms of nail fungus
The main signs of toenail fungus:
- Defective nail shape;
- The affected nails gradually acquire a darker color;
- Nails peel off and become too brittle;
Moreover, affected nails often peel off their nail beds. In medicine, this abnormality is called onycholysis. Pain in the fingertips and a typical odor are the first symptoms of onycholysis. If a person with a fungal infection is not given timely help, the disease will persist and in turn will only grow and develop. After discovering the main signs of the disease, one must visit a qualified doctor to determine how to treat nail fungus.
How to recognize and identify nail fungus?
Many are interested in the question of how to identify fungi at home. To do this, you need to take a solution of potassium permanganate (potassium permanganate) and dilute it in water until a purple color appears. You need to lower your feet into this solution and hold it there for a while. With the presence of fungus, brown areas on the nails will inevitably appear, which will indicate the presence of a fungal infection on the human body. After the procedure, the feet must be treated with a fifteen percent hydrogen peroxide solution. On slight suspicion, you should immediately see a doctor.
We treat nail fungus with medications
A separate group of researchers are convinced that currently the most effective way to combat foot fungus is preparations containing terbinafine. The action of the fund is aimed not only at the destruction of fungi, but also at the renewal of nails and skin. Overall, the treatment time is about two to three months, but the end result of the treatment will be visible only after the new nails grow. The same medication can treat fungus on the hands. The course of treatment is similar. You also need to remember that fungus can return if the feet are often in a warm and humid environment. The danger of this disease lies in the fact that the virus itself is very strong, and besides, it quickly develops immunity to the components that make up the active ingredient. Therefore, if the infection is not treated the first time, then later treatment with the same drug will be impossible. The same goes for recurrent illness. In this case, you need to choose a new drug and the active ingredient is fundamentally different.
We get rid of the fungus with the help of proven folk remedies
- Places affected by fungal infections should be lubricated with a twenty percent solution of propolis. For maximum effect, you can wipe it with onion pulp. To do this, you must first crush some medium -sized onions and apply the resulting mixture to the damaged skin and nail areas.
- Mix alcohol and garlic pulp in equal proportions, dilute it all with a little pure distilled water. The resulting mixture should be applied to the damaged area.
- Compressed garlic is no less effective. It is this compressor that overcomes the type of fungal disease that cannot be treated well with medications. In addition to compresses, garlic should be taken orally.
- Patients should definitely drink garlic tincture and garlic tea - it's great for fungal nail diseases. The results can be seen in five to six days.
- Another proven remedy is wine vinegar. The affected feet must be thoroughly washed and dipped into a bowl of wine vinegar. After that, you have to put on socks soaked in vinegar and sleep in them.
- Since ancient times, nail fungus has been treated with a relatively simple but effective method - walking in the morning through the dew. A half-hour run on the morning dew relieves not only fungal infections on the feet, but also corns, skin rashes, corns and others. After the end of the run, the feet should not be rubbed under any circumstances, they must dry themselves. To enhance the effect at night, you need to rub your feet with a piece of raw potato and massage the infected area. You can use this method no more than a month. But the first results will be visible in a few weeks.
- Crush the mint leaves with table salt and place the resulting mixture between your toes for an hour. Treatment should be carried out until the nail fungus is completely gone.
- Often folk methods include the use of celandine and milkweed. A small group of milkweed is taken and poured with three liters of clean boiled water. The mixture is infused for several hours, and it must be wrapped in a blanket. After the decoction is inserted, you need to lower your feet into it and keep it for thirty to forty minutes once every two days. Euphorbia has a softening effect, which will help in cutting nails. Similarly, you need to prepare celandine, and it is also used.
- Lilac flowers have proven themselves well, doing an excellent job with nail fungus. About ten grams of purple flowers should be added to a glass of alcohol and left for two weeks. Tincture is used to lubricate infected areas on the skin and nails.
- Another method involves the use of cocklebur leaves. From them you need to squeeze the juice and apply on the skin and nails.
- Finally, anti -fungal remedies include a large number of different herbs. It is necessary to mix horsetail grass, blackberry leaves, verbena, calendula flowers and willow bark in equal proportions. From this mixture you need to take only ten grams and pour a glass of water. Put everything on the fire and bring to a boil, then remove from the heat and let it brew for three to four hours. With the soup ready, you need to make a lotion and put compresses. To enhance the effect, it can be taken orally one tablespoon three to four times a day.