How to deal with toenail fungus

Toenail fungus, also known as onychomycosis, is a very common contact disease. It is caused by epidermophytes, which are actually pathogenic microorganisms. Getting on human skin, the fungus affects the upper layers of the epidermis on the feet and nail plate. In addition to the fact that this disease causes aesthetic discomfort, if left untreated for a long time, it can provoke the occurrence of complications.

The main symptoms of the disease

Before deciding how to get rid of nail fungus, you should make sure that the diagnosis is correct. There is a complex of symptoms characteristic only of this disease. It contains the following characters:

• changing the usual color of the nail plate to white, yellow, green, gray or even black;
• itchy feeling between toes, on feet;
• fragility and detachment of the nails;
• irritated skin on the legs, there may be peeling, blisters or sores;
• uncharacteristic thickening and unevenness of the nail plate.

In the initial stages of the disease, nail fungus appears almost imperceptibly. Finally, some people may not even pay attention to a slight itching and slight discoloration. If you don't get rid of the toenail fungus in time, it will lead to the complete destruction of the plate. Therefore, it is very important to contact a specialist immediately if alarming symptoms appear. It helps to remove the fungus quickly and restore the nails to their former health.

Medical treatment of omnichomycosis

The use of medication is an effective way to quickly get rid of nail fungus. Now there is a huge number of drugs in various forms of release. The most common among them are:

• medicinal varnishes - their use is effective only at the initial stage, when the fungus has not had time to spread to the growth line of the nail plate. Such funds are quite easy to use and very effectively help to get rid of the disease in a short time.
• Ointments and creams are the most common topical preparations. Such tools allow you to get rid of the fungus that develops under the nails. Due to their texture, creams and ointments envelop the affected area and contribute not only to blocking the progression of mycosis, but also to tissue regeneration;
• Pills - unfortunately, the fungus affects not only the nails, but also generally negatively affects the state of the human immune system. Drugs that should be taken orally will help to forget about the disease for a long time. However, it should be understood that they can negatively affect the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract.

Treatment of fungi with vinegar

Acetic acid will help get rid of nail fungus at home. This method is one of the most common in traditional medicine. Its importance is that epidermophytes die under the influence of an acidic environment. In order to achieve the best effect, it is necessary to dilute the vinegar with water in the right proportion. In the fight against nail fungus at home, an acidic solution of low concentration will do.

Before proceeding with the procedure, you should clean and steam the skin of the legs. Dead and fungal nail areas should be removed with small scissors. This allows the acid to penetrate deeper. There are several ways to remove nail fungus with vinegar, these include:

• Baths - a 9% vinegar solution must be heated to a temperature of about 36-37 degrees. The affected fingers are immersed in a warm liquid for 15 minutes. Do not wipe your feet after the procedure and do not rinse them with water.
• Compresses - you should fold the bandage several times and moisten it with plenty of vinegar. Then such a compress is applied to the affected areas. For better effect, you can wrap your legs with bandage, put on warm socks and leave overnight;
• Ointments - vinegar can be an integral part of a remedy, for example, it can be mixed in equal parts with vegetable oil and dimethyl phthalate. Apply this mixture before bedtime.

In addition to the fact that the lesions are treated with vinegar, special attention should also be paid to the patient's shoes. It must be periodically wiped with a slightly acidic solution.

Treatment of fungi with iodine

Iodine solution is excellent against nail fungus. It has an antiseptic effect, which is why it is often used to disinfect affected areas of the skin. Also, iodine has cauterizing properties, which is important to prevent further spread of infection. It is sometimes used for preventive purposes.

To understand how to use iodine to treat toenail fungus, you should understand the mechanism of its action on mycotic cells. In fact, the work of the solution is based on the coagulation (coagulation) of proteins. Based on the fact that fungal cells have a protein structure, iodine gets to the affected areas, destroying them and preventing further spread. This completes the healing process.

Using iodine, you can fight the fungus on the toenails in several ways:

1. Dotted - the remedy is applied directly to the focus of infection. In this case, the probability of a speedy recovery is quite high.
2. Baths - iodine is added to clean and boiled water, after which the legs float for 10 minutes. This method can be used to prevent diseases. After all, preventing a problem is much easier than thinking about how to remove the fungus later.

Other folk treatments

Alternative medicine is very popular these days. Therefore, there are many recipes that will help alleviate the course of the disease and ensure a speedy recovery. In the fight against nail fungus diseases, the following methods are most often used:

• Tar soap - has an antimicrobial effect. For medicinal purposes, it is used by lathering the affected area. To increase efficiency, you can put on a warm sock and leave it on overnight;
• Tea tree oil is a powerful natural antiseptic. This method is best used in combination with others to speed recovery. The oil can be used for baths, compresses or lotions;
• Garlic is a very simple but very effective remedy. After a week of regular procedures, the result will be noticeable. Garlic pulp or a compress with its juice should be applied to the lesions;
• Celandine - usually make baths from herbal teas. The procedure must be repeated every two days until the symptoms of the disease completely disappear.
• Kombucha - it is used as a lotion. On a sore finger you should put a small piece of peroxidized mushroom and fix it well with a film. This remedy has a softening effect. After the procedure, you can simply cut off the affected nail;
• Use of smoke - the sore finger is fumigated with smoke from cotton fabric. As a result of the procedure, the nails affected by mycosis fall off, and after some time healthy ones grow in their place;
• Propolis - used as an infusion for a compress. To prepare it, mix alcohol and grated propolis. After the mixture is infused, it is applied to clean gauze and wrapped around the sore finger.

Toenail fungus very often occurs without any apparent reason. It brings significant inconvenience to a person's life. Therefore, you should not delay treatment for long. To learn how to get rid of toenail fungus, you should consult a dermatologist. It will help you choose the means that will have a quick and positive effect.