Treating toenail fungus with home remedies is a long process that can last from 1 to 4 months. At the same time, it is possible that after some time there will be a relapse of the disease. 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?
Toe nail plate fungus is an infectious disease with a chronic form of the course that occurs as a result of infection of this part of the limb with pathogens (fungi). In medical terminology, this pathology is called onychomycosis.
It is considered a common disease that is difficult to treat with all types of therapy.On average, every tenth inhabitant suffers from toenail fungus. The disease can turn into complicated forms, completely affecting the entire surface of the nail plate, causing its detachment and deformation.
Types of toenail fungus
Treating toenail fungus by using home remedies is a long process and a positive result can be achieved after 1-3 months. from the start 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 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 tone of the nail plate changes. Elongated stripes and irregular spots may appear. At the same time, the usual nail shine, the transparency of the plate and its normal thickness are preserved. It is considered a type of non-serious disease that responds well to treatment with traditional medicine. |
| Hypertrophic | The color of the nail changes, its shine and transparency are lost. A gradual deformation of the nail plate develops with the destruction of the edges. Detachment of part of the nail from the bed is possible. The degree of deformation of the plate depends directly on the insemination of tissues by pathogenic microorganisms. |
| Onycholithic | This is an atrophic type of the disease, when the stage of deformation of the nail plate is completed. The nail tissue dies, which ultimately leads to its rejection from the root of the bed. |
Dermatologists use this classification of onychomycosis species diversity.
Furthermore, the disease is divided according to the signs of the clinical picture, namely:
- distal: damage to the nail plate occurs only from the side of the free edge; lateral
- - nail destruction develops on the sides; Proximal
- : mycosis destroys the tissues of the posterior ridge;
- total: the fungus has completely affected the entire nail, from the root to the front.
The type and form of the disease are determined by a specialized specialist at the time of examination of the patient. Based on the results of the examination and diagnosis, a treatment regimen is selected. This applies to both drug therapy methods and home remedies.
Stages and degrees of toenail fungus
Toenail fungus, time-consuming treatment with home remedies, is a chronic disease. Onychomycosis develops over several months and sometimes even 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 tone of the nail plate along the edges, the formation of streaks and spots of white, gray or yellow tones is possible, other painful signsfrom the disease are completely absent (a person feels a strong and unpleasant smell of yeast coming from the toes);
- 2nd stage: onychomycosis progresses, covering the entire area of the nail plate, the structure of which begins to change from the edges to the base of the bed (the color of diseased tissues is completely yellow or gray, there are no signstransparency);
- 3rd stage: the final stage in 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 detachmentof the nail plate from the bed base is possible).
The last stage of the disease is the most severe form of onychomycosis. After rejection of the nail, its new 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, the new nail will also become infected with mycosis and will be destroyed to the ground.
Toenail fungus symptoms
Toenail fungus, the treatment of which with folk remedies requires the regular use of homemade decoctions, tinctures and ointments, is a disease with pronounced symptoms.
Onychomycosis of this part of the body can be recognized by the following symptoms:
- redness of the epithelial tissues located on the circumference of the nail plate;
- white spots or streaks appear on the sides of the nail, as well as on the side of your forehead, which do not disappear during plate machining or water intake procedures;
- the nail plate gradually changes color, there is a loss of its 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, which leads to its deformation;
- the affected nail has a yellow wrinkled shape;
- under mechanical action on the affected tissues, they separate from the nail bed (this process may be accompanied by painful symptoms and ichor discharge at the root of the nail, where it connects with the epithelial and soft tissues of the toe).
All of the above symptoms are accompanied by the constant persistence of a pungent and unpleasant odor, resembling yeast, but more pronounced. This sign of the disease appears even before external symptoms begin to develop, indicating a gradual destruction of the tissues of the nail plate.
Causes of toenail fungus
Toenail fungus, the treatment of which with folk remedies is based on the principle of systemic use of folk drugs, cannot develop on its 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 rooms, swimming pools, saunas, if a person did not wear individual rubber slippers, he came into contact with a surface on which viable spores of fungal microorganisms are present;
- joint use of shoes by several people, when one of them presents fungal lesions of the nail plates;
- poor hygiene, occasional foot washing;
- the presence of concomitant diseases such as diabetes mellitus, varicose veins and foot deformity increases the risk of toenail fungus, as local immunity decreases or a nutritional medium is created to increase the populationof fungal microorganisms;
- wearing shoes made with a poor-quality lining 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 surface of the apartment floor, if a person with onychomycosis lives in the same living conditions.
The immune status of a person plays an important role in the development of this disease. People with strong immunity can avoid infections and further damage to the nail plate. Hot and humid environments are ideal conditions for fungal microorganisms, so this information should be taken into account when visiting beaches and other crowded places.
Toenail fungus diagnosis
Toenail fungus, the treatment of which with folk remedies begins only after a detailed examination by a dermatologist, is an infectious disease that requires careful diagnosis. This is necessary to establish the strain of fungal microorganisms and then select a treatment regimen that will be effective in a particular case.
For the diagnosis of onychomycosis, the patient must go through the following stages of examination:
- preliminary 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 of the surface of the epithelium located on the circumference of the nail bed (a biochemical analysis is performed for a strain of fungal microorganisms, as well as the possible presence of secondary bacterial microflora);
- in the conditions of the laboratory handling room, the specialist selects part of the affected tissues to study fungal microorganisms in more detail and exclude the simultaneous presence of several types of mycoses;
- 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 spread 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 1 to 3 days on average. In a public hospital, the services of a biochemical laboratory are free, but the deadlines for the study of biological material can last up to 7-10 days.
