Onychomycosis is the medical name for nail fungus. This disease causes many unpleasant feelings, both physical and aesthetic (constant embarrassment, shame, inability to take off shoes and gloves in front of people). It is especially difficult to hide pathology in the summer. But the unpleasant appearance is just the tip of the iceberg, and those who suffer from this condition know how much trouble it comes with! Today we will talk about treating nail fungus with folk remedies. You will find the most effective recipes and treatments in this publication. But first, let's look at the causes of the disease, because they need to be eliminated first!
Why does nail fungus develop?
Fungus is a contagious disease and infection occurs after physical contact with a sick person (shaking hands, using the same nail file and other personal hygiene items, wearing the same slippers, shoes, gloves, socks, etc. ). If someone in the family has a fungal infection, the fungus can easily be transmitted to other family members.
This fungus is extremely tenacious, it can wait for a victim for a long time on ceramic tiles, on the surface of the bathtub - this is what poses the greatest risk of disease transmission.
You can easily get a fungal infection outside your home, in shared locker rooms, in bathrooms or in swimming pools. Infections often occur in nail salons due to unscrupulous employees improperly supervising the cleaning and sterilization of the tools they use to perform their work.
But not everyone is at risk of infection. For example, if there are 5 people in the same sauna, only 1 of them or no one will be infected, even though someone brought the disease here before. Why? The problem is a weakened immune system - chronically weak immunity or its deterioration after recent illnesses. Infection occurs with lightning speed, just by lightly touching the bare foot to the floor where the person carrying the fungus has passed.
Currently, there are many effective methods of treating nail and toe fungus. Folk remedies or medications should be used only after consulting with a specialist, who will choose the most effective therapy. But you cannot delay seeing a doctor, because the infection spreads quickly, and advanced mycosis is much more difficult to cure.
Signs of fungus
Recognizing the presence of an infectious fungus is simple. The disease mainly manifests with the following symptoms:
- The nail plate changes shape and color (it can become whiter, turn yellow, often a green tint appears) and darken over time;
- With further development of the disease, the nail plate begins to peel off, then crumble and can completely collapse (the crumbling ends at the base, and as soon as the nail begins to grow, it crumbles again);
- Unpleasant itching and even pain appear on the skin around the infected nail;
- Excessive foot sweating, unpleasant odor persists even after washing.
To quickly stop the development of the disease and get rid of it as soon as possible, you need to urgently start treating nail fungus. The most effective folk remedies will be described in the following content. Below each recipe there will be reviews about it from people who have recovered from the disease.
Preparation
Reviews of many pharmaceutical products are mostly not the most enthusiastic. People write that they spend a lot of effort, time and money on treatment, but the disease persists for many years and its development can only be stopped. Another thing is folk remedies! Most people have found effective ways to treat nail fungus. They write that all recipes are based on cheap and widely available products, the disease begins to improve from the first courses, you just need to follow the recipe and recommendations correctly. Folk remedies for treating nail fungus on toes and hands need to be applied correctly, for this it is necessary to remove most of the affected tissue. This is done like this:
- Heat the water to a comfortable foot bath temperature, you can make the water slightly hot.
- Pour three liters of hot water into a basin or bathtub, mix with 3-4 tablespoons of wine vinegar (if you don't have it, use apple cider vinegar).
- Soak your feet or hands in the bathtub (depending on where the infection is raging). This procedure will relieve discomfort in the form of itching and disinfect the skin. The skin and affected part of the nail plate will evaporate and can be easily removed.
- Remove as much of the soaked fabric as possible. The fewer areas affected, the easier it is to stop the infection and completely eliminate the fungus.
Next, you can start treating nail fungus with folk remedies. The most effective, time-tested and people-tested recipes are based on simple and affordable products. We advise you to move on to the review section.
Horseradish root
This plant is used in many alternative medicine formulations. Horseradish root is used to fight many diseases, including nail and foot fungus. Treatment with folk methods from this product is not the fastest, but one of the most effective. When undergoing such therapy, the fungus will completely die, and the growing nail will be healthy! It is necessary in time, when the nail plate grows, the modified part must be cut off, this way you will quickly get rid of the unsightly appearance.
The formula is very simple:
- Peel the horseradish from the dark top layer, grate the rest on a fine grater.
