Treatment of nail fungus on the big toe

Fungi on the thumbnail (onychomycosis) always creep in unnoticed.The infection first affects the skin of the toes, then crawls to the nail and, if not detected in time, spreads throughout the entire foot.Even in the initial stages, treatment can take 2-3 weeks, so it is important to detect the insidious fungus as early as possible.In addition, today the disease can be cured using various methods - both medicines and proven folk recipes.

Symptoms and stages of big toe fungus

Both men and women are at risk of onychomycosis - those who wear tight closed shoes, regularly visit swimming pools and saunas and like to relax on public beaches in summer.

Children are the least likely to develop onychomycosis; after 60 years, one in two people already have the infection.This is due to weak immunity, chronic diseases and endocrine disorders...

A fungal infection is a disease with many faces.There are different types of fungi and each pathogen causes different symptoms.To understand whether you have become a victim of a fungus, you need to take a closer look at your big toe and examine the skin around and between the toes.

The following symptoms indicate that it is time to treat the nail:

• the skin on the legs becomes dry and cracked;
• Small blisters filled with wound secretions appear between the fingers.
• the thickening of the nail plate began;
• the nail has become brittle, crumbles and breaks;
• nails have lost their shine, their usual shade and have become uneven;
• Yellow spots and stripes appear on the nail plate (these are dermophyte fungi);
• the nail suddenly turns green or black (mold);
• on the sides, the nail plate began to turn yellow and lag behind the skin (yeast fungi);
• The nail began to grow under the skin and caused severe discomfort.
• Onychomycosis develops gradually, with each stage of the disease presenting its own symptoms.And although each pathogen behaves differently in different stages, the stages of athlete's foot can generally be represented as follows:
1. Early stage.The fungus hardly shows itself here.Sometimes the skin of the feet itches and begins to crack, and barely noticeable spots and streaks form on the big toenail.
2. Second stage.The nail loses its healthy pink color and the plate begins to deform (on the sides and edge).
3. Advanced stage.The nail plate eventually changes color, becomes thick and loose, and sometimes falls off.The skin of the toes and between the toes is affected.At this stage, the pathogen penetrates the body, causing symptoms of poisoning to occur.These are weakness, drowsiness, dysbiosis, weakened immunity.

Treatment with medicines

If you discover a fungus on your thumb, self-medication is far from the best option.There are different types of this infection, and the medication you choose may not be effective against your specific type of fungus.Therefore, it is recommended to consult a doctor who will prescribe tests and select an individual course of treatment.

Before treating an illness with conventional medicines, it is necessary to destroy all escape routes for the pathogen.And disinfect shoes, bed linen and socks.Textiles can be boiled, the inside of outdoor shoes can be wiped with lemon and slippers should be thrown away.These methods not only speed up healing, but also prevent you from infecting family members.

It takes 1-2 months to clear an early stage fungal infection.In advanced cases, treatment lasts up to a year or even longer.

Athlete's foot can be successfully treated with three groups of medications:

• antifungal varnishes;
• local preparations: ointment, cream, spray;
• Medications for oral administration.

Antifungal varnishes for the treatment of fungi

Antifungal varnishes are initially recommended if the disease is not yet advanced.

The main advantage of medical varnishes is their versatility.They can be used for prevention, treatment of existing fungus and even removal of the diseased part of the nail.Some medications can be applied not only to the nail, but also to the sore skin of the feet.The only disadvantage of these funds is their high price.

Most antifungal varnishes fight several types of fungi at the same time.It takes 2 months to a year to cure all symptoms of the infection.

Creams and ointments for the treatment of fungus

Using ointments and creams for onychomycosis is the most effective and easiest way.To completely get rid of the infection at home, it may take up to a year (depending on the stage of the disease).Doctors recommend changing (or alternating) the ointment every 14 days, otherwise the fungus will get used to the medicine and there will be no effect.If all symptoms have disappeared, you need to continue treatment for another 2 weeks to consolidate the effect of the drug.

