Treatment of toenail fungus with folk remedies is a long process that can take 1 to 4 months. At the same time, it is possible for the disease to recur after some time. This is due to the high level of infectivity of the microorganisms that cause this pathology, as well as the spread of their spores in the environment where the infected person lives.
What is toenail fungus
Fungus on the nail plates of the toes is an infectious disease with a chronic form of the course, which occurs as a result of infection of this part of the limb with pathogens (fungi). In medical terminology, this pathology is referred to as onychomycosis.
It is considered a common disease that is difficult to treat with all types of therapy.On average, every 10th resident suffers from toenail fungus. The disease can turn into complex forms, completely affecting the entire surface of the nail plate, causing it to peel off and deform.
Types of toenail fungus
The treatment of toenail fungus with the help of folk remedies is a long process and a positive result can be achieved after 1-3 months. 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 table below shows the types of toenail fungus as well as a description of the pathological process:
| Type of onychomycosis | Characteristics of the disease |
| Normotrophic | The color of the nail plate changes. Elongated streaks and irregular spots may appear. At the same time, the usual shine of the nail, the transparency of the plate and its normal thickness are preserved. It is considered a mild form of the disease that responds well to treatment with traditional medicine. |
| Hypertrophic | The color of the nail changes, its shine and transparency are lost. 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 directly depends on the insemination of tissues by pathogenic microorganisms. |
| Onycholytic | This is an atrophic type of disease when the stage of nail plate deformity is complete. The nail tissue dies, which eventually leads to its rejection from the root of the bed. |
This classification of the species diversity of onychomycosis is used by dermatologists.
Also, the disease is divided according to the signs of the clinical picture, namely:
- distal - damage to the nail plate occurs only on the side of the free edge;
- laterally - the destruction of the nail develops on the side;
- proximal - mycosis destroys the tissues of the posterior spine;
- in general - the fungus has completely affected the entire nail, from its root to the front.
The type and form of the disease are determined by a specialist during the examination of the patient. Based on the results of the examination and the diagnosis, a treatment regimen is chosen. This applies to both methods of drug therapy and folk remedies.
Stages and degrees of toenail fungus
Toenail fungus, folk remedies that take a long time, is a chronic disease. Onychomycosis develops over several months, and sometimes even over many years. It depends on how strong the patient's immune system is, as well as the strain of the infectious pathogen.
Each stage of the disease is characterized by a gradual deterioration in the health of the affected tissues, namely:
- 1st stage - there is a gradual change in the color shade of the nail plate at the edges, it is possible the formation of streaks and spots of white, gray or yellow shades, other painful signs of the disease are completely absent (a person feels sharp andunpleasant yeast odor coming from the toes);
- 2nd stage - onychomycosis progresses, covering the entire area of the nail plate, whose structure begins to change from the edges to the base of the bed (the color of the diseased tissues is completely yellow or gray, there are no signs of transparency);
- Stage 3 - the last stage of the development of toenail fungus, which is characterized by complete necrosis of the affected tissues, they are deformed and rejected by the body (the appearance of local inflammation caused by detachment of the nail plate from the baseon the bed is possible).
The last stage of the disease is the most severe form of onychomycosis. After the rejection of the nail, its re-formation occurs, but in this case healthy tissues are already formed. If a person does not take measures to treat a dermatological disease and get rid of pathogenic microorganisms, then the new nail will also be infected with mycoses and destroyed to the ground.
Symptoms of toenail fungus
Toenail fungus, whose treatment with folk remedies requires regular use of home-made decoctions, tinctures and ointments, is a disease with pronounced symptoms.
Onychomycosis of this part of the body can be recognized by the following symptoms:
- reddening of the epithelial tissues located around the nail plate;
- white spots or streaks appear on the side of the nail, as well as on the front of the nail, which do not disappear during the processing of the plate or taking water procedures;
- nail plate gradually changes color, there is a loss of transparency (the pathological process develops from the edges to the center and root of the tissues);
- fungal microorganisms penetrate deep into the nail plate, destroying its structure, leading to its deformation;
- the affected nail has a yellow wrinkled shape;
- when mechanically exposed to the affected tissues, they are separated from the nail bed (this process may be accompanied by painful symptoms and secretion of ihor at the root of the nail, where it connects with the epithelial and soft tissues of the toe).
