Treatment of fungus on the big toe nail

The fungus on the miniature (onychomycosis) always creeps in unnoticed.The infection first affects the skin of the toes, then creeps up to the nail and, if not caught in time, spreads to the entire foot.Even in the early stages, treatment can take 2-3 weeks, so it is crucial to recognize the insidious fungus as early as possible.Moreover, today the disease can be treated using different methods: both drugs and proven folk recipes.

Symptoms and stages of big toe fungus

Both men and women are at risk of onychomycosis: anyone wears tight, closed shoes, regularly goes to the swimming pool and sauna and loves to relax on public beaches in summer.

Children suffer from onychomycosis less often, and after 60 years one in two people already has the infection.Weak immune systems, chronic diseases and endocrine disorders are to blame...

Fungal infection is a disease with many faces.There are different types of fungi, and each pathogen causes different symptoms.To understand whether you have become a victim of a fungus, you need to take a closer look at your big toe, examine the skin around and between your toes.

The following symptoms will indicate that it is time to treat the nail:

• the skin on the legs becomes dry and cracked;
• small bubbles full of ichor appear between the fingers;
• thickening of the nail plate began;
• the nail has become brittle, crumbles and breaks;
• the nails have lost their shine, their usual shade and have become uneven;
• yellow spots and stripes appear on the nail plate (these are dermophyte fungi);
• the nail suddenly turns green or black (mold);
• on the sides the nail plate begins to turn yellow and lags behind the skin (yeast fungi);
• The nail began to grow under the skin and caused severe discomfort.
• Onychomycosis develops gradually, and each stage of the disease has its own symptoms.And although each pathogen behaves differently at different stages, in general the stages of foot fungus can be represented as follows:
1. Initial phase.Here the fungus hardly shows itself.Sometimes the skin on the feet itches and begins to crack, and barely visible spots and streaks appear on the big toenail.
2. Second phase.The nail loses its healthy pink color and the plaque begins to deform (on the sides and edge).
3. Advanced stage.Eventually the nail plate changes color, becomes thick and loose, and sometimes falls off.The skin on the toes and between the fingers is affected.At this stage, the pathogen penetrates the body, then symptoms of intoxication appear.These are weakness, drowsiness, dysbacteriosis, weakened immunity.

Treatment with drugs

If you find a fungus on your thumb, self-medication is not the best option.There are different types of this infection, and the drug you choose may not be effective against the particular type of fungus.Therefore, it is recommended to contact a doctor who will prescribe tests and select an individual course of treatment.

Before treating a disease with traditional medicines, it is necessary to destroy all escape routes of the pathogen.And for this: disinfect shoes, bedding, socks.Textiles can be boiled, outdoor shoes can be cleaned from the inside with lemon, and indoor slippers should be thrown away.These methods will not only speed up recovery, but will also prevent you from infecting family members.

It will take 1-2 months to clear a fungal infection at an early stage.In advanced cases, treatment continues for up to a year or even longer.

Foot fungus can be successfully treated with three groups of drugs:

• antifungal paints;
• local preparations: ointment, cream, spray;
• drugs for oral administration.

Antifungal paints for the treatment of fungi

Antifungal paints are recommended at the beginning, when the disease has not yet reached an advanced stage.

The main advantage of medicinal paints is versatility.They can be used for prevention, treatment of existing fungi and even to remove the diseased part of the nail.Some drugs can be applied not only to the nail, but also to the sore skin of the feet.The only disadvantage of these funds is their high price.

Most antifungal paints fight several types of fungi at once.It takes 2 months to a year to cure all symptoms of the infection.

Creams and ointments for the treatment of fungi

Using ointments and creams for onychomycosis is the most effective and simple way.To completely eliminate the infection at home, it will take up to a year (depending on the stage of the disease).Doctors recommend changing the ointment (or alternating it) every 14 days, otherwise the fungus will get used to the medicine and there will be no effect.When all symptoms disappear, it is necessary to continue treatment for another 2 weeks to consolidate the effect of the drug.