- Apply thick paste to your nails and secure with tape.
- You need to keep the product on your legs or arms for at least 8 hours, so the procedure is performed on weekends or at night.
- Wash your nails.
- The procedure is performed 2-3 times a week.
Everyone who has ever treated nail fungus with folk methods left positive reviews. They write that the method is effective, cures the disease relatively quickly and is very effective. The product is very cheap, and this is also noted in the reviews. The only thing is to put the tubers through a fine grinder, because pureeing will be very inconvenient.
There are those who recommend washing your feet and hands daily with a decoction of horseradish and horseradish leaves during the days of temporary treatment. They write that in this way the disease will improve twice as fast!
The decoction is made like this:
- Grind 2 horseradish leaves, a little root (a tablespoon is enough), mix well, pour a liter of boiling water.
- Leave for an hour, then strain.
- Place your feet or hands in the tub and pour in the broth. Keep your feet in the water for 10-15 minutes.
Coffee
Treating nail fungus at home with folk methods is very diverse, everyone can choose the method according to their preferences! This is a popular coffee-based technique. The advantage of the procedure is the spread of a pleasant smell throughout the room! This method is especially useful when you are going to visit a place where you will have to take off your shoes. This procedure almost completely eliminates the unpleasant odor caused by fungal infections of the feet.
What should we do:
- Make natural (strong) coffee - use three tablespoons of ground beans per liter of boiling water.
- Wait for the drink to cool a bit then pour it into a bowl.
- Place your feet in the coffee and keep them there for 15-30 minutes.
- Rinse with clean water, dry, and put on cotton socks.
Do this procedure every evening, soon the fungus will completely disappear and the skin of your feet will become incredibly soft.
People's reviews about the procedure are only positive. Some people write that at first they were skeptical about the method of drinking coffee, they did not believe that it really helped. Reviews claim that natural coffee is much more effective than many popular antifungal drugs sold in pharmacies.
celandine
Celandine is a poisonous plant, but at the same time very useful for humans. Hundreds of different infusions, decoctions, ointments and lotions are made from it, helping to get rid of thousands of diseases. Celandine is effective in treating nail fungus. There are many folk recipes, including baths, lotions and ointments. We have chosen the most effective methods for publishing.
The formula is:
- Scroll the stems and leaves of the plant through a meat grinder, you will get a thick mixture with a yellow-orange-green juice. Work only with gloves, as celandine can leave burns on the skin.
- Squeeze out the water, you can soak the cake in boiling water (5 liters of water for half a kilo of cake, add to bath water - clean the entire skin! ).
- Pour the juice into a glass container and store it in the refrigerator, which is very convenient - the shelf life of celandine juice is 4 days.
- Fill a basin with warm water, pour in two liters of water, dissolve 2 spoons of salt, 6 spoons of soda.
- Soak your nails in water for about 15 minutes and then wipe clean.
- Take a few drops of celandine juice, mix with the same amount of water (you can use aloe vera juice), moisten a cotton pad and apply to the affected nail plate. Lock it up.
- Take the disc out after 30 minutes. Don't expose it too much as burns may form on the skin around the nail.
The procedure is performed every day, once in the evening. The course lasts until completely healthy nails grow.
In the morning, it is recommended to apply ointment with celandine juice to the nails, you can do as follows:
- Mix two drops of celandine juice in a teaspoon, take twice as much Vaseline or baby cream. Mix and apply on nails.
- Try not to wet your hands for an hour after applying the ointment.
According to reviews, folk remedies for treating nail fungus are the most effective, or one of the most effective. Processing costs are really cheap because the plants can be harvested completely free from May to September and grow everywhere!
Tea tree oil
It is a natural antiseptic that effectively fights fungal diseases. If fungus appears on your nails, you will definitely like folk treatment, it is very convenient and you can use it both at home and at work.
The formula is:
- At home, steam your hands thoroughly in a salt and soda bath. If you must use the product at work, soak your hands under warm, even hot, water for a few minutes.
- Apply a drop of tea tree oil to the affected area and rub thoroughly until it is completely absorbed.
- Don't wet your hands for at least an hour.
- The procedure is performed twice a day.
