Fungal infection of the toenails is a rather unpleasant disease. In addition to aesthetic discomfort, it has a negative effect on the patient's immune system. As the practice of treatment shows, pharmaceutical drugs do not always contribute to obtaining the desired result. And if we also take into account their harmful effects on the whole body, then it is worth seriously thinking about the meaning of such therapy. Therefore, for the carrier of the infection, a natural question arises: how to get rid of toenail fungus, so that you can forget about the disease forever.
The pros and cons of home therapy
I would like to immediately warn the reader that one should not expect quick results from the prescriptions of traditional medicine. The desired effect at home can be seen only after regular daily procedures for a certain period of time. It is also worth noting that nail fungus has a variety of types, so each recipe should be selected only on an individual basis.
Home therapy has the following benefits:
- naturalness. The medicine, prepared at home, includes only natural and known ingredients;
- the ability to affect various types of fungal infections. In addition to effective treatment, the home remedy not only does not have a harmful effect on the body, but also allows you to strengthen the protective functions;
- the selection of components taking into account the individual characteristics of the body. When making a prescription, it is possible to refuse raw materials that cause allergies;
- availability. Any home remedy against fungus does not use scarce ingredients, which allows you to avoid storing them for future use and make the remedy as needed.
Preparatory procedures
During the treatment, hygiene must be observed, which does not allow the mushroom colony to multiply. It includes daily change of socks, water procedures and use of items only for personal use. Before using external products, the affected nails undergo the following treatment:
- soaking the nail plate in medicinal baths of soap and soda solution;
- removal of affected areas with a nail file, tweezers or scissors;
- application of the drug.
Strengthening the immune system is of no small importance for the successful removal of fungal infections from the body. For this purpose, experts recommend taking special vitamin complexes that increase the body's protective functions.
Recipes based on vinegar
Vinegar has received good reviews against fungal infections of the nail plate. Its action is based on the inability of fungal spores to survive in an acidic environment. A prerequisite for a successful treatment is the correct proportion of the medicinal drug.
To prepare the medicine at home, any type of vinegar is used: table vinegar or apple cider vinegar. The last type is preferable, as it is prepared only on the basis of natural ingredients. You can also use vinegar essence, but diluted to the required concentration.
Vinegar bath
This method is the simplest and most comfortable way to eliminate nail fungus. Treatment with this method lasts about 2 weeks, alternating with other methods.
- Heat 0. 5 liters of 9% vinegar to a nice warm temperature and pour into a basin. Dip the affected fingers in the liquid and keep it for 15 minutes. Do not rinse with water. For greater effect, you can wear socks soaked in vinegar at night;
- Vinegar diluted with carrot juice 1: 1 also helps to remove the fungus well. Heat the mixture to 40° and steam the foot in it;
- Put a pack of dried celandine in 1 liter of table vinegar. The infusion period does not matter - the longer, the better. Add about 5 tablespoons to the strained infusion. l. table salt and mix. Use as a warm bath for 5 minutes. To increase the effect, the procedure is carried out several times a day.
Ointment with vinegar
- Pour 100 g of vinegar essence into a fresh chicken egg. Leave in a dark place for 5-7 days to dissolve the eggshells. Add melted or soft butter to the resulting mixture, then beat everything. The resulting emulsion should resemble mayonnaise. Apply the ointment to the affected nail every evening until the external marks disappear completely. During the treatment, the nail plate will soften and peel off. To remove the affected area faster, it can be carefully cut;
- for this ointment you will need 1 tsp. combine dimethyl phthalate with 1 tbsp. l. any vinegar and vegetable oil. A raw egg is added to the thoroughly mixed ingredients and the whole mixture is beaten. The finished ointment is stored in the refrigerator and used as
clothing at night.
Other recipes with vinegar
Dilute the essence of vinegar with plain water 1: 1 and mix with flaxseed flour. Make a hard dough that resembles plasticine and wrap it in plastic. If necessary, remove a piece of dough, form a flat cake and place it on the affected nail, securing it with a bandage. The treatment is carried out for 5 days.
Treatment of nails with iodine
Another available and proven remedy is an alcoholic solution of iodine, which is an excellent antiseptic and has tanning and cauterizing properties. Its action is based on the ability to coagulate the proteins that make up the parasitic fungi.
