Treatment of nail fungus with folk remedies is a long time that can last from 1 to 4 months. At the same time, it is possible that the disease will recur after a while. This is due to the high level of infection of microorganisms that cause this pathology, as well as the spread of spores in the environment of the infected person.
What is nail fungus
Fungus of the nail plates on the toes is a chronic infectious disease that occurs as a result of infection of this part of the joint with pathogens (fungi). In medical terminology, this pathology is defined as onychomycosis.
It is a common disease that is difficult to treat with any therapy.On average, every 10th resident suffers from nail fungus. The disease can become complex, affecting the entire surface of the nail plate, causing it to separate and deform.
Nail fungus species
The use of folk remedies for nail fungus is a long time, and after 1-3 months a positive result can be achieved. from the beginning of therapy. The variety of mycosis is also of great importance, the development of which has led to the defeat of all or part of the nail plate.
The following table describes the types of nail fungus and the pathological process:
| Onychomycosis type | Characteristics of the disease |
| Normotrophic | The color shade of the nail plate changes. Stretching streaks and irregular spots may appear. At the same time, the normal shine of the nail, the transparency and normal thickness of the board are preserved. It is a non-serious disease that responds well to treatment with traditional medicine. |
| Hypertrophic | The nail changes color, loses its shine and transparency. Gradual deformation of the nail plate develops with the destruction of the edges. It is possible to separate part of the nail from the bed. The degree of deformation of the plate is directly related to the fertilization of tissues by pathogenic microorganisms. |
| Onycholytic | This is a type of atrophic disease when the nail plate deformation phase is over. The nail tissue dies, resulting in the rejection of the root of the bed. |
The classification of this type of onychomycosis is used by dermatologists.
In addition, the disease is divided according to the symptoms of the clinical picture:
- distal - damage to the nail plate occurs only on the free edge;
- lateral - destruction of the nail develops on the sides;
- proximal - mycosis destroys the tissues of the posterior ridge;
- total - completely affected the entire nail from the root of the fungus to the front.
The type and form of the disease is determined by a specialist during the examination of the patient. Based on the results of the examination and diagnosis, a treatment regimen is selected. This applies to both drug treatment methods and folk remedies.
Stages and degrees of nail fungus
Nail fungus is a chronic disease treated with long-term folk remedies. Onychomycosis develops for several months, sometimes even years. It depends on how strong the patient's immune system is, as well as the intensity of the infectious pathogen.
Each stage of the disease is characterized by a gradual deterioration in the health of the affected tissues:
- Stage 1 - a gradual change in color along the edges of the nail plate, the formation of white, gray or yellow streaks and spots is possible, there are no other painful symptoms of the disease (a sharp and unpleasant from the human toes)feels a yeast odor);
- Stage 2 - onychomycosis progresses, covering the entire area of the nail plate, the structure of which begins to change from the edges to the bottom of the bed (the color of the diseased tissue is completely yellow or gray, there are no signs of transparency);
- Stage 3 - the final stage in the development of nail fungus, characterized by complete necrosis of the affected tissues, is deformed and rejected by the body (the appearance of local inflammation resulting from the separation of the nail plate is possible at the base of the bed).
The last stage of the disease is the most severe form of onychomycosis. After the nail is rejected, it regenerates, but in this case, healthy tissue is already formed. If a person does not take measures to treat the dermatological disease and get rid of pathogenic microorganisms, the new nail will be infected with mycoses and will be destroyed.
Signs of nail fungus
Nail fungus is a disease with obvious symptoms, which requires regular use of home-made decoctions, tinctures and ointments treated with folk remedies.
Onychomycosis of this part of the body is characterized by the following symptoms:
- redness of the epithelial tissues around the nail plate;
- White spots or streaks appear on the sides of the nail, as well as on the edge of the forehead, which do not disappear during the processing of the board or water procedures;
- nail plate gradually changes color, loses transparency (pathological process develops from the edges of the tissues to the center and root);
- fungal microorganisms penetrate deep into the nail plate, destroying its structure, which leads to deformation;
- The affected nail has a yellow wrinkled shape;
- are separated from the nail bed by mechanical action on the affected tissues (this process may be accompanied by painful symptoms and secretion of icorus at the root of the nail, where the finger is connected to the epithelium and soft tissues).
