Treatment of nail fungus and athlete's foot can be done at home and with home remedies if the disease has not progressed.There are time-tested and traditional medicine recipes that are simple and easy to prepare.If you methodically and carefully follow the instructions for them, it is quite possible to get rid of an unpleasant disease.
Fungal infection of the skin and nails of the feet is not only an aesthetic problem.If this problem is not eliminated in time, it can lead to serious problems in human health.Therefore, various types of treatment for toenail fungus with folk remedies are very popular today.We will look at the simplest and safest recipes that can be prepared at home.
Manifestations of fungal foot diseases
The fungus often affects the skin of the legs, feet and interdigital spaces - this is what is called athlete's foot.But in extreme cases, fungal infections are located on the nail plates, and this is called onychomycosis in the scientific world.
How to recognize nail fungus
Nail fungus is mainly characterized by localization in two fingers - the big and little fingers.The nails on these fingers are uneven, lumpy, and have dull white or yellowish spots.With a long course of the disease, the nail plate can detach from the bed in the area of spots.It is completely deformed and has a tendency to sink.
Manifestations of foot fungus
Redness develops on the foot, followed by crusting, itching (mild to severe), pustular rashes, hyperhidrosis, and an unpleasant odor.Heels also often crack and peel.
Risk factors for fungal development
- disturbed metabolism;
- weight gain, diabetes mellitus;
- diseases of the gastrointestinal tract;
- problems with the thyroid gland and adrenal glands;
- skin diseases (psoriasis);
- insufficient blood flow to the extremities;
- diseases related to the immune system;
- increased sweating (including feet);
- family medical history;
- age
Before starting to treat fungus at home
For the treatment to be effective, the following should be done:
- Before starting any activity, you should steam your feet in hot soap and soda water (50°C).The bath lasts from 15 minutes to an hour (if the nails are very hard).
- Treat the instruments you will be using with alcohol and treat the procedure area with a chlorine product or bleach.
- If the nail plates are affected by the fungus, cut or remove the affected nails.
- Exfoliate the dead skin on the feet.
Remember:areas affected by the fungus should not be lubricated with moisturizing creams!
Toenail fungus: treatment with folk remedies
Undoubtedly, the most effective treatment will be prescribed to you by a mycologist.However, if the condition of the feet is not very developed, if the disease has not gone far, then you can try the following folk recipes.
1 recipe using apple cider vinegar
We will need apple cider vinegar.We moisten a cotton swab with it and apply it to the nail affected by the fungus.Wrap the compress in cling film and walk for 3 hours every day.We continue to do these procedures until we see a new, clean plate growing.
Recipe 2 – a mixture of essential and olive oils
We will need:
- tea tree oil or oregano oil (1 tsp);
- olive oil (½ teaspoon).
Mix both components and apply on the nails affected by the fungus.Allow them to dry naturally.The procedure should be carried out in the morning and in the evening until the symptoms disappear.
Recipe 3 - treatment with celandine
Another folk remedy against toenail fungus is celandine.This plant is poisonous, so it should be used in moderation.But it is also believed to help well in the case of advanced nail fungus.We need celandine juice.
How to prepare celandine juice
Freshly collected, washed and dried celandine is passed through a meat grinder.The pulp is transferred to the dock, folded 3-4 times and pressed.We need 200 ml of juice combined with 200 ml of 70% alcohol.The liquid is infused for a day.
The resulting tincture should be used to wipe the affected nails after evaporation.Do the procedure 3-4 times a day every day until a healthy nail grows.
Foot fungus: home treatment
Now let's look at several time-tested recipes that will help you cope with foot fungus.
1 recipe with baking soda and hydrogen peroxide
We will need:
- baking soda (2-5 tsp);
- 3% hydrogen peroxide - enough to make a liquid paste.
Apply the paste on a cotton pad and apply it to the affected areas of the skin (including the heel).We close everything with a bag or cling film, and on top with a sock.In a more advanced form of the disease, it is necessary to keep the compress longer - at least up to 30 minutes.After removing the compress, the feet should be washed, dried well, oil (vegetable, olive, coconut) should be applied and put on the socks again - until morning.
Recipe 2 – ointment for fungus
We will need:
- 9% vinegar (½ liter jar) or vinegar essence;
- butter - 30-40 g;
- shelled egg - 1 pc.
Place a plain egg with the shell in a bowl of vinegar.If it is very dirty, it should be washed first.Leave in vinegar for 3-5 days.After 5 days it will be soft, the shell will completely dissolve.The only thing that will not dissolve, for example, is the film from the egg that can be wrapped around the affected nail.However, we don't need it for the salve.
- Remove the egg to a plate.The yolk should be almost soft boiled.If we use the essence, the yolk will be like a rubber ball.
- Rub well.
- Add butter.If we have essence, then we will need more fat - 150 g.Mix everything well until smooth.
- Add a few drops of vinegar to the pulp.
- Apply to the whole leg, wrap with a film and put on a sock.
Ointment should be applied daily, walk with it for 1-2 hours in the morning or evening.The course of procedures continues until unpleasant symptoms disappear.
Both of these recipes are suitable for the treatment of nail fungus.
3 recipes using garlic
You can also treat athlete's foot at home with garlic.
Finely grate the garlic and apply it to the feet affected by the fungus, then wrap the feet in cellophane and put on socks.
This procedure may not be very comfortable and some may experience throbbing pain and cramps.Therefore, it is recommended to compress at night.If the feeling is completely unpleasant, then you can use onions instead of garlic.By the way, they "work" better together.
Tips to help you recover from fungus faster
Before using any prescription or treatment method, you should:
- iron bedding, linen, socks with a hot iron;
- treat the inside of the shoes with a 40% acetic acid solution, then put them in a plastic bag and leave them in the freezer overnight.
These manipulations should be done at the beginning and end of the treatment.If the treatment is long-term, it should be done every month.
Prevention of fungal infections
These rules will help you not get a fungal infection, so they should be followed for life.
- Don't wear someone else's shoes.
- Do not use other people's manicure devices.
- Wash your feet every day, dry your nails and the spaces between your toes thoroughly.
- Wear clean socks and tights every day.
When things are bad
Treating foot fungus at home and using folk methods is the most convenient, safe, non-toxic method, but not always the most effective.It should be remembered that if relief does not occur, the disease progresses, then you should seek help from a specialist.In most cases, drug antifungal therapy is required, which consists of taking drugs orally and using local antifungal agents (ointments, creams).