Treatment of toenail fungus with folk remedies is a lengthy process that can take 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 infectiousness of 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
Fungus of the nail plates on the toes is an infectious disease with a chronic form of the course, which occurs as a result of infection of this part of the limb with pathogens (fungi). In medical terminology, this pathology is designated as onychomycosis.
It is considered a common disease that is difficult to treat with all types of therapy.On average, every 10th inhabitant suffers from toenail fungus. The disease can turn into complicated forms, affecting completely the entire surface of the nail plate, causing its detachment and deformation.
Types of toenail fungus
Treatment of toenail fungus by using folk 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 table below 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 shade of the nail plate changes. Elongated streaks and irregular spots may appear. At the same time, the usual shine of the nail, the transparency of the plate and its normal thickness are preserved. It is considered a non-severe type of 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 directly depends on the insemination of tissues by pathogenic microorganisms. |
| Onycholytic | This is an atrophic type of the disease, when the stage of deformation of the nail plate is completed. The tissue of the nail dies off, which ultimately leads to its rejection from the root of the bed. |
This species diversity classification of onychomycosis is used by dermatologists.
Also, 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 - the destruction of the nail develops on the sides;
- proximal - mycosis destroys the tissues of the posterior ridge;
- total - the fungus has completely affected the entire nail, from its root to the front.
The type and form of the disease is determined by a specialized specialist at the time of examination of the patient. Based on the results of the examination and the diagnosis made, a treatment regimen is selected. This applies to both drug therapy methods and folk remedies.
Stages and degrees of toenail fungus
Fungus on toenails, the treatment of which with folk remedies takes a long time, is a chronic disease. Onychomycosis develops over several months, and sometimes even for many years. It depends on how strong the patient's immune system is, as well as on 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 shade of the nail plate along the edges, the formation of stripes and spots of white, gray or yellow shades is possible, other painful signs of the disease are completely absent (a person feels a sharp and unpleasant yeast odor that comes 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 signs of transparency);
- 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 the detachment of the nail plate from the base of the bed is possible).
The last stage of the disease is the most severe form of onychomycosis. After rejection of the nail, its re-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, then the new nail will also be infected with mycoses and destroyed to the ground.
Toenail Fungus Symptoms
Fungus on toenails, treatment with folk remedies of which requires regular use of homemade decoctions, tinctures and ointments, is a disease with pronounced symptoms.
Onychomycosis of a given part of the body can be recognized by the following symptoms:
- redness of epithelial tissues located in the circumference of the nail plate;
- white spots or stripes appear on the sides of the nail, as well as on the side of its front, which do not disappear during machining of the plate or taking water procedures;
- the nail plate gradually changes its 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 are separated from the nail bed (this process can be accompanied by painful symptoms and secretion of ichor in 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, which resembles 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
Fungus on toenails, the treatment of which with folk remedies is based on the principle of systemic use of home medicines, cannot develop on its own without the influence of a number of factors.
Infection with onychomycosis is possible in the following cases:
- as a result of visiting public showers, baths, steam rooms, swimming pools, saunas, if a person did not use individual rubber slippers, came into contact with a surface on which viable spores of fungal microorganisms are present;
- joint wearing of shoes by several people, when one of them has mycotic lesions of the nail plates;
- poor hygiene, occasional foot washing;
- the presence of such concomitant diseases as diabetes mellitus, varicose veins, as well as foot deformity, increases the risk of toenail fungus, as local immunity decreases, or a nutrient medium is created to increase the population of fungal microorganisms;
- wearing shoes made of poor quality coating that does not allow air to pass through and does not absorb water, which ultimately leads to the fact that the toes are constantly damp;
- contact of the open part of the foot or nail with the floor surface in the apartment, 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 immune systems can avoid infection and further damage to the nail plate. Warm and humid environments are ideal conditions for fungal microorganisms, so this information should be taken into account when visiting beaches and other crowded places.
Diagnosis of toenail fungus
Fungus on toenails, treatment with folk remedies of which begins only after a detailed examination by a dermatologist, is an infectious disease that requires careful diagnosis. This is necessary in order 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 undergo the following stages of examination:
- preliminary examination by a dermatologist who examines the appearance of the affected plate, assesses the condition of the tissues, the degree of their deformation;
- a smear is carried out from the surface of the epithelium located in the circumference of the nail bed (biochemical analysis is performed for a strain of fungal microorganisms, as well as the possible presence of secondary bacterial microflora);
- under the conditions of the manipulation room of the laboratory, the specialist selects part of the affected tissues in order to study the fungal microorganisms in more detail and exclude the simultaneous presence of several types of mycosis;
- In addition to the toes, an examination of the skin surface of the foot is performed to make sure that the fungal disease is localized and that there are no signs of its 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.
Diagnostics takes 1 to 3 days on average. In a public hospital, the services of a biochemical laboratory are free, but the terms for the study of biological material can drag on up to 7-10 days.