When to see a doctor
A dermatologist should be consulted as soon as signs of nail fungus development have been detected.The delay is fraught with aggravation of symptoms and damage to large areas of the nail plate.
Furthermore, a person with signs of onychomycosis is a carrier of a fungal infection and also inadvertently spreads spores of pathogenic microorganisms in the everyday conditions of her residence. 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 prevention rules should 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 shoes made of genuine leather;
- observe the rules of personal hygiene, wash your feet daily with warm soapy water, wash socks;
- insists on treating family members who have signs of toenail fungus, but have allowed the disease to run its course and do not seek medical help;
- during the summer holidays 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 silt or earth;
- wear only your own shoes;
- Make sure there are no areas of mold growth in the apartment or private house (damp walls, fungus that has infected old wooden floors, baseboards, blackening of the wallpaper in the corners).
To prevent fungal nail infections, it is recommended to pay special attention to strengthening the immune system.
To do this, you need to take a contrast shower every day, abandon bad habits, harden the body, eat rationally, consuming only biologically useful products (cereals, chicken, rabbit, turkey, beef, fresh fruits, vegetables, herbs, cottage cheese, milk, cheese, sea fish).
Methods for treating toenail fungus
Onychomycosis therapy is carried out using traditional pharmaceuticals, recipes of traditional medicine, and is also carried out by the method of surgical intervention. Each of these methods is effective at a certain stage in the development of the disease.
Medications
The treatment of a fungal infection is done with drugs that have an antifungal spectrum of action.
Antifungal medications should only be prescribed by a dermatologist. Only a specialist of this profile can determine which particular drug is effective in a particular clinical case. In addition, when forming a treatment regimen, data from laboratory studies of samples collected from a deformed or altered nail are taken into account.
Traditional methods
There are traditional medicine recipes that allow you to get rid of a fungal toenail infection without the use of pharmaceutical preparations. To do this, use the following compresses, homemade ointments, tinctures, and other methods:
Kombucha compress
To prepare this folk remedy, you will need to buy a 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 done at night before going to bed. The kombucha is attached to the finger with an adhesive plaster. The timing of therapy is not limited by time.
Onion juice tincture
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 period of time, the chopped vegetable manages to release a sufficient amount of juice, which is infused and then used as a medicine. A diseased nail is cleaned with onion juice 3-4 times a day for 3 months, or until fully recovered.
Antiseptic solution
This product is prepared at home by mixing in equal proportions of 1 teaspoon. boiled water, ethyl alcohol and garlic pulp. All components are mixed until a homogeneous mass is formed. The resulting solution is used for the antiseptic treatment of the nail plate at least 2 times a day. Treatment lasts at least 3-4 months.
Mushroom salt ointment
An effective antifungal agent that is easy to prepare at home. To do this, you need to take ½ teaspoon. table salt, add 1 tbsp. l. honey collected from herbs, and then mix all the ingredients. The result is a honey-based ointment that contains a high concentration of mineral salt.
The product is applied to the nail plate once a day. It is best to do the procedure at night. In the process of treatment, it is necessary to observe precautions, not to allow home medicine to come into contact with the skin on the circumference of the nail bed, and it should also protect the mucous membrane of the eyes.
Homemade ointment is used until the diseased nail detaches with the additional formation of a healthy plaque. Alternative therapy is really effective, but the only downside to its use is the timing of therapy.
The duration of its use must be at least 3 months. The initial form of fungal infection of the nail plates of the feet can be eliminated in 2 months. In this case, the course of treatment should be continuous. Skipping even a procedure can worsen tissue health.
Other methods
An alternative treatment for a fungal nail infection of the lower extremities is surgery. The method consists in the fact that the attending physician removes the deformed nail plate.
In general, surgery is carried out as follows:
- The patient arrives independently at the operating room and then lies down on the sofa or sits in a chair.
- A nurse injects a local anesthetic into a finger, whose nail is affected by onychomycosis.
- Once the anesthesia has started to work (after 5-10 minutes), the surgeon removes the affected nail plate with tweezers.
- An antiseptic treatment of the operated area is performed, suture material and a sterile dressing are applied.
After the surgery is completed, the patient is transferred to his ward in the surgery department, where he receives further antifungal drug therapy. The average duration of complete wound site healing is 7-10 days. Within 1 month. A new nail plate grows that, as long as the treatment process is well organized, does not show signs of fungus.
Possible complications
In the absence of actions aimed at curing the nail plates from a fungal infection,can develop the following complications caused by pathogenic microorganisms:
- complete deformation of the nail plate with its further detachment from the base of the bed;
- the spread of the fungus to healthy skin tissues located on the surface of the foot, between the fingers, the transition of the disease to the nails of the upper extremities, inguinal folds;
- infection with onychomycosis in other family members who have not previously suffered from a fungal disease (children are the most vulnerable, because their immune systems are weaker than adults);
- loss of the nail and the termination of the process of the formation of a new plaque, since due to the abundance of infectious microorganisms, the integrity of its structure is initially violated.
Treating toenail fungus with home remedies is possible, but this will require the maximum amount of effort, of 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 rapidly adapt to new environmental conditions, as well as to the effects of the active components of drugs.
That is why the treatment of the disease should begin as soon as possible to avoid its transition to a complicated or chronic form of the course.