Antifungal drugs for oral administration

In advanced forms of onychomycosis, it is useless to treat the disease only with ointments and paints: the fungus has already penetrated the blood.In this case, the doctor prescribes antifungal and immunomodulatory drugs.

Treatment with home remedies

You can deal with big toe fungus at home not only with pharmaceutical varnishes and ointments.In the initial stages, folk “grandmother's” methods will be quite effective.

But it is important to understand that treatment with folk remedies, although less expensive, will take longer than using antifungal varnishes and special creams and ointments.

Traditional medicine methods are widely used in the treatment of fungal infections.It is recommended to use them as additional measures to the main treatment.They cannot replace drugs.

Common recipes:

• The simplest treatment method at home is cauterization with iodine.You just need to apply iodine to the nail plate and surrounding skin with a cotton pad 2 times a day (in the morning and before going to bed).Don't forget: iodine dries out the skin.Therefore, every week it is better to take a short break and treat the fungus with other folk remedies.
• If you catch the infection at a very early stage, you can treat it with a proven military method - laundry soap.We simply grate an ordinary bar of soap on a coarse grater, dilute it in a bowl of warm water and arrange foot baths every evening.Until complete recovery.
• The antibacterial properties of garlic are also excellent in the fight against fungi.There are two recipes with garlic that you can use at home.The first is to rub the garlic until it becomes a paste, spread it on the sore nail, wrap it with cling film and put a sock on it.Do it 2 times a week at night, antifungal course – six months.The second recipe calls for 2 crushed garlic cloves per 100 grams of soft butter.Use similarly, but every evening, after washing.Use for 1-2 months.
• Treatment of mycosis of the big toe with folk remedies is impossible without potato peelings.We take the fresh peels, boil them, drain the water and knead them manually directly into the saucepan.Then we transfer the mushroom-damaged legs to a basin and steam them while cleaning.After 15-20 minutes, wash the remaining peels with potato broth and put on clean socks.Do this every evening until the fungal symptoms disappear.

Also vinegar essence, lemon compresses, aspen bark baths, herbal mixture of chamomile, violet and string, celandine, etc.They are considered effective folk remedies for big toe fungus.

Big toe nail removal

If the fungal infection has already entered the second or third stage, the comprehensive treatment must necessarily include the removal of the nail.You can remove the entire nail plate or just a part, and the new nail will become smooth, pink and healthy.

Removal of the nail plate with the help of folk remedies requires special attention and accuracy: it is necessary to maintain complete sterility so as not to introduce a new infection.Homemade keratolytics also act similarly: they soften the nail plate infected by the fungus and can be removed.The most popular recipes at home are soap and soda baths and birch tar compresses.

Nail removal is possible in several ways: at home, in hospitals or in beauty salons.If you decide to carry out such a responsible procedure yourself, there are four options:

• keratolytic paints;
• special ointments and creams;
• keratolytic patch mixes;
• nail removal using folk remedies.

All paints, plasters, creams and other traditional remedies work on the same principle.A keratolytic mixture is applied to the steamed nail (depending on the instructions daily or several times a week), sealed on top and removed after some time.It is recommended to remove patches once a day, ointment and cream - once a day or 3-4 days, paint - weekly.In this case, the damaged part of the nail is removed together with the product.

Don't forget: nail removal is not the whole treatment.The fungus itself lives and multiplies on the nail bed, so after removing the nail plate, it is necessary to treat the sore finger with other antifungal drugs.Otherwise, the infection will become more active and infect the newly growing nail.

It is much more difficult to cure fungi than to prevent them, so prevention of fungal infections must be carried out constantly.To do this, you need to follow simple hygiene rules.You should not wear someone else's shoes, use a separate towel for your feet, take only your own shoes to the pool, sauna and bathhouse and disinfect them regularly.Regardless of what you wear - shoes, boots, sneakers - shoes should be comfortable, breathable, ideally made of natural materials.

It is also necessary to take care of your feet: cut your nails on time, prevent the nail from growing into the skin, and timely heal all cracks and small wounds.Also, examine your fingers regularly for any suspicious symptoms.