To treat nail fungus at home, you need to use special medicines.Treatment methods are different for the initial and advanced stages of the disease.Each of them can be recognized by certain symptoms.The disease itself is called onychomycosis.This should not be left to chance, because the pathology takes a long time and is difficult to treat.A special drug for nail fungus is selected depending 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.As they spread rapidly, the nail plates begin to yellow, crack, collapse and thicken.As a result of fungal growth, you can lose your nails completely.If left untreated, they will disintegrate.It is easy to get infected with fungus in public places.This is especially true for saunas, swimming pools, beaches, nail salons and fitness clubs.
What does it come from?
Most cases of infection occur through household items or shoes shared with a sick person.People with excessively sweaty feet are more prone to nail fungus.More often, foot fungus appears in adults;less common in children.The reasons for the development of the disease are:
- wearing tight shoes;
- insufficient hygiene;
- endocrine and nervous system disorders;
- weakened immune system;
- poor blood circulation in the lower extremities;
- frequent visits to places with high humidity;
- infectious chronic diseases;
- foot deformities;
- vascular diseases.
Types of nail fungus
There are several types of fungus that can affect toenails.The main ones are considered to be:
- Moldy.People who are weakened by a long illness are more likely to get sick.The nail takes on a blue, yellowish or greenish color and may even turn black.Toenail fungus can disappear completely within 1-2 months.
- yeastThe nail becomes uneven, covered with grooves and waves, turns yellow or brown.As the disease progresses, the plate remains behind the bed.At the same time, nail folds fester and thicken.
- Dermatophytes.They appear as yellow spots on the nail plate.The edges of the nail extend away from the bed.As the condition worsens, jaundice completely eats the nail.
Signs
The disease primarily affects the big toes.It destroys the nail over time.When the fungus spreads, other fingers are also affected.One feels intense itching between them.The skin begins to peel and crack.In addition, the pathology is manifested by the following symptoms:
- Discoloration of the nail plate.In its normal state, it is transparent and has a pink color.After a fungal infection, the color of the nail changes to yellow, brown or black.
- Thickening of the nail plate.Its increased keratinization occurs, so it becomes thicker.In advanced cases, it even prevents treatment.
- Fall down.In the absence of appropriate therapy, the nail plate is destroyed and completely discolored.
Stages
Symptoms of fungal infection differ depending on the stage of onychomycosis.The infection occurs quickly and the pathology can be recognized by the following symptoms:
- The first stage.It is very difficult to recognize with the naked eye.This can only be done by a doctor who can see small pale spots with several magnifications.
- The second stage.The pathology continues to progress.Small stripes and dots become all grooves.This leads to the destruction of the board.The shine of the nail plate disappears and it begins to turn yellow.
- The third stage.If you ignore the previous symptoms, you can lose your nail completely.The skin around it will be red and swollen.The nail is completely peeled off.There is an unpleasant smell in the background
How to diagnose a fungus
The external manifestations of the disease only confirm that the toenails are affected by a fungal infection.The cause of the disease can only be determined by laboratory tests.In order to prescribe adequate therapy, onychomycosis is differentiated from psoriasis, lichen planus, etc. If there are symptoms, you should consult a mycologist or dermatologist.Diagnostic methods are as follows:
- Microsporia.This is a scrap from the nail plate.To collect the material, the nail is treated with a special substance that destroys keratin.It is easier to learn the material in this form.
- Bacterial research.This involves placing the material in a nutrient medium.The causative agent of the infection is determined by the growth rate, color and shape of the colonies.This study allows to determine the sensitivity of microorganisms to drugs.
- DNA diagnostics.This method detects only areas affected by dermatophytes and candida fungi.Diagnostics are carried out with special devices, so they are expensive.
How to treat nail fungus
Depending on the clinical form of the disease, the size of the affected area and the degree of changes in the nail, the doctor prescribes 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 passes into a severe stage;
- surgical removal of the nail plate for severe or recurrent infection;
- folk remedies, for example, soda, garlic, hydrogen peroxide, birch tar ointments, tea tree oil, celandine tincture, propolis, acetic acid.
In the initial stage
Local therapy for small lesions will help to treat onychomycosis.These include peel-off patches, medicated varnishes, creams, gels, and ointments.Such drugs are effective only in the initial stage of onychomycosis.They are applied directly to the damaged nail and surrounding tissues for a long time.Sometimes it takes about a year for full recovery.
neglected mushroom
If the disease has already progressed, external remedies will be less effective.It is necessary to use drugs for internal use.This includes antimycotics in the form of tablets and capsules.They inhibit the development of the pathogen and prevent its spread.In addition, the tablets have a long-term effect, so they reduce the likelihood of reinfection.
How to treat nail fungus
Depending on the stage of the disease, the doctor prescribes certain drugs to the patients.The main groups of antifungal drugs are:
-
drugs for systemic use;
- products for topical 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
Antifungal varnishes can be used in the initial stages of the disease.They help soften the nail plate and increase the concentration of the medicinal substance in them.
Ointments and creams
The effectiveness of local drugs depends on the direct contact of the drug with the lesion.In the first stage of the disease, only such drugs are prescribed, because tablets have more side effects.
Antifungal tablets
If the signs of toenail fungus indicate an advanced stage of the disease, the doctor will prescribe more serious antifungal drugs in the form of tablets.
Laser therapy
If the toenail fungus is in an advanced stage and cannot be treated with drugs, more radical methods are used.One of the effective methods is laser therapy.When exposed to radiation, fungal spores die.In addition, the laser does not damage the surrounding tissues.Even an advanced stage of onychomycosis can be treated in 3-4 treatment procedures.
Treatment of nail fungus with folk remedies
Along with the use of drugs, the ways of treating fungus on the toenails with folk remedies should be used.This is especially true for the advanced stage of the disease.In this case, only using 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 get rid of fungus.It should be mixed with hot water in a ratio of 1:1.You need to soak your feet in this solution for about 15-20 minutes.After that, your feet should be allowed to dry completely.It is recommended to repeat the procedure every day for 2 weeks.During this time, you can see how a new nail that is not damaged by the fungus begins to grow.
Iodine
Effective treatment of toenail fungus is also carried out with the help of iodine.The course of treatment is 3 weeks.It is necessary to treat the affected nail plates with iodine every day.It is important to constantly remove the tip of the ingrown nail.This remedy for 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 keep your feet for 10 minutes.
Kombucha
Compresses are made using kombucha.To do this, it is necessary to apply a plate of this product to the painful nail, wrapped in cellophane and a bandage.You need to wear socks over it.It is better to do the procedure at night, and in the morning wash your feet under warm water, then remove the affected areas and lubricate them with iodine.Many patients report severe pain, but if you are patient, you can quickly get rid of the fungus.
Celandine
Fresh celandine should be passed through a meat grinder and juice should be extracted from the resulting pulp using 3-4 layers of cheesecloth.You need to take enough herbs to make 200 ml of liquid.200 ml of 70% alcohol is added to it and left to brew all day.After steaming the feet for 10 minutes and allowing it to dry completely, apply the prepared product to the affected areas.The course of treatment is at least 10-12 days.Nail plates should be treated 3-4 times a day.