Thumb nail fungus (onychomycosis) always goes unnoticed.First, the infection affects the skin of the toes, then moves up to the nail and, if not detected in time, spreads throughout the foot.Even in the early stages, treatment can take 2 to 3 weeks, so it is vital to recognize the insidious fungus as early as possible.Moreover, today the disease can be cured by different methods - both pharmaceutical medicines and proven folk recipes.
Big toe fungus symptoms and stages
Both men and women are at risk of onychomycosis - those who wear tightly closed shoes, regularly visit the pool and sauna, and in summer, like to relax on public beaches.
Children suffer from onychomycosis less frequently, and after the age of 60, one in two people already has the infection.Weak immunity, chronic diseases, endocrine disorders are to blame...
Fungal infection is a disease with many faces.There are several types of fungi and each pathogen causes different symptoms.To find out if you have become a victim of a fungus, you need to take a closer look at your big toe, examine the skin around it and between your toes.
The following symptoms will indicate that it is time to treat the nail:
- the skin on the legs becomes dry and cracked;
- small bubbles filled with ichor appear between the fingers;
- thickening of the nail plate began;
- the nail became brittle, crumbled and broke;
- nails lost their shine, their usual shade and became uneven;
- yellow spots and stripes appear on the nail plate (these are dermophyte fungi);
- the nail suddenly turns green or black (mold);
- on the sides, the nail plate began to turn yellow and lag behind the skin (yeast fungi);
- The nail began to grow under the skin and cause great discomfort.
- Onychomycosis develops gradually, with each stage of the disease presenting its own symptoms.And although each pathogen also behaves differently at different stages, in general the stages of foot fungus can be represented as follows:
- Initial stage.Here the fungus barely manifests itself.Sometimes the skin on the feet itches and begins to crack, and barely noticeable spots and stripes appear on the big toenail.
- Second stage.The nail loses its healthy pink color and the plate begins to deform (on the sides and edge).
- Advanced stage.The nail plate eventually changes color, becomes thick and loose, and sometimes falls off.The skin on the toes and between the fingers is affected.At this stage, the pathogen penetrates the body, symptoms of intoxication appear.These are weakness, drowsiness, dysbiosis and weakened immunity.
Treatment with pharmaceutical medications
If you find a fungus on your thumb, self-medication is far from the best option.There are several types of this infection, and the medicine you choose may not be effective against your specific type of fungus.Therefore, it is recommended to consult a doctor who will prescribe examinations and select individual treatment.
Before treating a disease with traditional medicines, it is necessary to destroy all escape routes for the pathogen.And for this - disinfect shoes, bedding, socks.Textiles can be boiled, outdoor shoes can be cleaned from the inside with lemon, and indoor slippers should be thrown away.These methods will not only speed healing but also prevent you from infecting family members.
It will take 1 to 2 months to eliminate a fungal infection at an early stage.In advanced cases, treatment continues for up to a year or more.
Foot fungus can be successfully treated with three groups of medications:
- antimycotic varnishes;
- local preparations: ointment, cream, spray;
- medicines for oral administration.
Antimycotic varnishes for treating fungi
Antifungal varnishes are recommended initially, when the disease has not yet reached an advanced stage.
The main advantage of medicinal varnishes is their versatility.They can be used for prevention, to treat existing fungus and even to remove the diseased part of the nail.Some medications can be applied not only to the nails, but also to the painful skin of the feet.The only drawback of these funds is the high price.
Most antifungal varnishes fight several types of fungi at the same time.It takes 2 months to a year to cure all symptoms of the infection.
Creams and ointments to treat fungus
Using ointments and creams for onychomycosis is the most effective and simplest way.To completely get rid of the infection at home, it will take up to a year (depending on the stage of the disease).Doctors recommend changing the ointment (or alternating it) every 14 days, otherwise the fungus will get used to the medicine and it will not be effective.When all symptoms disappear, it is necessary to continue treatment for another 2 weeks to consolidate the effect of the medicine.
