Currently, medicine has reached such a level that properly selected drugs can cope with any type of mold. But many people do not trust science and prefer to treat toenail fungus with folk remedies. And they get it wrong: illiterate treatment does not eradicate pathogens; at best, it slightly slows their growth.
If you want to use traditional medicine methods at home, they should be used only as an additional treatment to complex therapy and only after consulting a doctor.
Characteristics of mushrooms
The difficulty in treating foot fungus is that there are several thousand species of these pathogenic organisms in the world, many of which can live and develop successfully on human skin.Fungal spores are very stable, they quickly take root in the epidermis, penetrating the deep layers of the skin; they can only be destroyed by drugs intended for their species.Moreover, the treatment cannot be stopped until the pathogens are completely destroyed: if even a spore survives, the likelihood of relapse is high.
Therefore, it is not enough to go to the doctor, but you should also undergo tests that will determine the type of fungus on the feet. Only in this case the doctor can prescribe the right treatment: even effective medicines for foot fungus will be ineffective if they aim to eradicate another type of pathogen and the fight will last for many years.
These times can be significantly reduced if you detect toenail fungus in time and immediately start the treatment of toenail fungus at home: in this case, the toenail fungus can disappear within two months. Although the disease develops quickly, it allows time to detect and take countermeasures. Therefore, it is very important to know which symptoms that signal the development of fungi you should pay attention to.
Symptoms of the disease
In the initial stage, when the fungus affects only the feet and toes, peeling and redness are observed in the places where it managed to take place. After some time, these areas start to itch and itch and sometimes small watery blisters may appear. These symptoms should not be ignored: you should go to the doctor immediately. With proper treatment, athlete's foot can be permanently eliminated within two months using antifungal creams and anti-fungal polish.
If the moment is lost and the disease is not treated, the next stage will be damage to the nail, the color of which will begin to change gradually and eventually become yellow, green or even black, after which it will begin to peel off. crumbles and leaves the finger. In this case, simple ointments cannot be used for treatment and time must be devoted to the treatment of the nail plate.
This means that the nail must be cut almost to the root, and the upper layer of the affected plate must be removed, after which it will be necessary to apply an antifungal spray to the nail, which, having penetrated the plate, will begin to destroy the fungal spores. When this varnish dries, it blocks the entry of air into the fungus, which pathogens need for normal development.
If you miss this moment and do not start the treatment of foot fungus in time, longitudinal or wavy lines appear on the nail plate, the nail bends and changes shape. At this stage, it is the most difficult to treat the fungus, and therefore it is necessary not only to apply cream and spray to the skin, but also to take pills that can cause problems in the digestive system.
Such treatment is necessary because fungi tend not only to spread on the skin of the feet, capturing more and more new areas, but also its toxins, entering the bloodstream, negatively affect the functioning of many organsand systems.
Vinegar bath
Traditional medicine can also help fight the disease. But they must be used wisely, otherwise they can cause harm. Traditional methods can be used effectively in preparing the feet for treatment with medications. First of all, this applies to baths: before applying ointment or spray, the skin of the feet should be steamed and the scales of the slip should be removed as much as possible using pumice.
This will allow therapeutic agents to better penetrate the skin and have a more effective effect on the fungus. To make them go away more effectively, many reviews advise applying salicylic petroleum jelly to the affected areas twice a day.
The simplest way, but according to reviews, a very effective popular method is a bath with vinegar: the acidic environment negatively affects the fungal spores and they die. To use this method, according to the recipe, you need to mix a solution of 9% vinegar with very warm water in proportions from one to eight (for men who have rougher skin on the feet and thicker nails, you can use threeto eight), then dip your feet in the water. Boil it for about ten to fifteen minutes, then start treating the skin.
To treat toenail fungus at home, you can choose a different sequence: first, simply steam your feet, trim the affected skin as much as possible without injuring it, and only then soak your feet in a vinegar solution. At the end of the procedure, wipe your feet dry and apply the medicine (ointment and varnish).
