To cure nail fungus at home, you need to use special medicines.Treatment methods are different in the initial and advanced stages of the disease.Each of them can be recognized by certain symptoms.The disease itself is called onychomycosis.It should not be left to chance, because the pathology lasts a long time and is difficult to treat.The specific medicine against nail fungus 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 their rapid spread, the nail plates begin to turn yellow, crack, crumble and thicken.As a result of fungus, you can lose your nail completely.If left untreated, they will collapse.Fungus can easily become infected in public places.This is especially true for saunas, swimming pools, beaches, nail salons and fitness clubs.
what does it come from
The majority of infections occur through household items or shoes shared with a sick person.People with excessively sweaty feet are more prone to nail fungus.More often, athlete's foot appears in adults;it occurs much less often in children.The causes of the disease are as follows:
- wearing tight shoes;
- insufficient hygiene;
- endocrine and nervous system disorders;
- weakened immune system;
- poor blood circulation in the lower limbs;
- frequent visits to places with high humidity;
- infectious chronic diseases;
- foot deformities;
- vascular diseases.
Types of nail fungus
Several types of fungi can affect toenails.The main ones are:
- Moldy.People debilitated by long-term illness are more likely to be affected.The nail takes on a bluish, yellowish or greenish tint 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, turns yellow or brown.As the disease progresses, the disc lags behind the bed.At the same time, the nail wrinkles wither and thicken.
- Dermatophytes.They appear as yellow spots on the nail plate.The edges of the nail move away from the bed.As the condition worsens, jaundice 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 strong itching between them.The skin begins to peel and crack.In addition, the pathology is manifested by the following symptoms:
- A 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, which is why it becomes dense.In advanced cases, it even interferes with treatment.
- Collapsing.In the absence of proper therapy, the nail plate is destroyed and completely discolored.
Stadiums
Signs of a fungal infection vary depending on the stage of onychomycosis.The infection happens quickly, and the pathology can be recognized by the following symptoms:
- First stage.It is very difficult to recognize with the naked eye.This can only be done by a doctor who can see small faint spots even with multiple magnifications.
- Second stage.The pathology continues to develop.Small stripes and dots develop into whole furrows.This will destroy the disk.The shine of the nail plate disappears and begins to turn yellow.
- Third stage.If you ignore the earlier symptoms, you may lose your nail completely.The skin around it will be red and scaly.My nails are completely peeling.There is an unpleasant smell in this background
How to diagnose fungus
The external manifestations of the disease only confirm that the nails are affected by a fungal infection.The cause of the disease can only be determined by laboratory tests.To prescribe the appropriate therapy, onychomycosis can be distinguished from psoriasis, lichen planus, etc.If there are signs, consult a mycologist or dermatologist.The diagnostic methods are as follows:
- Microsporia.This is a scraping from the nail plate.To collect the substance, the nail is treated with a special substance that destroys keratin.In this form, the material can be studied more easily.
- Bacteria research.This involves placing the material in a culture medium.The causative agent of the infection is determined by the growth rate, color and shape of the colonies.This test makes it possible to identify the sensitivity of microorganisms to drugs.
- DNA diagnostics.This method only reveals areas affected by dermatophytes and candida.Diagnostics are carried out with special tools, which is why they are expensive.
How to treat nail fungus
Depending on the clinical form of the disease, the size of the affected area and the extent of changes in the nail, the doctor prescribes a comprehensive treatment.Therapy may include:
- Ointments, creams, lotions, drops, sprays for disinfecting and treating shoes that help with mild to moderate fungal infections;
- tablets when the disease enters a severe stage;
- surgical removal of the nail plate in case of severe or recurrent infection;
- folk remedies such as soda, garlic, hydrogen peroxide, birch tar ointments, tea tree oil, celandine tincture, propolis, acetic acid.
In the initial stage
In the case of minor lesions, local therapy helps to cure onychomycosis.These include peel-off plasters, medicated varnishes, creams, gels and ointments.Such drugs are effective only in the initial stages of onychomycosis.It is applied directly to the damaged nail and the surrounding tissues for a long time.Sometimes it takes about a year to fully heal.
neglected mushroom
If the disease is already advanced, external remedies will not be effective.Medicines should be used for internal use.These include antifungals in the form of tablets and capsules.They inhibit the development of the pathogen and inhibit its spread.In addition, the pills have a prolonged effect, thus reducing the likelihood of reinfection.
How to treat nail fungus
Depending on the stage of the disease, the doctor prescribes certain medicines to the patients.The main groups of antifungal agents are:
-
drugs for systemic use;
- products for local use.
The last group of drugs includes various drugs that are applied directly to the affected nail.The main ones are:
- lacquers;
- 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 the medicinal substance in them.
Ointments and creams
The effectiveness of topical drugs is due to the fact that the drug is in direct contact with the lesion.In the first stage of the disease, only such drugs are prescribed, since the pills have more side effects.
Antifungal tablets
If the signs of nail fungus indicate an advanced stage of the disease, the doctor prescribes more serious antifungal drugs in the form of tablets.
Laser therapy
If the nail fungus is advanced and cannot be treated with drugs, more radical methods are used.One effective method is laser therapy.Fungal spores are destroyed by radiation.In addition, the laser does not damage the surrounding tissues.The advanced stage of onychomycosis can also be cured with 3-4 treatment procedures.
Treatment of nail fungus with folk remedies
Methods of treating toenail fungus with folk remedies should be used in conjunction with the use of medications.This is especially true for advanced stages of the disease.In this case, the use of 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 fungi.It must be mixed with warm water in a 1:1 ratio.You should soak your feet in this solution for about 15-20 minutes.After that, the feet should be allowed to dry completely.We recommend that you repeat the procedure daily for 2 weeks.During this time, you may notice that a new nail that is not damaged by the fungus begins to grow.
Iodine
Effective treatment of nail fungus is also carried out with the help of iodine.The duration of the treatment is 3 weeks.The affected nail plates should be treated with iodine every day.It is important to constantly remove the tip of the ingrown nail.This medicine against athlete's foot gets good reviews.Iodine can also be used for hot baths.To do this, dissolve 10 drops of the product in 0.5 liters of water and soak your feet in it for 10 minutes.
Kombucha
The compresses are made with kombucha.For this, a sheet of the product must be applied to the painful nail, wrapped in cellophane and bandaged.You must wear socks on top.It is better to carry out the procedure at night, and in the morning to rinse the legs under warm water, then remove the affected areas and apply iodine.Many patients report severe pain, but if you are patient, you can recover from the fungus quickly.
Celandine
Fresh celandine must be passed through a meat grinder, and juice must be extracted from the resulting pulp with 3-4 layers of gauze.You need to take enough herbs to make 200ml of liquid.Add 200 ml of 70% alcohol and let it stand for a whole day.Apply the prepared product to the affected areas after steaming your feet for 10 minutes and letting them dry completely.The duration of the treatment is at least 10-12 days.Nail plates should be treated 3-4 times a day.