How to get rid of nail fungus at home

Statistics say that every tenth person in the world suffers from a fungal infection on the nails. In medicine, it is called onychomycosis, a disease of the nail plate caused by some fungi and microspores. It is difficult for an unprepared person to distinguish the disease that has begun from the usual deformation of the nail, so it is important to know how the fungus manifests itself and how to get rid of it.

Causes of fungus on the nails

The fungus is an infection, so it is easy for them to get infected by another person. Oddly enough, people who carefully monitor their health and beauty often suffer from the fungus. Bathhouses, pools, manicure and pedicure cabinets, beauty salons are the main sites of infection. The danger is the beach sand,in which fungi can live for several months.

Fingernails on the toes are more likely to be infected than on the hands, this is due to their sweating. Wearing cramped shoes made from non-natural materials creates between the toes a moist environment that microorganisms love so much.

According to statistics, 30% of all infections occur at home. This is facilitated by the use of a common bath, body towel and nail accessories.

People who suffer from colds and other viral diseases are especially at risk. Their weakened immunity cannot fight back the fungal infection. Often infection occurs through sores or cracks in the skin of the hands and feet.

Signs of fungal nail disease

It is possible to distinguish onychomycosis from non-fungal cosmetic changes of the nail by the following signs.

1. Change the color of the nail. Depending on the type of microorganisms that caused the fungus, the nail plate can be painted in white, yellow, gray, brown, blue or even green. In addition, the nail loses its luster and transparency and becomes dull.
2. Change the structure of the nail.Its surface becomes hilly, exfoliates and departs from the nail bed. A struck nail may start breaking off in small pieces.
3. If treatment is not started, the skin is affected. The skin between the fingers becomes red and itchy.
4. Unpleasant smell. This symptom appears in the case of progression of the disease, in the early stages it may be absent.
5. Pain on fingertips.

A fungus that appears on one nail spreads very quickly to the others, so treatment should begin at the first sign of illness. First of all, you need to visit a mycologist or a dermatologist. Only he can accurately distinguish the fungus from the cosmetic deformation of the nail or manifestations of an allergic reaction. The doctor will take a scraping from the affected area and, after conducting a series of studies, will reveal which microorganisms caused the disease.

How to get rid of nail fungus on the legs

Home remedies for the treatment of onychomycosis should be used in conjunction with medications prescribed by a doctor. In this case, you can count on a complete and rapid deliverance from the disease.

Most often, traditional medicine recommends to treat the disease with the help of Kombucha. A small piece of fungus should be put on a sore nail and skin around. Wrap a finger in cellophane and secure with a bandage. This compress is done overnight for 4 weeks. You cannot use one piece of the mushroom for several days. To improve the effect before the procedure, you can make a hot foot bath.

At home, you can make vinegar ointment. For this you need to put a raw egg in a small jar and pour vinegar over it. Keep container in a dark place until the egg is completely dissolved. After that, the ointment is well mixed and applied to the nail plate in the morning and evening. For prevention, it can handle and healthy nails.

Another effective, but painful method of fighting a fungus is iodine. Under shortly cut nails you need to bury iodine until it stops soaking. After that, lower the legs into the basin with warm water. This procedure must be done 4 times, but do not do it more often 1 time per week.

To relieve irritation of the skin, lavender oil and tea tree oil are suitable. Essential oils help fight infection and have an anti-inflammatory effect. The main thing is to choose a real oil, not its cheap counterparts.

How to get rid of the fungus on the nails of hands

To get rid of the disease on the nails of the hands, you can use the same means as for the feet. In addition, coffee will help in the fight against fungus. To do this, you need to brew strong coffee, wait until it cools down a little, and put your fingers in it for 5 minutes. Shake the thick of the bottom can not. The procedure can be repeated every day.

Compresses with tar soap are also helpful from the fungus. The patient's nail is well soaped and lined with soap. This compress is kept all night.