Antifungal drugs for oral administration

In advanced forms of onychomycosis, treatment with ointments and varnishes alone is pointless - the fungus has already penetrated the blood.In this case, the doctor prescribes antifungal drugs and immunomodulators.

Treatment with home remedies

Big toe fungus cannot only be combated at home with pharmaceutical varnishes and ointments.In the early stages, folk “grandmother” methods will be very effective.

However, it is important to understand that treatment with folk remedies, although cheaper, takes more time than using antifungal varnishes and special creams and ointments.

Traditional medicine methods are often used to treat fungal infections.They are recommended to be used as additional measures to the main treatment.They cannot replace medication.

Common recipes:

• The simplest home treatment method is cauterization with iodine.All you need to do is apply iodine to the nail plate and surrounding skin with a cotton swab twice a day (morning and before bed).Remember: Iodine dries out your skin.Therefore, it is better to take a short break every week and treat the fungus with other folk remedies.
• If you catch the infection in its very early stages, you can treat it with a tried-and-true army method - laundry soap.We simply grate a regular bar of soap on a coarse grater, dilute it in a bowl of hot water and arrange foot baths every evening.Until full recovery.
• The antibacterial properties of garlic are also great for fighting fungi.There are two garlic recipes you can use at home.The first is to rub the garlic until it forms a paste, spread it on the sore nail, wrap it with foil and put a sock over it.Do it 2 times a week at night, antifungal course – six months.The second recipe consists of 2 cloves of crushed garlic per 100 grams of softened butter.Use in a similar manner but every evening after washing.Use 1-2 months.
• Treatment of mycosis of the big toe with folk remedies is impossible without potato peelings.We take fresh peels, boil them, drain the water and knead them manually right in the pot.We then put the fungus-damaged legs in a basin and steam them in the cleaning process.After 15-20 minutes, wash the remaining peels with potato broth and put on clean socks.Do this every evening until the fungal symptoms disappear.

Vinegar essence, lemon compresses, aspen bark baths, herbal mixtures of chamomile, violets and string, celandine, etc. are also considered effective folk remedies for big toe fungus.

Removing the big toenail

If the fungal infection has already reached the second or third stage, full treatment must necessarily include removal of the nail.You can remove the entire nail plate or just a part and the new nail will be smooth, pink and healthy.

Removing the nail plate with folk remedies requires special care and precision - complete sterility must be maintained so as not to provoke a new infection.Homemade keratolytics also work in a similar way - they soften the nail plate affected by the fungus and can be removed.The most popular home recipes are soap and soda baths and birch tar compresses.

Nail removal is possible in different ways: at home, in the hospital or in a beauty salon.If you decide to carry out such a responsible procedure yourself, there are four options:

• keratolytic varnishes;
• special ointments and creams;
• keratolytic plaster mixtures;
• Nail removal with folk remedies.

All varnishes, plasters, creams and other traditional remedies work on the same principle.A keratolytic mixture is applied to the steamed nail (daily or several times a week, depending on the instructions), sealed on top and removed after a while.It is recommended to remove plasters once a day, ointment and cream once a day or 3-4 days, and varnish weekly.In this case, the damaged part of the nail is removed along with the product.

Remember: nail removal is not the entire treatment.The fungus itself lives and reproduces on the nail bed.Therefore, after removing the nail plate, you need to treat the sore finger with other antifungal drugs.Otherwise, the infection will become more active and infect the new, growing nail.

It is much more difficult to cure a fungus than to prevent it, so prevention of a fungal infection must be carried out constantly.To do this, you must follow simple hygiene rules.Do not wear other people's shoes, use a separate towel for your feet, only take your own shoes with you to the swimming pool, sauna and bathhouse and disinfect them regularly.No matter what you wear - shoes, boots, sneakers - the shoes should be comfortable, breathable and ideally made from natural materials.

You also need to pay attention to your feet: cut your nails in a timely manner, prevent the nail from growing into the skin, and heal all cracks and small wounds in a timely manner.Additionally, check your fingers regularly for any suspicious symptoms.