All the above symptoms are accompanied by the constant preservation of a sharp and unpleasant odor, which is similar to yeast, but is more pronounced. This sign of the disease appears even before the development of external symptoms, which indicates the gradual destruction of the tissues of the nail plate.
Causes of Toenail Fungus
Toenail fungus, whose treatment with folk remedies is based on the principle of systematic use of home remedies, can not develop on their own 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 baths, swimming pools, saunas, if a person has not used separate rubber slippers, has come into contact with a surface on which there are viable spores of fungal microorganisms;
- joint wearing of shoes by several people, when one of them has mycotic lesions on the nail plates;
- poor hygiene, occasional foot washing;
- the presence of such concomitant diseases as diabetes mellitus, varicose veins, as well as deformity of the feet, increases the risk of toenail fungus, as local immunity is reduced or a nutrient medium is created to increase the population of fungal microorganisms;
- wearing shoes made of poor quality coating that does not allow air to pass through and does not absorb water, which ultimately leads to the fact that the toes are constantly wet;
- contact of the open 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 immune status plays an important role in the development of this disease. People with strong immunity can avoid infection and further damage to the nail plate. Warm and humid environments are ideal conditions for fungal microorganisms, so this information should be taken into account when visiting beaches and other places with many people.
Diagnosis of toenail fungus
Toenail fungus, treatment with folk remedies from which begins only after a detailed examination by a dermatologist, is an infectious disease that requires careful diagnosis. This is necessary to identify the strain of fungal microorganisms and then select a treatment regimen that will be effective in a particular case.
To diagnose onychomycosis, the patient must go through the following stages of examination:
- preliminary examination by a dermatologist, who examines the appearance of the affected plate, assesses the condition of the tissues, the degree of their deformation;
- smear is performed on the surface of the epithelium located in the circumference of the nail bed (biochemical analysis is performed for a strain of fungal microorganisms, as well as the possible presence of secondary bacterial microflora);
- under the conditions of the manipulation room of the laboratory, the specialist selects part of the affected tissues to examine in more detail the fungal microorganisms and to exclude the simultaneous presence of several types of mycosis;
- In addition to the toes, an examination of the skin surface of the foot is performed to ensure that the fungal disease is localized and that there are no signs of it spreading to other parts of the lower limb.
Based on the results of an external examination, as well as on the basis of laboratory findings, the attending physician diagnoses the patient - onychomycosis, or denies the presence of pathology.
Diagnosis takes an average of 1 to 3 days. In the state hospital the services of a biochemical laboratory are free of charge, but the terms for examination of biological material can be extended up to 7-10 days.
When to see a doctor
A dermatologist should be consulted as soon as signs of nail fungus develop.The delay is fraught with worsening of symptoms and damage to large areas of the nail plate.
In addition, a person with signs of onychomycosis is a carrier of a fungal infection and also, without realizing it, spreads spores of pathogenic microorganisms in the daily conditions of his stay. In this case, infection of healthy family members with onychomycosis is not excluded.
Toenail fungus prevention
It is possible to avoid contamination of the toenails with a fungal infection, but for this simple rules of prevention must be followed daily, which will protect the lower extremities from insemination by pathogenic microorganisms.
The following actions are recommended:
- do not visit public baths, swimming pools, saunas, showers or wear individual shoes with rubber soles on your feet;
- wear only high quality leather shoes;
- follow the rules of personal hygiene, wash your feet daily with warm water and soap, wash socks;
- insist on treating family members who have signs of nail fungus but have left the disease to develop and do not seek medical help;
- during summer vacations near open water bodies, on the beach, walk only with shoes, avoiding contact of the epithelial surface of the feet and toes with sand, river mud or earth;
- wear only your own shoes;
- make sure that in the apartment or private house there are no areas for mold growth (moisture on the walls, fungi that have infected old wooden floors, sills, blackening of wallpaper in the corners).
To prevent fungal infections of the nails, it is recommended to pay special attention to strengthening the immune system.
To do this, you need to take a contrast shower every day, give up bad habits, harden the body, eat rationally, eating only biologically useful products (cereals, chicken, rabbit, turkey, beef, fresh fruits, vegetables, herbs, cottage cheese, milk, cheese, ocean fish).