Antifungal medications for oral administration
In advanced forms of onychomycosis, there is no point in treating the disease with ointments and varnishes alone - the fungus has already penetrated the blood.In this case, the doctor prescribes antifungals and immunomodulators.
Treatment with home remedies
You can deal with big toe fungus at home, not just with pharmaceutical varnishes and ointments.In the initial stages, folk “grandmother's” methods will be quite effective.
But it is important to understand that treatment with folk remedies, although cheaper, will take longer than using antifungal varnishes and special creams and ointments.
Traditional medicine methods are widely used in the treatment of fungal infections.It is recommended to use them as additional measures to the main treatment.They cannot replace medicines.
Common recipes:
- The simplest method of treatment at home is cauterization with iodine.Simply apply iodine to the nail plate and surrounding skin with a cotton swab 2 times a day (in the morning and before bed).Don't forget: iodine dries out your skin.Therefore, every week it is better to take a short break and treat the fungus with other folk remedies.
- If you catch the infection at a very early stage, you can treat it with a proven military method - laundry soap.Just grate a bar of regular soap on a coarse grater, dilute it in a bowl of hot water and prepare a foot bath every night.Until complete recovery.
- Garlic's antibacterial properties are also great for fighting fungus.There are two garlic recipes you can use at home.The first is to rub the garlic until it becomes a paste, spread it on the sore nail, wrap it with film and put a sock on top.Take twice a week at night, antifungal course – six months.The second recipe is 2 crushed garlic cloves per 100 grams of softened butter.Use in a similar way, but every night, after washing.Use for 1-2 months.
- Treatment of big toe mycosis with folk remedies is impossible without potato peelings.We take the fresh peels, boil them, drain the water and knead them manually directly in the pan.We then transfer the legs damaged by the fungus to a basin and steam them to clean.After 15-20 minutes, wash the remaining peels with potato broth and put on clean socks.Do this every night until the fungal symptoms disappear.
Vinegar essence, lemon compresses, aspen bark baths, herbal mixture of chamomile, violet and string, celandine, etc.are also considered effective folk remedies for big toe fungus.
Removing the big toe nail
If the fungal infection has already entered the second or third stage, full treatment must necessarily include nail removal.You can remove the entire nail plate or just a part, and the new nail will be smooth, pink and healthy.
Removing the nail plate with folk remedies requires special care and precision - complete sterility must be maintained so as not to introduce a new infection.Homemade keratolytics also act in a similar way - they soften the fungus-infected nail plate and can be removed.The most popular recipes at home are soap and soda baths and birch tar compresses.
Nail removal is possible in several ways: at home, in hospitals or beauty salons.If you decide to carry out this responsible procedure, there are four options:
- keratolytic varnishes;
- special ointments and creams;
- keratolytic plaster mixtures;
- nail removal using folk remedies.
All varnishes, stickers, creams and other traditional remedies work according to the same principle.A keratolytic mixture is applied to the steamed nail (depending on the instructions daily or several times a week), sealed on top and removed after a while.It is recommended to remove patches once a day, ointment and cream - once a day or 3-4 days, varnish - weekly.In this case, the damaged part of the nail is removed along with the product.
Don't forget: nail removal is not the entire treatment.The fungus itself lives and multiplies in the nail bed, therefore, after removing the nail plate, it is necessary to treat the sore finger with other antifungal drugs.Otherwise, the infection will become more active and infect the new, growing nail.
It is much more difficult to cure the fungus than to prevent it, so prevention of fungal infection must be carried out constantly.To do this, you need to follow simple hygiene rules.You should not wear someone else's shoes, use a separate towel for your feet, only take your own shoes to the pool, sauna and spa and disinfect them regularly.Regardless of what you are wearing - shoes, boots, sneakers - shoes should be comfortable, breathable, preferably made from natural materials.
You also need to take care of your feet: cut your nails on time, prevent the nail from growing into the skin and heal all cracks and small wounds in a timely manner.Also, regularly examine your fingers for suspicious symptoms.