Fungal infection of toenails is a rather unpleasant disease. In addition to aesthetic discomfort, it negatively affects the patient's immune system. As therapeutic practice shows, medications do not always contribute to obtaining the desired result. And if we also take into account its harmful effects on the entire body, then it is worth seriously thinking about the meaning of this therapy. Therefore, a natural question arises for the carrier of the infection: how to get rid of nail fungus in order to forget about the disease forever.
Pros and cons of home therapy
I would like to immediately warn the reader that one should not expect quick results from traditional medicine recipes. The desired effect at home can only be observed after regular daily procedures for a certain period of time. It is also worth noting that nail fungus has several types, so each recipe should be selected only individually.
Home therapy has the following benefits:
- Naturalness. The medicine prepared at home contains only natural and known ingredients;
- the ability to influence various types of fungal infections. In addition to effective treatment, the home remedy not only does not have harmful effects on the body, but also allows you to strengthen protective functions;
- selection of components taking into account the individual characteristics of the body. When making a recipe, it is possible to refuse raw materials that cause allergies;
- availability. Any home remedy against fungus does not use scarce components, which allows you to avoid storing them for future use and prepare the medicine as needed.
Preparatory procedures
During treatment, hygiene must be observed, which does not allow the fungus colony to multiply. Includes daily sock changes, water procedures and use of items for personal use only. Before using external products, the affected nails are subjected to the following treatment:
- immersion of the nail plate in medicinal baths made of soap and soda solution;
- remove affected areas with a nail file, tweezers or scissors;
- application of the medicine.
Strengthening the immune system is of no small importance for the successful removal of fungal infections from the body. To do this, experts recommend taking special vitamin complexes that increase the body's protective functions.
Vinegar-based recipes
Vinegar has received good reviews against fungal infections on the nail plate. Its action is based on the inability of fungal spores to survive in an acidic environment. A prerequisite for successful treatment is the correct proportion of the medicine.
To prepare medicines at home, any type of vinegar is used: table vinegar or apple cider vinegar. The latter type is preferable, as it is prepared only from natural ingredients. You can also use vinegar essence, but diluted to the necessary concentration.
Vinegar baths
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 pleasantly warm temperature and pour into a basin. Immerse the affected fingers in the liquid and hold for 15 minutes. Do not rinse with water. For greater effect, you can wear socks soaked in vinegar overnight;
- Vinegar diluted with carrot juice 1: 1 also helps to eliminate fungi well. Heat the mixture to 40° and cook the leg in it;
- Infuse a package of dry celandine in 1 liter of table vinegar. The infusion period doesn't matter - the longer the better. Add about 5 tablespoons to the strained infusion. I. table salt and stir. Use as a hot bath for 5 minutes. To enhance the effect, the procedure is carried out several times a day.
Vinegar ointments
- Pour 100 g of vinegar essence into a fresh chicken egg. Leave in a dark place for 5 to 7 days to dissolve the eggshells. Add melted or softened butter to the resulting mixture and beat everything. The resulting emulsion should resemble mayonnaise. Apply the ointment to the affected nail every night until the external signs disappear completely. During treatment, the nail plate will soften and peel. To more quickly remove the affected area, it can be carefully cut;
- for this ointment you will need 1 tsp. combine dimethyl phthalate with 1 tbsp. I. any vinegar and vegetable oil. A raw egg is added to the well-mixed ingredients and the entire mixture is beaten. The finished ointment is stored in the refrigerator and used as
dressings at night.
Other recipes with vinegar
Dilute vinegar essence with pure water 1: 1 and mix with flaxseed flour. Knead a hard dough that resembles plasticine and wrap it in plastic. If necessary, take a piece of dough, form it into a flat cake and place it on the affected nail, fixing it on top with a bandage. The treatment is carried out for 5 days.
Nail treatment with iodine
Another available and proven remedy is an alcoholic iodine solution, which is an excellent antiseptic and has tanning and cauterizing properties. Its action is based on the ability to coagulate proteins that make up parasitic fungi.
Daily use of iodine as an antifungal agent has received good reviews. However, before treatment, it is recommended to test the skin's individual tolerance, as cases of allergic reactions are known. To do this, simply apply a drop of the substance to the crook of your elbow and wait about a day. If itching or redness occurs, this method is not suitable for you. If no changes are found on the skin, you can safely begin 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 occur in the treatment area, which indicates the effectiveness of the treatment and is a sign of destruction of the fungal colony.
Proven recipes with iodine
Other iodine-based recipes are also used at home, including several components:
- Grind the celandine very dry and mix with iodine to form a thick paste. Apply the resulting composition to the affected nail, cover with polyethylene and secure 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 your nails for about 10 minutes, then dry well and apply a penicillin bandage. The procedure is carried out about 3 times and from the first time there is an improvement in the condition of the nail plate;
- Combine the iodine solution with apple cider vinegar (1: 1) and mix well. Apply to the nail plate twice a day. Continue treatment for at least 20 days.
Baking soda against fungi
The well-known sodium bicarbonate has become widespread not only in cooking, but also in medicine. Thanks to its alkalizing properties, the body's alkaline reserve increases and the acid-base balance is normalized. As for fungal infections, the effectiveness of sodium bicarbonate is due to the alkalization of the surface of the nail plate, which makes it possible to create uncomfortable conditions for the reproduction and vital activity of fungal spores.
Soda baths
- 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 ingredients well. Soak your fingers in the solution for 20 to 30 minutes, then use a pumice stone or foot file to remove the softened layer from the nail. Then dry your toes well and place a clean sock on your foot. Use until the external signs of fungus on the nail plate disappear completely;
- A recipe containing half a cup of soda, 4-5 cups of water (40°), ¼ of the same container of hydrogen peroxide and vinegar is considered a potent remedy. You can add half a cup of Epsom salt if desired. Once the solution is mixed well, you can steam your feet. The procedure lasts about half an hour and is performed every night.
Baking soda paste
To prepare it, you will need to prepare 2-3 teaspoons of soda, some water and lemon. Mix the first two components until a homogeneous paste is formed. Apply the resulting composition to the affected nail and immediately squeeze a few drops of lemon juice into it. A reaction should occur, accompanied by slight 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. The two components are mixed until a pasty state is obtained, and then 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.
Hydrogen peroxide treatment
Hydrogen peroxide has a good effect against nail fungus. It can be used both as a main action and as an auxiliary one. 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, simply apply a cotton pad soaked in this solution to the affected area for 2 to 3 months. The procedure is carried out 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). Cook the legs in several approaches for 30 seconds with a break of 2 minutes.
Despite the apparent simplicity of the recipes, each of them has the incredible ability to eliminate fungus on the nail plate. Therefore, regular implementation of such procedures will help get rid of this insidious disease for a long time.