Toenail fungus or onychomycosis has rightfully earned the title of the most insidious and widespread disease of the 21st century. The answer to the question of how to get rid of toenail fungus is more often of interest to people who lead an active lifestyle. It is easiest to contract the disease in public places such as locker rooms, baths, swimming pools or beaches. Treatment of onychomycosis can take several months and can be accompanied by various complications. Therefore, patients suffering from toenail fungus need to know as soon as possible how to deal with this unpleasant ailment and what remedies should be used.
Fast and effective treatments
It is possible to cure a fungal disease, regardless of its stage, with the help of medicines and folk remedies. A mycologist should select a treatment regimen, taking into account the characteristics of a particular patient's body. Medicines have their own contraindications, so they can not be taken with certain diseases, pregnancy and lactation. Traditional medicine methods give good results, but they are not a complete substitute for traditional medicines.
creams and ointments
It is necessary to take action immediately after detecting primary symptoms. At the initial stage, doctors prescribe varnishes that help quickly get rid of toenail fungus. Varnishes must be applied to a clean nail plate, from which the upper layers are removed using mechanical methods. This procedure can be done independently or consult a doctor who will remove the tissue affected by the fungus.
Important!
Along with taking medication, the patient should disinfect the skin, socks and shoes. If the fungus is not only on the nails, but also on the skin of the legs, dermatological creams and ointments are additionally used for treatment.
Creams have proven effective in treating fungal nail infections. The patient should be prepared for the fact that getting rid of nail fungus can take several months. Once you use an antifungal drug, it is impossible to defeat the disease. This disease passes with relapses and may recur after passing treatment.
Antifungal drugs in tablet form
It is difficult to get rid of nail fungus, often the disease goes to an advanced stage. To prevent the spread of infection, patients are prescribed antifungal tablets for complex oral administration.
Important!
The effect of taking tablets should be maximum, so they should be combined with therapy with topical preparations. The combination of different drugs significantly reduces the treatment time.
So that getting rid of toenail fungus with the help of tablets does not worsen liver function, doctors advise taking hepatoprotective drugs. The first treatment of a fungal disease with tablets lasts at least 7 days and should be carried out in several cycles with a break of at least 3 weeks. If we talk about the fingers, then the patient needs to go through 2 cycles, the nail plates on the feet are treated for 3 cycles.
folk methods
Many traditional medicines help to quickly and inexpensively cure athlete's foot at home. You need to choose the recipes individually, since some natural ingredients can cause allergies. A list of popular ways to get rid of a yeast infection is given below.
- hydrogen peroxide and vinegar. The two components must be mixed in equal parts and applied to the affected nail. Hold until the end of the hissing of the mixture on the nail plate. Then lower the foot into a basin of water mixed with a small amount of chlorine and hold it for no more than 3 minutes. After the procedure, the feet or hands should be rinsed and dried with a towel.
- garlic. Peel and finely chop the garlic clove. Put the crushed mass on gauze and put a compress on the infected nail. Then the finger is bandaged with a sterile bandage. The procedure is repeated daily.
- iodine. Several layers of iodine are applied to cleaned and trimmed nails, which need to lubricate the nail plates and wait for the product to be absorbed. Then the legs are lowered into a basin of warm water. This procedure is effective against many species of fungi.
- tea tree oil. Natural tea tree oil should be applied to the affected nails several times a day to clear the infection.
- Propolis tincture. A cotton pad is moistened with 20% propolis tincture and applied to the nails for 2-3 hours. Compresses must be applied every day and the procedure repeated until the patient grows healthy nails.
preventive measures
Nail fungus is becoming easier to prevent with standard hygiene practices. It is much more difficult to fight an existing disease, since even after complex therapy it does not go away forever. Experienced dermatologists advise to pay attention to some useful tips:
- When visiting public places, including swimming pools, baths and saunas, you must wear clean, change shoes that must be closed.
- With excessive sweating of the feet or palms, it is worth using ordinary talcum powder and special deodorants with antiseptic components.
- Feet should be washed at least twice a day with warm water and soap or antibacterial gel and clean socks should be worn daily.
- You cannot wear someone else's shoes; if you're trying on a pair in a store, be sure to wear socks.
These simple methods will help prevent insidious onychomycosis and other fungal diseases that affect the nails and skin of the feet.