Methods for treating toenail fungus
The treatment of onychomycosis is performed with the help of traditional pharmaceutical products, prescriptions of traditional medicine and is also performed by the method of surgical intervention. Each of these methods is effective at a certain stage of the disease.
Medicines
The treatment of a fungal infection is performed with drugs that have an antifungal spectrum of action.
Antifungal drugs should only be prescribed by a dermatologist. Only a specialist in this profile is able to determine which specific drug is effective in a given clinical case. In addition, when forming a treatment regimen, data from laboratory tests of collected samples of deformed or altered nail are taken into account.
Traditional methods
There are recipes for traditional medicine that allow you to get rid of a fungal infection of the toenails without the use of pharmaceuticals. To do this, use the following compresses, home ointments, tinctures and other methods:
Kombucha compress
To prepare this folk remedy, you will need to buy kombucha or grow it yourself at home. A piece of this ingredient is cut with a knife and then placed on the surface of the infected nail. The procedure is performed at night before bedtime. Kombucha is fixed to the finger with adhesive plaster. The duration of therapy is not limited by time.
Tincture of onion juice
You need to take 1 medium onion, chop it with a knife and then pour 1 tsp granulated sugar.
The future medicine is sent to the refrigerator for 24 hours. During this time, the chopped vegetables manage to release a sufficient amount of juice, which is infused and then used as a medicine. Sick nail is wiped with onion juice 3-4 times a day for 3 months, or until complete recovery.
Antiseptic solution
This product is prepared at home by mixing in equal proportions 1 teaspoon of boiled water, ethyl alcohol and garlic puree. All components are mixed until a homogeneous mass is formed. The resulting solution is used for antiseptic treatment of the nail plate at least 2 times a day. The treatment lasts at least 3-4 months.
Salt ointment for fungi
An effective antifungal that is easy to make at home. To do this, you need to take ½ teaspoon of salt, add 1 tablespoon of honey collected from herbs, and then mix all the ingredients. The result is an ointment based on honey, which contains a high concentration of mineral salt.
The product is applied to the nail plate once a day. It is best to perform the procedure at night. In the process of treatment it is necessary to observe precautions, not allowing the home remedy to get on the skin around the nail bed, and you must also protect the mucous membrane of the eye.
Homemade ointment is used until the diseased nail separates with the further formation of a healthy plate. Alternative therapies are really effective, but the only drawback of their use is the time of therapy.
The duration of their use must be at least 3 months. The initial form of fungal infection of the nail plates of the feet can be eliminated within 2 months. In this case, the course of treatment should be continuous. Skipping even one procedure can worsen tissue health.
Other methods
An alternative treatment for a fungal infection of the nails of the lower extremities is surgery. The method consists in the doctor removing the deformed nail plate.
In general, the operation is performed as follows:
- The patient comes to the operating room on his own and then lies down on the sofa or sits on a chair.
- A nurse injects a local anesthetic into a finger whose fingernail is affected by onychomycosis.
- Once the anesthetic begins to work (after 5-10 minutes), the surgeon removes the affected nail plate with forceps.
- Antiseptic treatment of the operated area is performed, a suture and a sterile bandage are applied.
Possible complications
In the absence of actions aimed at curing nail plates from fungal infection,may develop the following complications caused by pathogenic microorganisms:
- complete deformation of the nail plate with its further separation from the base of the bed;
- the spread of the fungus on healthy skin tissues located on the surface of the foot, between the toes, the transition of the disease to the nails of the upper limbs, inguinal folds;
- infection with onychomycosis of other family members who have not previously suffered from a fungal disease (children are most vulnerable because their immune system is weaker than that of adults);
- loss of the nail and termination of the process of formation of a new plate, because due to the abundance of infectious microorganisms, the integrity of its structure is initially disrupted.
Treatment of toenail fungus with folk remedies is possible, but it will require the maximum amount of effort, taking at least 3 months. time.
The main danger of onychomycosis is that the fungal microorganisms that cause damage to the nail plate are highly infectious and quickly adapt to new environmental conditions, as well as to the effects of active drug components.Therefore, treatment of the disease should begin as early as possible to prevent its transition to a complex or chronic form.