Toenail fungus - how to treat it. For what reason it appears and which means are effective

14 March 2021

Have you noticed any cracks between your fingers? Do your feet itch and itch endlessly? Have your toenails suddenly lost their color and started to get worse? These symptoms should not be overlooked as they may signal a fungal infection on the foot. This disease is far from unusual; is particularly common among military personnel, professional athletes, and pool visitors. To our great regret, fungal skin lesions are treated for a long and difficult time, while causing considerable inconvenience to its “owner”. What to do to avoid contracting this disease, as well as how to cope with it after the purchase: we will tell you about all this in our article.

Causal relationships: where does toenail fungus come from

Of course, the fungus itself does not "stick" to the feet of a healthy person for no reason at all. There are several types of fungi that are considered classic, ie they affect the largest percentage of patients. They are all referred to by the single term "onychomycosis". This group may include spores of the fungus candida, dermatophytes or trichophytos, the latter, in turn, have several subspecies, which are localized in different parts of the feet and nails.

Names so difficult, at first glance, characterize an extremely unpleasant infection that penetrates under the nail or "settles" in the area between the toes or below them, at the very base. The most wonderful environment for fungal spores is the wet and warm folding of human feet, here they feel really comfortable and constantly evolving, which leads to an expansion of the affected area.

So what causes fungus on toenails?

In the absence of proper hygiene, the fungus multiplies and can affect large areas of the foot. At the same time, their spores are quite capable of popping up on the surface of any shoe, "settling" there and infecting a person again and again, and besides him, even those who can wear these shoes. Slippers and rubber slippers are the common basis for multiplication of disputes.
Due to excessive sweating of the feet, which is called hyperkeratosis. Shoes of military personnel, miners or athletes are often wet inside. This occurs due to increased loads and “non-breathable” materials from which the boots or boots are sewn. This environment is a haven for fungal spores.
Sometimes the fungus gets under the nail during the pedicure procedure in any beauty salon. Without proper sterilization of pedicure instruments, the master risks bringing you a fungus, which is quite difficult to get rid of. This can happen to absolutely anyone when cutting with pedicure tweezers that have not been treated with a special sterilizing solution.
Chronic diseases present in the body can affect fungal infection. There is no need to start the inflammatory process, which has become chronic. Necessary weight to handle it.

Due to the fact that mushroom spores like a lot of humidity and heat, they often "live" in baths, public showers and saunas. This is why in places where there is stagnant water, high humidity and high temperatures, you should follow the rules of hygiene. Be sure to wear only your shoes brought from home to saunas, public showers and baths. Remember: if someone has repeatedly worn slippers in the sauna in front of you, it is quite possible that fungal spores have already settled inside the porous rubber structure and you may become infected with onychomycosis.

How to diagnose toenail fungus yourself

It is not difficult to perform self-diagnosis, because from the most insignificant signs you can recognize the fungus and consult a doctor in the initial stage. The only thing you need to do to do this is to regularly check your feet in the area between your toes, at their base, and your nails. It is especially important to pay attention to the condition of the skin of the foot after visiting swimming pools, saunas, baths or after wearing someone else’s shoes.

The most common symptoms of fungal infections of the feet and nails are:

Cracked skin at the base of the fingers. At the same time, the wounds do not dry out, but get wet and constantly inflamed.
Nails with an unusual shape. Any detachment of natural marigold from the skin, their deformation or discoloration should alert you. In patients with onychomycosis, the nails become very thick, become very brittle and may even crumble. At the same time, the scale of colors is capable of changing: yellow, white, gray or even smoky marigolds are by no means uncommon for such a disease.
Also look for itchy spots, with skin and redness on the surface of your feet. If they do not disappear in 1-2 days, you should consult a dermatologist.
You also need to be careful of the sudden appearance of blisters on the skin of your feet. They are usually found in small groups and contain a clear liquid inside.
A very important symptom is an unpleasant odor from the feet. If your feet have never produced a delicate scent before, do not forget this factor, because it may indicate the presence of a fungal disease.

Due to the presence of such symptoms, you can independently diagnose yourself with a fungal skin disease. If you have any doubts, you should visit a doctor, he will perform a special examination and confirm or deny the presence of onychomycosis.

How is nail fungus diagnosed in a medical clinic

Most likely, you will be asked for a general blood and urine test in order to find out if there is an inflammatory process in the body. The doctor will ask you to tell in detail what medication you are taking and if you are suffering from a specific illness, for example, diabetes mellitus. Due to the increased level of glucose in the blood, as well as excess weight, which often accompanies endocrine disorders, often appear so-called diabetic foot. This disease is characterized by calluses, corns, cracks and fungal lesions.

Laboratory analysis for the presence of fungal spores is mandatory. Usually, a few days before diagnosis, you do not need to wash your feet, and nail plate detachment sites should be sealed with adhesive plaster. It is on the border of healthy skin and the affected area that a special scratch is obtained, which determines the presence of onychomycosis. In rare cases, when a relapse occurs, the destroyed marigold particles are taken for analysis. They are placed in a special environment where the fungus can grow more actively. In a similar way, laboratory assistants, together with doctors, determine the type of fungus and can then decide on further therapy.