All of the above symptoms are accompanied by the persistence of a sharp and unpleasant odor that resembles yeast, but appears more pronounced. This symptom of the disease also appears before the onset of external symptoms, which indicates the gradual destruction of the nail plate tissue.
Causes of nail fungus
Folk remedies The fungus on the toenails, based on the principle of systematic use of home remedies, can not grow spontaneously without the influence of a number of factors.
Onychomycosis infection is possible in the following cases:
- As a result of visiting public showers, baths, steam rooms, swimming pools, saunas, a person came into contact with a surface containing live spores of fungal microorganisms, unless he used individual rubber slippers;
- when one person has mycotic lesions on the nail plates, several people wear shoes together;
- poor hygiene, occasional foot washing;
- The presence of diseases such as diabetes, varicose veins, as well as deformities of the feet, increases the risk of nail fungus, as local immunity is reduced or a nutrient environment is created to increase the population of fungal microorganisms;
- Wearing shoes that do not allow air to pass through the poor quality cover and do not absorb water, as a result, the toes are constantly wet;
- contact of the exposed part of the foot or nail with the floor surface in the apartment, if a person with onychomycosis lives in the same living conditions.
A person's immunity plays an important role in the development of this disease. People with strong immunity are more likely to avoid infection and more damage to the nail plate. A warm and humid environment is an ideal condition for fungal microorganisms, so this information should be taken into account when visiting beaches and other densely populated areas.
Diagnosis of nail fungus
Nail fungus is an infectious disease that requires treatment with folk remedies only after a thorough examination by a dermatologist. It is necessary to create a strain of fungal microorganisms and then choose a treatment regimen that will be effective in a particular situation.
To diagnose onychomycosis, a patient must go through the following stages of examination:
- Initial examination by a dermatologist, who examines the appearance of the affected plaque, assesses the condition of the tissues, the degree of deformation;
- a smear is made from the surface of the epithelium around the nail bed (biochemical analysis for a single strain of fungal microorganisms, as well as the presence of secondary bacterial microflora is possible);
- In the laboratory's manipulation room, the specialist selects a portion of the affected tissue to study the fungal microorganisms in more detail and to rule out the presence of several types of mycoses at the same time;
- In addition to the toes, the skin surface of the foot is examined to make sure that the fungal disease is localized and that there are no signs of spread to other parts of the lower extremity.
Based on the results of external examination and laboratory tests, the attending physician diagnoses the patient - denies the presence of onychomycosis or pathology.
Diagnosis takes an average of 1 to 3 days. The services of a biochemical laboratory at a public hospital are free, but the conditions for studying biological material can take up to 7-10 days.
When to see a doctor
A dermatologist should be consulted as soon as signs of nail fungus develop.Delay is fraught with aggravation of symptoms and damage to large areas of the nail plate.
In addition, a person with symptoms of onychomycosis is a carrier of a fungal infection and unknowingly spreads spores of pathogenic microorganisms in his daily life. In this case, onychomycosis of healthy family members is not excluded.
Prevention of nail fungus
It is possible to prevent contamination of the toenails with fungal infections, but it is necessary to follow simple prevention rules that will protect the daily muscles from fertilization by pathogenic microorganisms.
The following actions are recommended:
- Do not visit public baths, swimming pools, saunas, showers or wear shoes with separate rubber soles;
- Wear only high-quality shoes made of genuine leather;
- follow the rules of personal hygiene, wash your feet every day with warm soap and water, wash socks;
- insists on treating family members who have symptoms of nail fungus, but allow the disease to continue and do not seek medical attention;
- During summer vacations, walk near open water pools, on the beach, only in shoes, avoid contact of the epithelial surface of the feet and toes with sand, river mud or soil;
- just wear your own shoes;
- Make sure there are no areas of mold growth in the apartment or private house (moisture on the walls, old wooden floors, fungus on the baseboards, darkening of the wallpaper in the corners).
It is recommended that you pay special attention to strengthening your immune system to prevent fungal infections on the nails.
To do this, you need to take a contrast shower every day, give up bad habits, harden the body, eat rationally, only biologically useful products (cereals, chicken, rabbit, turkey, veal, fresh fruits, vegetables, herbs, cottage cheese, milk, cheese, ocean fish).
