Nail fungus can affect even those people who lead a completely normal and healthy lifestyle. Most fungi are spread in saunas, swimming pools and beaches. But, given that 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. They periodically visit places for active public recreation, where they are attacked by the virus. Gymnasiums, swimming pools and saunas are the main spreaders of this disease.
Causes of toenail fungus
It should be immediately noted that nail fungus (in medicine, onychomycosis) is a fairly stable type of infection. This disease affects the entire nail as a whole, destroying it and gradually passing to the skin. The cause is a common fungal infection that is quite easily transmitted between people. Onychomycosis can affect the feet in a wide variety of areas. For example, you can wipe your feet once with a stranger's towel and put this nasty virus on your body. Therefore, it is necessary to observe all the rules of personal hygiene when visiting public places for active recreation and sports. The trouble with the disease lies in the fact that it is not limited to the destruction of the nails, but gradually passes to the skin. The treatment of fungus on the skin is radically different from the treatment of fungus on the nails. In any case, if you find a fungus in yourself, see a mycologist immediately. 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 these organisms are the toes. The thing is that people are accustomed to wearing relatively tight shoes, which create ideal conditions for the existence and prosperity of the fungus (lack of light, heat and humidity). In addition, the blood 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 such bacteria. In addition, the risk of contracting a fungal infection increases:
- When working in heat;
- In the presence of psoriasis;
- When wearing uncomfortable shoes with low airflow;
- In case of nail damage;
- With diabetes;
- When walking barefoot in various public places (bathrooms, swimming pools, gyms);
- With a weakened immune system, you can catch fungus on your toenails;
Symptoms of nail fungus
The main signs of toenail fungus:
- Deformed shape of the nail;
- The affected nail gradually acquires a darker color;
- The nail exfoliates and becomes too brittle;
In addition, affected nails are often exfoliated from their nail bed. In medicine, this deviation is called onycholysis. Pain in the fingertips and the characteristic odor are the first symptoms of onycholysis. If a person with a fungal infection is not given timely help, the disease will continue and then only progress and develop. After discovering the main signs of the disease, one should visit a qualified doctor to determine how to treat nail fungus.
How to recognize and recognize nail fungus?
Many are interested in the question of how to still identify the fungus 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 dip your feet in this solution and keep them there for a while. In 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 should be treated with a fifteen percent solution of hydrogen peroxide. At the slightest suspicion you should consult a doctor immediately.
We treat nail fungus with drugs
Certain groups of researchers are convinced that currently the most effective means of combating fungus on the feet are preparations containing terbinafine. The action of the funds is aimed not only at destroying the fungus, but also at renewing the nails and skin. The total duration of treatment is about two to three months, but the end result of treatment will be visible only after the new nail grows. The same drugs can treat fungus on the hands. The course of treatment is similar. You should also remember that the fungus can return if your feet are often in a warm and humid environment. The danger of the disease lies in the fact that the virus itself is unusually persistent and also quickly develops immunity to the components that make up the active substances. Therefore, if the infection is not treated the first time, later treatment with the same drug will be impossible. The same goes for the recurrence of the disease. In this case, you will need to choose a new drug and radically different active ingredients.
We get rid of the fungus with the help of proven folk remedies
- The areas affected by the fungal infection should be lubricated with a twenty percent propolis solution. For maximum effect, you can wipe them with onion pulp. To do this, you must first crush a few medium-sized onions and apply the resulting mixture on the damaged areas of skin and nails.
- Mix alcohol and garlic puree in equal proportions, diluting everything with a small amount of pure distilled water. The resulting mixture should be applied to the damaged areas.
- Garlic compresses are no less effective. It is these compresses that deal with those types of fungal diseases that are poorly treated with drugs. In addition to compresses, garlic should be taken orally.
- Patients should definitely drink garlic tinctures and garlic teas - they are great for fungal nail diseases. The result is visible after five to six days.
- Another proven remedy is wine vinegar. Affected feet should be washed well and immersed in a bowl of wine vinegar. Then you need to put on socks soaked in vinegar and lie down in them.
- From ancient times the nail fungus is treated with a very simple but effective method - running in the morning through the dew. Half an hour of running in the morning dew relieves not only fungal infection of the feet, but also calluses, skin rashes, calluses and other things. After the end of the run, the feet should never be wiped, they should dry on their own. To improve the effect at night, you need to rub your feet with a piece of raw potato and massage the infected areas. You can use this method for no more than a month. But the first results will be visible in a few weeks.
- Crush the mint leaves with salt and place the resulting mixture between your toes for an hour. The treatment should be carried out until the complete disappearance of the nail fungus.
- Often folk methods include the use of celandine and dairy plants. Take a small bunch of milkweed and pour three liters of clean boiled water. The mixture is infused for several hours and should be wrapped in a blanket. Once the decoction is infused, you should lower your feet into it and hold it for thirty to forty minutes once every two days. Euphorbia has a softening effect that will help cut nails. In the same way you need to prepare celandine and it is also used.
- Lilac flowers have proven to be excellent, as they do well with nail fungus. About ten grams of lilac flowers should be added to a glass of alcohol and left to infuse for two weeks. The tincture is used to lubricate infected areas of skin and nails.
- Another method involves the use of knuckle leaves. You need to squeeze the juice from them and apply it on the skin and nails.
- Last but not least, an anti-fungal agent includes a huge number of different herbs. It is necessary to mix horsetail grass, blackberry leaves, vervain, 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 simmer for three to four hours. With the finished broth you need to make lotions and apply compresses. To increase the effect, one tablespoon can be taken orally three to four times a day.