The daily use of iodine as an antifungal agent has received good reviews. However, before treatment, it is recommended to test the skin for individual tolerance, as cases of an allergic reaction are known. To do this, simply apply a drop of the substance to the bend of your elbow and wait about a day. If itching or rash appears, this method is not suitable for you. If no changes are found on the skin, then you can safely start the treatment.
The most famous method is to simply apply a drop of iodine to the nail plate with a cotton swab twice a day.
It is especially important to ensure that the surface of the nail is completely saturated with iodine, as live fungal spores can remain in untreated areas.
After a week, a slight burning sensation may appear in the treatment area, which indicates the effectiveness of the treatment and is a sign of the destruction of the fungal colony.
Proven recipes with iodine
Other iodine-based recipes are also used at home, including various ingredients:
- Grind well dried celandine and mix with iodine to form a thick paste. Apply the resulting composition to the affected nail, cover the upper part with polyethylene and secure it overnight. To remove the nail plate, 3-5 sessions are usually enough;
- in a bowl of hot water (3 liters), dissolve a small bottle of 5% iodine solution or replace it with manganese until the liquid turns pink. Steam the nails for about 10 minutes, then dry them thoroughly and apply a penicillin bandage. The procedure is performed about 3 times and an improvement in the condition of the nail plate is observed from the first time;
- Combine iodine solution with apple cider vinegar (1: 1) and mix well. Apply to the nail plate twice a day. Continue the course of treatment for at least 20 days.
Baking soda against mold
The well-known baking soda has become widespread not only in cooking, but also in medicine. Thanks to the alkalizing properties, the alkaline reserve in the body increases and the acid-base balance is normalized. As for fungal infections, the effectiveness of baking soda is due to the alkalinization of the surface of the nail plate, which allows you to create unpleasant conditions for the reproduction and vital activity of fungal spores.
Soda bath
- For the bath you will need 2 liters of liquid (40°), baking soda (2 tablespoons) and soap (grated or liquid in the amount of 1 tablespoon). Mix all the ingredients thoroughly. Soak your toes in the solution for 20-30 minutes, then use a pumice stone or a foot file to remove the softened nail layer. Then dry your toes completely and put a clean sock on your feet. Use until the external signs of fungus on the nail plate disappear completely;
- A recipe containing half a cup of soda, 4-5 glasses of water (40°), ¼ of the same container of hydrogen peroxide and vinegar is considered a powerful remedy. If desired, you can add half a cup of Epsom salt. Once the solution is well mixed, you can steam your feet. The procedure takes about half an hour and is performed every evening.
Baking soda paste
To prepare it, you will need to prepare 2-3 teaspoons of soda, a little water and lemon. Mix the first two ingredients together until a smooth paste is formed. Apply the resulting composition to the affected nail and immediately squeeze a few drops of lemon juice. A reaction should occur, accompanied by light foaming and hissing. After a few minutes, the paste can be washed off with clean water and your feet can be dried.
To make paste, you can use another simple and affordable recipe. To prepare, you will need vegetable oil (can be replaced with tea tree oil or another type) and soda. Both ingredients are mixed together in a paste-like state, after which they are applied to the steamed nail plate. The paste on the nail is covered with polyethylene and kept overnight. In the morning, the bandage is removed, the nail is washed with water and dried.
Treatment with hydrogen peroxide
Hydrogen peroxide has a good effect against nail fungus. It can be used both as a main action and as an auxiliary. The secret of this product is its ability to destroy various pathogenic microflora. To get rid of a fungal infection on the surface of the nail, it is enough to apply a cotton pad soaked in this solution to the affected area for 2-3 months. The procedure is performed twice a day, the duration of which varies within 5 minutes.
You can also take a bath with this medicine. Hydrogen peroxide is combined with warm water (2 tablespoons: 1 l). Steam your legs in several approaches for 30 seconds with a 2-minute break.
Despite the apparent simplicity of the recipes, each of them has the amazing ability to get rid of the fungus on the nail plate. Therefore, regular implementation of such procedures will help to get rid of this insidious disease for a long time.