Fungal infection of the toenails is a rather unpleasant disease. In addition to aesthetic discomfort, it has a negative effect on the patient's immune system. As treatment practice shows, pharmaceutical drugs do not always contribute to obtaining the desired results. And if we also take into account their harmful effects on the whole body, 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 so that you can forget about the disease forever.
Pros and cons of home therapy
I would like to immediately warn readers that one should not expect quick results from traditional medicine recipes. The desired effect at home can only be seen after regular daily procedures for a certain period of time. It should also be noted that nail fungus has different types, so each recipe must be selected only individually.
Home therapy has the following benefits:
- natural characteristic. Drugs, prepared at home, include only natural and well-known ingredients;
- ability to affect various types of fungal infections. In addition to effective treatment, home remedies not only have no harmful effects on the body, but also allow you to strengthen the protective function;
- selection of components taking into account the individual characteristics of the body. When making recipes, it is possible to reject raw materials that cause allergies;
- availability. Any home remedy against fungus does not use limited components, which allows you to avoid storing it for future use and make medicine as needed.
Preparation procedure
During treatment, hygiene must be observed, which does not allow fungal colonies to multiply. It includes daily sock changes, water procedures and use of items for personal use only. Before using the external product, the affected nail is subjected to the following treatment:
- soak the nail plate in a bath of soap and soda solution;
- remove the affected area with a nail file, tweezers or scissors;
- drug use.
Strengthening the immune system is important for the successful removal of fungal infections from the body. For this purpose, experts recommend taking a special vitamin complex that improves the body's protective functions.
Vinegar-based recipes
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 medicines.
To prepare the medicine at home, any type of vinegar is used: table vinegar or apple vinegar. The latter type is better, because it is prepared only on the basis of natural ingredients. You can also use vinegar essence, but diluted to the required concentration.
Vinegar bath
This method is the easiest 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 comfortable temperature and pour into the basin. Dip the affected finger into 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 feet in it;
- Put one pack of dry celandine in 1 liter of table vinegar. The duration of the infusion is not important - the more, the better. Add about 5 tablespoons to the filtered infusion. l. table salt and stir. Use as a warm bath for 5 minutes. To increase the effect, the procedure is performed several times a day.
Ointment with vinegar
- Pour 100 g of vinegar essence into a fresh chicken egg. Leave in a dark place for 5-7 days to dissolve the eggshell. Add melted or softened butter to the resulting mixture, then beat everything. The resulting emulsion should resemble mayonnaise. Apply the ointment to the affected nails every evening until the external signs disappear completely. During the treatment, the nail plate will soften and peel. To remove the affected area more quickly, it can be carefully cut;
- for this ointment you need 1 tsp. combine dimethyl phthalate with 1 tbsp. l. any vinegar and vegetable oil. A raw egg is added to the thoroughly mixed ingredients and the whole mixture is beaten. Ready ointment is stored in the refrigerator and used as
bandages at night.
Other recipes with vinegar
Dilute vinegar essence with plain water 1: 1 and mix with flax seed flour. Knead a hard dough that resembles plasticine and wrap it in plastic. If necessary, squeeze a piece of dough, form a flat cake and place it on the affected nail, fix it with a band-aid. Treatment is carried out for 5 days.
Nail treatment with iodine
Another available and proven remedy is an alcohol solution of iodine, which is an excellent antiseptic and has tanning and burning properties. Its action is based on the ability to freeze the proteins that make up the parasitic fungus.
The daily use of iodine as an antifungal agent has received good reviews. However, before 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 about a day. If itching or redness occurs, this method is not suitable for you. If no changes are found on the skin, then you can safely start the treatment.
The most famous method is to use only one drop of iodine on the nail plate with a cotton swab twice a day.
It is very important to ensure that the nail surface is completely saturated with iodine, as live fungal spores may 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 the destruction of the fungal colony.
Proven recipe with iodine
Other iodine-based recipes are also used at home, including various components:
- Grind the dried celandine and combine it with iodine to form a thick paste. Apply the resulting composition to the affected nail, cover the top with polyethylene and leave 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 them thoroughly and apply a penicillin bandage. This procedure is carried out about 3 times and an improvement in the condition of the nail plate is observed from the first time;
- Mix iodine solution with apple cider vinegar (1: 1) and mix well. Apply to the nail plate twice a day. Continue the course of treatment for at least 20 days.
Baking soda against fungus
The famous baking soda has spread not only in cooking, but also in medicine. Thanks to its alkalizing properties, alkaline reserves in the body are increased and the acid-base balance is normalized. For fungal infections, the effectiveness of baking soda is due to the alkalinization of the surface of the nail plate, which allows you to create uncomfortable conditions for the reproduction and vital activity of fungal spores.
Bath soda
- For a shower you need 2 liters of liquid (40°), baking soda (2 tablespoons) and soap (grated or liquid in the amount of 1 tablespoon). Mix all ingredients thoroughly. Soak your toes in the solution for 20-30 minutes, then use a pumice stone or foot file to remove the soft layer of the nail. Then dry your toes thoroughly and put clean socks on your feet. Use until the external signs of fungus on the nail plate are completely gone;
- A recipe containing half a cup of soda, 4-5 cups of water (40°), ¼ of a container of hydrogen peroxide and the same vinegar is considered an effective remedy. You can add half a cup of Epsom salt if you want. After the solution is mixed, you can steam your feet. This procedure lasts about half an hour and is carried out 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 together until a homogeneous paste is formed. Apply the resulting composition on the affected nail and immediately squeeze a few drops of lemon juice. A reaction should occur, accompanied by some bubbling and hissing. After a few minutes, the paste can be washed off with clean water and your feet can be dried.
To make the paste, you can use other simple and affordable recipes. To prepare, you need vegetable oil (can be replaced with tea tree oil or other types) and soda. The two components are mixed together to a paste-like state, after which it is 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 nails are washed with water and dried.
Treatment with hydrogen peroxide
Hydrogen peroxide has a good effect on nail fungus. It can be used as a primary action and as an additional action. The secret of this product is its ability to destroy various pathogenic microflora. To get rid of fungal infections on the nail surface, it is enough to apply a cotton pad soaked in this solution to the affected area for 2-3 months. This procedure is carried out twice a day, different periods of 5 minutes.
You can also take a bath with this medicine. Hydrogen peroxide is combined with warm water (2 tablespoons: 1 l). Steam your legs in several approaches for 30 seconds with a break of 2 minutes.
Despite the obvious simplicity of the recipe, each of them has an amazing ability to get rid of fungus on the nail plate. Therefore, regular implementation of such procedures will help to get rid of this dangerous disease for a long time.