When to see a doctor
Consultation with a dermatologist should be carried out as soon as signs of developing nail fungus have been detected.Delay is fraught with aggravation of symptoms and damage to large areas of the nail plate.
In addition, a person with signs of onychomycosis is a carrier of a fungal infection, and also, without realizing it, spreads spores of pathogenic microorganisms in the everyday conditions of his residence. In this case, infection of healthy family members with onychomycosis is not excluded.
Prevention of Toenail Fungus
It is possible to avoid contamination of toenails with a fungal infection, but for this, simple prevention rules must 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 rubber-soled shoes on your feet;
- wear only high-quality shoes made of genuine leather;
- observe the rules of personal hygiene, wash your feet daily with warm water and soap, wash socks;
- insist on treating family members who have signs of toenail fungus, but have let the disease take its course and do not seek medical help;
- during summer holidays near open water bodies, on the beach, walk only in 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 that there are no mold growth areas in the apartment or private house (dampness on the walls, fungus that has infected old wooden floors, baseboards, blackening of the wallpaper in the corners).
In order to prevent fungal infections of the nails, it is recommended to pay special attention to strengthening the immune system.
To do this, you need to take a contrast shower every day, give up bad habits, harden the body, eat rationally, eating only biologically useful products (cereals, chicken, rabbit, turkey, veal, fresh fruits, vegetables, herbs, cottage cheese, milk, cheese, ocean fish).
Methods for the treatment of toenail fungus
Therapy of onychomycosis is carried out using traditional pharmaceuticals, traditional medicine recipes, 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.
Medicines
Treatment of a fungal infection is performed with medications that have an antifungal spectrum of action.
Antifungal drugs should only be prescribed by a dermatologist. Only a specialist of this profile is able to determine which particular medication is effective in a particular clinical case. In addition, when forming a treatment regimen, the data of laboratory studies of collected samples of 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 infection of toenails 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 purchase a kombucha, or grow it yourself at home. A piece of this ingredient is cut off with a knife and then placed on the surface of the infected nail. The procedure is performed at night before going to bed. Kombucha is fixed 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-sized onion, chop it with a knife, and then pour in 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 sick nail is wiped with onion juice 3-4 times a day for 3 months, or until complete recovery.
Antiseptic solution
This product is prepared at home by mixing in equal proportions of 1 tsp. boiled water, ethyl alcohol and garlic pulp. All components are mixed until a homogeneous mass is formed. The resulting solution is used for antiseptic treatment of the nail plate at least 2 times a day. Treatment lasts at least 3-4 months.
Salt ointment for fungus
An effective antifungal agent that is easy to make at home. To do this, you need to take ½ tsp. 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 perform the procedure at night. In the process of treatment, it is necessary to observe precautions, not allowing home medicine to get on the skin in the circumference of the nail bed, and you should also protect the mucous membrane of the eyes.
Homemade ointment is used until the diseased nail detaches with the further formation of a healthy plate. Alternative therapy is really effective, but the only drawback of their use is the timing of therapy.
The duration of their use should be at least 3 months. The initial form of fungal infection of the nail plates on the feet can be eliminated within 2 months. In this case, the course of treatment should be continuous. Skipping even one procedure can worsen tissue health.
Other Methods
An alternative treatment for a fungal infection of the nails 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 independently comes to the operating room, and then lies down on the couch or sits down on a chair.
- A nurse injects a local anesthetic into a finger, the nail of which is affected by onychomycosis.
- After the anesthetic has started to work (after 5-10 minutes), the surgeon tears off the affected nail plate with forceps.
- An antiseptic treatment of the operated area is performed, suture material and a sterile dressing are applied.
Upon completion of the surgical intervention, the patient is transferred to his ward of the surgical department, where he receives further therapy with antifungal drugs. The average duration of complete healing of the wound site is from 7 to 10 days. Within 1 month. a new nail plate grows, which, provided that the treatment process is properly organized, does not have signs of fungus.
Possible complications
In the absence of actions aimed at curing the nail plates from a fungal infection,may 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 toes, the transition of the disease to the nails of the upper extremities, inguinal folds;
- infection with onychomycosis of other family members who have not previously suffered from a fungal disease (children are the most vulnerable, because their immune system is weaker than that of adults);
- loss of the nail and the termination of the process of forming a new plate, since due to the abundance of infectious microorganisms, the integrity of its structure is initially violated.
Treatment of toenail fungus with folk remedies is possible, but this will require the maximum amount of effort, spending at least 3 months. time.
The main danger of onychomycosis is that fungal microorganisms that cause damage to the nail plate are highly infectious and quickly adapt to new environmental conditions, as well as to the effects of active drug components.
That is why the treatment of the disease should begin as early as possible in order to prevent its transition to a complicated or chronic form of the course.