For a more effective result, you can take a bath with vinegar and celandine. To do this, pour two tablespoons of celandine with water, boil for about 15 minutes, let it brew, add vinegar before steaming your feet.
Other uses of vinegar
You can use vinegar to treat athlete's foot at home using another method. If it suddenly turns out that the oil for mushrooms has suddenly run out and there is no way to get it, you can prepare a medicine based on it. This is necessary so that the fungal spores do not feel "free" and do not become active again. True, it is not a medicine, so in the first case you should buy the medicine prescribed by your doctor.
To prepare a medicine for the treatment of fungi, you can use the following recipe: mix a teaspoon of vegetable oil with the same amount of vinegar, add the antifungal medicine dimethyl ester of ortho-phthalic acid, mix and apply to the affected skin. After that, wrap your feet in plastic, put on clean socks, and finally the product should be absorbed into the skin.
You can also make a compress using another method: mix three whites or one tablespoon of glycerin with two large spoons of vodka and 70% vinegar in the same amount as vodka. After steaming and treating your feet, soak cotton wool in the product, apply it to the affected skin of your feet and wrap it in polyethylene. Leave it for no more than half an hour, as the product is very concentrated. For the same reason, the method cannot be used in the presence of small cracks.
The benefits of propolis
Many claim that they managed to get rid of fungus at home thanks to an alcohol tincture of propolis, which is considered a natural antibiotic and has fungicidal, bactericidal and bacteriostatic properties. Propolis is able to relieve itching, stop the inflammatory process and prevent fungi from infecting healthy areas of the skin.
To prepare an alcohol solution yourself, you need to mix 20 g of propolis with 80 ml of medical alcohol and let it brew for a week. To treat foot fungus with propolis, you should apply a cotton swab soaked in propolis solution to the affected skin every day, securing it with a bandage. This should be done several times during the day.
Propolis ointment helps to remove fungi. To do this, melt 100 g of any fat (butter, petroleum jelly, pork or fish oil) in a water bath, add 30 g of crushed propolis and cook over low heat, stirring for about half an hour. Strain and apply to skin in the evening, after steaming your feet (more often if desired). Keep in the refrigerator.
Iodine and garlic
Another effective way that helps cure toenail fungus at home is a 5% iodine solution. It can be used if for some reason antifungal spray cannot be taken. It is not an equivalent substitute, but it is able to stop and even destroy fungal spores. Therefore, it is better to buy anti-fungal spray in the first case (if only because the iodine is not able to harden and block the air access to the fungal spores).
To apply iodine, you should carefully treat the affected nails once a day for two weeks.Before doing this, do not forget to treat the surface of the nail with a nail file so that the iodine has the opportunity to penetrate deeper into the plate. When using this method, it is necessary to take into account that a burning sensation is possible during the procedure.
Garlic is good against mold. It can be used in different ways: not only applied to the skin externally, but also taken internally (this helps strengthen the immune system). You can prepare garlic using different recipes.
A pulp compress will help cure toenail fungus. To use this method, you need to crush a few cloves of garlic in a garlic press or grate them on a fine grater. After that, put the paste on the nail, taking care not to end up on the skin, fix it with a bandage in two or three layers, wrap it in cellophane and wear cotton socks. You should make a compress with garlic at night, remove it in the morning, wash your feet under running water, apply antifungal cream and, if necessary, spray.
If you don't want to make an overnight antifungal compress, you can apply the paste to your nails after steaming and cleaning them. Keep it for 10-15 minutes until it dries, do not walk during this time. Use this method two to three times a day.
To treat fungus, you can use garlic solution with alcohol. To do this, mix medical alcohol, garlic juice and water in equal proportions. Leave it for at least two days, treat the nails twice a day. How long it will take to cure athlete's foot with garlic depends on how long the treatment was started. Also, don't forget to use antifungal ointments and sprays.