Nail fungus treatment methods
Treatment of onychomycosis is carried out using traditional medicines, traditional medical prescriptions, and also by surgical intervention. Each of these methods is effective at a certain stage of the disease.
Medications
Fungal infections are treated with drugs with a spectrum of antifungal effects.
Antifungal medications should only be prescribed by a dermatologist. Only a specialist in this profile can determine which drug is effective in a particular clinical situation. In addition, when establishing a treatment regimen, laboratory test data from collected samples of a deformed or altered nail are taken into account.
Traditional methods
There are traditional medical recipes that allow you to get rid of fungal infections of the nails without the use of pharmaceutical drugs. To do this, use the following compresses, homemade ointments, tinctures and other methods:
Kombucha kompres
To prepare this folk remedy, you need to buy a kombucha or grow it yourself at home. Part of this ingredient is cut with a knife and then placed on the surface of the infected nail. The procedure is performed before going to bed at night. The kombucha is fixed to the finger with an adhesive plaster. The duration of therapy is not limited in time.
Onion Juice Tincture
Take 1 medium onion, chop it with a knife and then pour 1 tsp. sugar.
The next medicine is sent to the refrigerator 24 hours a day. During this time, the chopped vegetables release a sufficient amount of juice, which is then brewed and then used as medicine. The patient's nail is wiped with onion juice 3-4 times a day for 3 months or until complete recovery.
Antiseptic solution
This product is made at home by mixing 1 teaspoon in equal proportions. boiled water, ethyl alcohol and garlic pulp. All components are mixed until a homogeneous mass is formed. The resulting solution is used for antiseptic treatment of nail plate at least 2 times a day. The treatment lasts at least 3-4 months.
Salt ointment for mushrooms
An effective antifungal agent that is easy to prepare at home. To do this you need to take ½ teaspoon. Add salt, 1 tbsp. l. honey collected from herbs and then mix all ingredients. The result is a honey-based ointment with a high content of mineral salts.
The product is applied to the nail plate once a day. It is best to perform the procedure at night. During treatment, you need to take precautions and protect the mucous membranes of the eyes, not allowing home remedies to get on the skin around the nail bed.
Homemade ointment is used until the diseased nail separates to form a healthier plaque. Alternative therapy is really effective, but the only drawback of its use is the timing of therapy.
Shelf life should be at least 3 months. The initial form of fungal infection of the toenails can be eliminated within 2 months. In this case, the course of treatment should be continuous. Even skipping a procedure can worsen tissue health.
Other Methods
An alternative treatment for fungal infections of the nails of the lower extremities is surgery. The method involves the attending physician removing a deformed nail plate.
In general, the operation is as follows:
- The patient comes to the operating room independently and then lies down on the couch or sits in a chair.
- A nurse injects a local anesthetic into a finger affected by onychomycosis.
- After the anesthesia starts (5-10 minutes later), the surgeon removes the affected nail plate with forceps.
- The operative area is treated with antiseptic, sutures and sterile dressings are applied.
After the surgery, the patient is transferred to the surgical department, where he is treated with antifungal drugs. The complete healing time of the wound area is between 7 and 10 days. Within 1 month. Properly organized treatment process, provided that there are no signs of fungus, a new nail plate grows.
Possible complications
In the absence of measures to treat nail plates from fungal infections,may develop the following complications caused by pathogenic microorganisms:
- complete deformation of the nail plate with more separation from the bottom of the bed;
- the fungus spreads to healthy skin tissues located on the surface of the foot, between the toes, the disease spreads to the nails and groin of the upper extremities;
- infection with onychomycosis of other family members who have not previously suffered from fungal disease (children are the most susceptible because the immune system is weaker than adults);
- nail loss and the end of the process of forming a new plaque, because due to the abundance of infectious microorganisms, the integrity of the structure is initially compromised.
It is possible to treat nail fungus with folk remedies, but it requires maximum effort to spend at least 3 months. time.
The main danger of onychomycosis is that fungal microorganisms that damage the nail plate are highly contagious and adapt quickly to new environmental conditions, as well as the effects of active drug components.
Therefore, treatment of the disease should begin as early as possible to prevent it from becoming complex or chronic.