Reviews claim that such therapy can completely eliminate the fungus in the shortest possible time, and the results will be visible after the first day of use. The plate begins to change color back to normal, then only healthy nails grow.
Garlic
This is a popular vegetable with many uses. Therefore, it is used to enrich the taste of dishes and fight many infectious diseases, including nail fungus. Effective folk remedies make the treatment of the disease pleasant (you see how the disease improves), quickly and effectively. How to use garlic to treat diseases:
- Peel a clove of garlic or several bulbs of garlic (depending on the spread of the disease), use a press or puree.
- Steam your hands or feet in water mixed with soda and salt, then dry.
- Apply the mixture to the infected area and secure it with a bandage. The compress is kept on the nail for at least 3 hours.
- You need to repeat the procedure as in the case of horseradish, 2-3 times a week.
To speed up the healing process, on days when you don't ice, rub garlic oil into your nail plates once a day.
Reviews of the product claim that its effectiveness is comparable to that of a horseradish compress. Unlike the latter, garlic has a strong smell, then the smell permeates the skin and takes a long time to smell. But garlic can always be found, unlike horseradish!
rowan leaves
You can treat the fungus with a folk method at home using rowan, or more precisely, its foliage. The disadvantage of this method is that fresh leaves are only available in warm weather, not possible in winter! But the effectiveness of the product has been proven by many people. If you need to treat fungus in the summer and autumn, you should try it.
The formula is:
- A few fresh rowan leaves are washed, chopped or minced.
- Mix the porridge with a few drops of sunflower oil (can be refined or unrefined, use what you have on hand).
- Apply the product to the nail, bandage it, remove it after a few hours (at least 3 hours).
- Compresses are applied daily until complete recovery.
Reviews claim that this folk remedy helps treat nail fungus that progresses slowly. If the problem is serious, the fungus is not in the early stages, then it is better not to use this method. As many people write, for severe infections, ointments with celandine, garlic and horseradish will help a lot.
Formulated with hydrogen peroxide
Treatment of nail fungus with folk methods is used both in the early stages of the development of the disease and in its advanced form. This product is very effective and many people write reviews about it. Some people use only peroxide, without additives, while others create even more effective products based on it. We would like to introduce to you one of the recipes:
- Mix 4 cups of hot water: half cup baking soda, 1/4 cup hydrogen peroxide (3%), half cup Epsom salt, 1/4 cup 9% vinegar.
- Dip a cotton pad in the solution, squeeze out a little excess solution, apply to the painful nail and secure with a bandage or plaster.
- After 10 hours, change the plate to a new one, soaked in the same composition (should be stored in the refrigerator, enough for the whole treatment).
- The duration of the course is one month, during which the fungus will completely disappear and strong, smooth and beautiful nails will grow!
Other treatments
What people haven't tried to get rid of their nail fungus! There are simply incredible methods and they are written in the reviews, which is really useful, despite the confusion in the recipes! So you can find the following methods:
- Apply petroleum jelly to the affected nail area. Wrap your finger in plastic wrap and keep it there for 15 minutes on your hands and 30 minutes on your feet.
- A rust neutralizer sold at auto supply stores should be applied to panels severely affected with an advanced form of fungus. I advise you to follow the safety rules: wear gloves when opening windows, avoid contact of the product with skin and mucous membranes.
Take care of your hands and feet during treatment
To quickly overcome this disease, you need to follow some rules for skin care of limbs and nails:
- In the morning when you wake up and in the evening after a walk, you need to wash your hands and feet thoroughly with tar soap. This product has a disinfectant effect, fungus will not grow.
- Sweat creates favorable conditions for fungus to grow, so shoes must be made from natural, breathable materials.
- When treating nail fungus with folk remedies, the fastest results will be if you start treating shoes with antiseptics every day. Socks, bed sheets - disposable!
During treatment, avoid going to baths, swimming pools, saunas and other places where you could infect others. At home, so that family members do not get hurt, only wear your own slippers, do not let anyone wear them, and do not go barefoot.
Nail fungus, the treatment of which we discussed at home with folk remedies in the article, is not a runny nose! And to completely recover from the disease, you need to be patient and follow all recommendations.
Only when all prescribed conditions are met can the treatment of nail fungus with folk remedies yield effective results. Images of ingredients for preparing the medicine are available in the article.