A fungal infection of the toenails is a rather unpleasant disease. In addition to aesthetic complaints, it also has a negative effect on the patient's immune system. As treatment practice shows, medicines do not always contribute to the desired result. And if we also take into account their harmful effects on the entire body, it is worth seriously considering 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?
Advantages and disadvantages of home therapy
I would like to immediately warn the reader that one should not expect quick results from traditional medicine recipes. The desired effect at home only occurs after regular daily procedures over a certain period of time. It is also worth noting that there are different types of nail fungus, so each recipe just needs to be selected individually.
Home therapy has the following advantages:
- Naturalness. The medicine prepared at home contains only natural and well-known ingredients;
- the ability to affect various 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 protective functions;
- Selection of components taking into account the individual characteristics of the body. When creating the recipe, it is possible to avoid allergy-causing raw materials;
- Availability. Any home remedy for fungus does not use scarce ingredients, so you can save them for future use and prepare the medicine as needed.
Preparatory procedures
During treatment, hygiene must be observed to prevent the fungal colony from multiplying. It includes daily sock changes, water applications and the use of items for personal use only. Before using topical products, affected nails are treated as follows:
- Soaking the nail plate in medicinal baths made from soap and soda solution;
- Removing affected areas with a nail file, tweezers or scissors;
- Application of the drug.
For the successful removal of fungal infections from the body, strengthening the immune system is of no small importance. For this purpose, experts recommend taking special vitamin complexes that increase the body's protective functions.
Vinegar based recipes
Vinegar has received good reviews against fungal infections on the nail plate. Its action is due to the inability of fungal spores to survive in an acidic environment. The prerequisite for successful treatment is the correct dosage of the drug.
To prepare medicines at home, any type of vinegar is used: table vinegar or apple cider vinegar. The latter type is preferable because it is prepared only based on natural ingredients. You can also use vinegar essence, but diluted to the required concentration.
Vinegar baths
This method is the easiest and most convenient 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 pleasantly warm temperature and pour into a bowl. Dip the affected fingers into the liquid and keep them there for 15 minutes. Do not rinse with water. For greater effect, you can wear socks soaked in vinegar overnight;
- Vinegar diluted 1: 1 with carrot juice also helps to get rid of fungi 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 brewing time doesn't matter - the more, the better. Add about 5 tbsp to the strained infusion. l. table salt and stir. Use as a warm bath for 5 minutes. To enhance the effect, the procedure is carried out several times a day.
Ointments with vinegar
- Pour 100 g of vinegar essence into a fresh chicken egg. Leave in a dark place for 5-7 days to allow the eggshells to dissolve. Add melted or softened butter to the resulting mixture and beat everything. The resulting emulsion should resemble mayonnaise. Apply the ointment to the affected nail every evening until the external signs completely disappear. During treatment, the nail plate softens and peels off. To remove the affected area more quickly, it can be carefully cut off;
- 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 carefully mixed ingredients and the entire mixture is stirred. The finished ointment is stored in the refrigerator and used as
Dressings at night.
Other recipes with vinegar
Dilute vinegar essence 1: 1 with clear water and mix with linseed meal. Knead a stiff dough that resembles plasticine and wrap it in plastic. If necessary, cut a piece of dough, form a patty, place it on the affected nail and secure it on top with a plaster. The treatment is carried out for 5 days.
Treatment of nails with iodine
Another available and proven remedy is an alcoholic iodine solution, which is an excellent antiseptic and has tanning and cauterizing properties. Its action is based on the ability to coagulate proteins that make up parasitic fungi.
Daily use of iodine as an antifungal has received good reviews. However, before treatment, it is advisable to test the skin for individual tolerance, as cases of an allergic reaction have been known. To do this, simply 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 noticed on the skin, you can safely start treatment.
The most popular method is to simply apply a drop of iodine to the nail plate with a cotton swab twice a day.
Particular care must be taken 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 appear 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 also used at home, which include various components:
- Grind well-dried celandine and mix with iodine to form a thick paste. Apply the resulting composition to the affected nail, cover the top with polyethylene and fix overnight. 3-5 sessions are usually enough to remove the nail plate;
- 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. The procedure is carried out about three times and the first time an improvement in the condition of the nail plate is observed;
- Combine the 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 fungi
The well-known baking powder has become widespread not only in cooking, but also in medicine. Thanks to its alkalizing properties, the base reserve in the body increases and the acid-base balance is normalized. In fungal infections, the effectiveness of baking soda is due to the alkalinization of the surface of the nail plate, which can create unpleasant conditions for the reproduction and vital activity of fungal spores.
Soda baths
- For the bath you will need 2 liters of liquid (40°), baking soda (2 tbsp) and soap (grated or liquid in the amount of 1 tbsp). Mix all ingredients thoroughly. Soak your fingers in the solution for 20 to 30 minutes, then remove the softened nail layer with a pumice stone or foot file. Then dry your toes thoroughly and put a clean sock over your foot. Use until the external signs of fungus on the nail plate completely disappear.
- A recipe containing half a cup of lemonade, 4-5 cups of water (40°C), ¼ of the same container of hydrogen peroxide and vinegar is considered an effective remedy. If necessary, you can add 1/2 cup of Epsom salt. After the solution is well mixed, you can steam your feet. The 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 to the affected nail and immediately squeeze a few drops of juice from the lemon. A reaction should occur, accompanied by slight foaming 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 another simple and inexpensive recipe. To prepare it, you will need vegetable oil (can be replaced with tea tree oil or another variety) and soda. The two components are mixed into a paste and then 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, 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 action 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 carried out twice a day, the duration varies within 5 minutes.
You can also take a bath with this medication. Hydrogen peroxide is mixed with warm water (2 tbsp: 1 l). Steam your legs in several approaches for 30 seconds with a break of 2 minutes.
Despite the seeming simplicity of the recipes, each of them has an amazing ability to get rid of fungus on the nail plate. Therefore, carrying out such procedures regularly will help get rid of this insidious disease for a long time.