Fungal infection of the toenails is a rather unpleasant disease. In addition to aesthetic discomfort, it negatively affects the patient's immune system. As the practice of treatment shows, pharmaceutical drugs do not always contribute to achieving the desired result. And if we take into account their harmful effect on the whole organism, then it is worth thinking seriously about the meaning of such therapy. Therefore, a natural question arises for the carrier of the infection: how to get rid of toenail fungus in order to forget about the disease forever.
Advantages and disadvantages of home therapy
I immediately warn the reader that he should not expect quick results from the recipes of traditional medicine. The desired effect at home can be seen only after regular daily procedures for a certain period of time. It is also worth noting that nail fungus has different types, so each recipe must be chosen only on an individual basis.
Home therapy has the following benefits:
- naturalness. The medicine, prepared at home, includes only natural and well-known ingredients;
- the ability to act on different types of fungal infections. In addition to effective treatment, the home remedy not only does not have a harmful effect on the body, but also allows you to strengthen the 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 for future use and make the remedy as needed.
Preparatory procedures
During the treatment, it is necessary to observe hygiene that does not allow the reproduction of the fungal colony. It includes a daily change of socks, water procedures and the use of items for personal use only. Before using external products, the affected nails are subject to the following treatment:
- soaking the nail plate in medicinal baths of soap and soda solution;
- removal of affected areas with a nail file, tweezers or scissors;
- drug administration.
Strengthening the immune system is of great importance for the successful removal of fungal infections from the body. For this purpose, experts recommend taking special vitamin complexes that increase the protective functions of the body.
Recipes based on vinegar
Vinegar has received good reviews against fungal infections of 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 drug.
Any type of vinegar can be used to prepare the medicine at home: table or apple cider vinegar. The latter type is preferable, because it is prepared only on the basis of natural ingredients. You can also use vinegar essence, but diluted to the required concentration.
Vinegar baths
This method is the simplest and most comfortable way to remove 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 it into the pot. Dip the affected fingers in the liquid and hold for 15 minutes. Do not rinse with water. For a greater effect, you can wear socks soaked in vinegar overnight;
- Vinegar diluted with carrot juice 1: 1 also helps to get rid of fungus well. Heat the mixture to 40° and steam the leg in it;
- Pour a packet of dried celandine into 1 liter of table vinegar. The infusion period does not matter - the longer the better. Add about 5 tablespoons to the strained infusion. l. table salt and stir. Use as a warm bath for 5 minutes. To enhance the effect, the procedure is performed several times a day.
Fats with vinegar
- Pour 100 g of vinegar essence into a fresh chicken egg. Leave in a dark place for 5-7 days for the eggshells to melt. Add melted or soft butter to the resulting mixture, then whisk everything together. The resulting emulsion should resemble mayonnaise. Apply the ointment to the affected nail every evening until the external signs disappear completely. During the treatment, the nail plate will soften and peel off. To remove the affected area more quickly, it can be carefully cut;
- for this fat you will need 1 tsp. mix dimethyl phthalate with 1 tbsp. l. any vinegar and vegetable oil. A raw egg is added to the well-mixed ingredients and the whole mixture is whipped. The finished fat is stored in the refrigerator and used as
lining at night.
Other recipes with vinegar
Dilute the vinegar essence with plain water 1: 1 and mix it with flax flour. Knead a firm dough that resembles plasticine and wrap it in plastic. If necessary, tear off a piece of dough, form a flat cake and place it on the affected nail, fix it on top with a band-aid. The treatment is carried out for 5 days.
Nail treatment with iodine
Another available and proven remedy is an alcoholic solution of iodine, which is an excellent antiseptic and has tanning and cauterizing properties. Its action is based on the ability to coagulate the proteins that make up the parasitic fungi.
Daily use of iodine as an antifungal agent has received good reviews. However, before the treatment, it is recommended to test the skin for individual tolerance, as cases of allergic reactions are known. To do this, just apply a drop of the substance to the crook of your elbow and wait for 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 start the treatment.
The best-known method is to simply apply one 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 on 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 the destruction of the fungal colony.
Proven recipes with iodine
Other iodine-based recipes are used at home, including various components:
- Grind well-dried celandine and mix it with iodine to make a thick paste. Apply the resulting composition to the affected nail, cover the tip with polyethylene and fix it overnight. 3-5 sessions are usually enough to remove the nail plate;
- dissolve a small bottle of 5% iodine solution or replace it with manganese in a container of hot water (3 liters) until the liquid turns pink. Steam your nails for about 10 minutes, then dry them well and apply a penicillin bandage. The procedure is carried out about 3 times and from the first time an improvement in the condition of the nail plate is observed;
- Mix 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 fungus
The famous baking soda became widespread not only in cooking, but also in medicine. Thanks to its alkalizing properties, the alkaline reserve in the body increases and the acid-base balance is normalized. As for fungal infections, the effectiveness of baking soda is a consequence of alkalizing the surface of the nail plate, which allows you to create unpleasant conditions for the reproduction and vital activity of fungal spores.
Soda baths
- For a bath, you will need 2 liters of liquid (40°), baking soda (2 spoons) and soap (grated or liquid in the amount of 1 spoon). Mix all the ingredients well. Soak your toes in the solution for 20-30 minutes, then use a pumice stone or foot file to remove the softened nail layer. Then dry your toes well and put 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 powerful remedy. If desired, you can add half a cup of Epsom salt. After the solution is mixed well, you can steam your feet. The procedure takes about half an hour and is performed every evening.
Baking soda paste
To prepare it, you need to prepare 2-3 teaspoons of soda, a little 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. There should be a reaction, accompanied by a slight foaming and hissing sound. After a few minutes, you can wash off the paste with clean water and dry your feet.
You can use another simple and affordable recipe to prepare the paste. For preparation, you will need vegetable oil (it can be replaced with tea tree oil or another type) and soda. The two components are mixed to a paste-like state, after which they are 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, and the nail is washed with water and dried.
Treatment with hydrogen peroxide
Hydrogen peroxide has a good effect against nail fungus. It can be used both as a main and as an auxiliary action. 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, it is enough to apply a cotton pad soaked in this solution to the affected area for 2-3 months. The procedure is performed twice a day, and the duration varies within 5 minutes.
You can also bathe with this medicine. Hydrogen peroxide is mixed with warm water (2 spoons: 1 l). Steam your legs in several sets of 30 seconds with a 2-minute break.
Despite the apparent simplicity of the recipes, each of them has an incredible ability to get rid of the fungus on the nail plate. Therefore, regular implementation of such procedures will help to get rid of this insidious disease for a long time.