Twice a week you can make soap-soda baths for hands. For 3 liters of water, add 1 tablespoon of soda and 50 grams of antibacterial soap. For anti-inflammatory effect add sage, string or chamomile. Hands immersed in water for 20 minutes, and then cut nails with scissors or nippers. Remember that when infecting one nail it is necessary to use separate manicure tools for it, so that harmful microorganisms do not infect healthy nails.

Pharmaceutical remedies for the fungus on the nails

Now on the shelves of pharmacies you can find many tools to combat the fungus.But remember that all medications for treatment must be used exclusively as directed by a doctor. Only in the medical laboratory it is possible to establish which microorganisms were the causative agent of the disease. Depending on this, the doctor prescribes a drug that effectively fights a specific type of fungus.

The treatment depends entirely on the extent of the damage to the nail plate. If the disease is at the initial stage, and the nail is slightly affected, local means can cope with it. These include ointments, creams or solutions applied to the affected area. The most famous of them are: Exoderil, Nizoral, Mikospor. To prepare the nails for the application of ointment, you need to make a bath with soap and soda.

Another topical agent is special varnishes (Batrafen, Luzeril). Treatment is carried out from 3 to 8 months, until a healthy nail fully grows. On the medical varnish can be applied decorative.

If the disease progresses, a course of antimycotics is necessary (drugs to fight the fungus). For the treatment of onychomycosis apply Diflucan, Lamisil, Ketonazol.These drugs have a number of contraindications, such as liver and kidney disease, the use of oral contraceptives, pregnancy, breastfeeding, etc. Tablets can be combined with ointments and varnishes.

If the nail plate is already completely affected, the doctor will prescribe a special tool to remove it. As a rule, it is an ointment, which is applied in a thick layer on the affected nail. After that, the phalanx of the finger is taped for 3-5 days. After the expiration of this time, the affected nail is removed without serious consequences.

In addition, the doctor may advise disinfectant solution, which is prepared in a pharmacy. They need to process all shoes and clothes that come in contact with sick nails (socks and gloves). Shoes wiped from the inside with a cotton swab dipped in a solution. Socks and gloves for processing put in a plastic bag with cotton wool soaked in a solution. Package tightly tied and left overnight. During the treatment of the fungus such disinfection should be carried out 1 time per month.

Preventive measures

To carry out prevention of nail fungus is as people who have never encountered this trouble, and have undergone treatment. The basic rules of prevention include.

1. Do not walk barefoot in public. This is especially true of places where humidity is elevated (bath, pool, beach). If you don’t take care of walking barefoot, buy a special spray that protects against fungus at the pharmacy and treat your feet with it.
2. Visit only checked beauty salons or take your manicure and pedicure sets from home.
3. Do not try on someone else's shoes or shoes in the store on your bare foot, always use your toe or sledka.
4. If someone from the home has become infected with the fungus, provide it with a separate towel and manicure devices. Wash the bath thoroughly after visiting it.
5. Choose to wear loose shoes from natural materials. If your feet are prone to sweating, sneakers and sneakers are contraindicated in the summer.
6. Do not forget about the hygiene of the feet and hands. After visiting the bath or pool, wipe them thoroughly, paying special attention to the places between your fingers. In this case, use only a personal towel.

After successful completion of the treatment of the fungus, it is necessary to carry out a set of preventive measures to prevent re-infection. First, the antibacterial treatment of shoes, socks, tights, gloves is necessary.To do this, you can use pharmaceuticals or 25% acetic acid. Bed linen and towels should be washed and ironed thoroughly. Manicure devices for disinfection are immersed in alcohol for a few minutes, and then calcined over a fire. Home slippers are better to change to new ones.

Well-groomed and beautiful nails are not only a reason for female pride, but also a sign of men's health. Even with a slight modification of the nail, do not hesitate to consult a doctor. Pay attention to personal hygiene and nail care, then no fungus will disturb you.

Video: how to quickly cure nail fungus