Diseases of this nature are treated by dermatologists and doctors of a narrower specialization - mycologists.

How to cure toenail fungus

Unfortunately, nail fungus is not a common cold. It will never pass by itself. Disputes are quite resistant to many drugs, but what can I say: it is the fungus that is considered one of the most persistent microorganisms on the planet. Like mold, fungal spores can survive on all of us.

Mycoses should be treated without interruption, because they can spread over the surface of the skin, including all large areas in the pathological process and even settle in the respiratory tract, provoking asthma.

There are medicines called antifungals. Like antibacterial drugs, they kill the problem internally and externally, as they are often taken orally. Only a doctor can prescribe antifungals, for the fact that some of them can have many side effects. Some groups of drugs are able to fight only one or a few types of fungi, but there are also broad-spectrum antifungals.

For effective treatment of onychomycosis, medicines with the following active ingredients are suitable:

Terbinafine,
Clotrimazole,
Ketoconazole,
Fluconazole,
Itraconazole.

Remember that only a doctor has the right to prescribe antifungals. Given the possibility of side effects, it is impossible to choose an antifungal that is suitable for absolutely all patients with onychomycosis.

Also, special ointments, applications and lotions are prescribed for the high quality treatment of fungal infections of the feet. These toenail fungus remedies are used both in the initial stage and during the running process. Based on the degree of damage and localization of the fungus, the doctor may prescribe applications. They involve applying the oil to the affected areas of the skin, which are then plastered. Such an application is usually held overnight and in the morning the dead skin or nail particles are removed and carefully removed.

The following treatment options also give good results:

Treatment with antifungal spray,
Creams or emulsions,
Coating toenails with a special anti-fungal spray.

Complex therapy of fungal disease, combining the use of oils, antifungals and other procedures, gives the most lasting effect. But we must not forget that onychomycosis therapy is a long process. To give you an idea of how you can get rid of toenail fungus, it is worth mentioning one fact: as usual, the nail grows back completely in a period of 6 to 12 months. Until a new and healthy nail grows back, you should not interrupt the treatment, because sometimes spores can continue at the root of the nail. If you stop treatment prematurely, a relapse of the disease may occur.

Folk remedies for toenail fungus

Treating a fungus at home will not be effective if only two or three treatment procedures are performed and, at the slightest improvement in clinical appearance, we forget the therapy. The course of antifungal therapy should last at least three weeks, but sometimes it takes much longer to defeat an unpleasant disease. Be patient or the toenail fungus will come back.

The mainstay of home treatment is to remove the affected skin and nails as much as possible to prevent the spread of spores. In terms of beauty salons, a pedicure master will help to cope with mycosis. He will remove the affected top layer of the nail with a special milling cutter with a non-thick nozzle, after which it will be possible to apply an antifungal oil to the area. At home, you are unlikely to be able to completely remove the dead cell layer, but it will be quite possible to soften and carefully remove it.

Fungus recipe on toenails:

Chicken eggs - 1 piece,
70% or 80% vinegar essence,
Tea tree oil, butter or olive.

Acetic acid works well against many types of fungi, so you can try it at home. First, pour the essence of the chicken egg so that it is completely covered with the solution. It is better to use a glass for this. Now you need to put it in a dark place. Observe the egg: once you notice that the bark is completely dissolved, take out the pot and add a little oil to it (in case you want to add tea tree oil, 1-2 drops will suffice). Now you need to grind the mixture thoroughly so that the egg turns into a homogeneous paste. The mixture should cover the areas affected by the fungus, put a plastic wrap on top and wrap the feet with a bandage or gauze. It is advisable to leave the compress for a few hours, after which the steamed marigold should be cut. With regular use, the diseased nail can be removed almost completely, and the fungus can be eliminated permanently.

Toenail fungus: treatment with folk remedies

If you want to beat onychomycosis yourself, it is possible that compresses made from different ingredients, for example, garlic, horseradish or kombucha, will help. Just make sure to steam the feet before applying, that is, prepare a steam bath for them.

Baths with soda solution or potassium permanganate are considered the most effective. Both ingredients have an antiseptic effect, perfectly clean and disinfect the skin and toenails. Making a bath is simple: pour hot water into a tub and pour soda there, at the rate of 1 tbsp. lsode for 3 liters of water. Potassium permanganate powder should be added carefully so as not to burn inflamed skin. The solution should not be purple or violet; water with pink light will suffice. We lower our feet to our bathroom and enjoy it for about 1 hour. Wipe your feet dry. You can now perform other manipulations.

Grate horseradish or garlic on a fine grater or squeeze through a press. Wrap the mass in a piece of gauze or bandage and place on the affected area. Leave the compress on overnight, not forgetting to wrap in plastic and wear warm socks. Kombucha has an identical effect, you will need a little - a small part, which should also be applied to the affected area of the nail.

Prevention of foot fungus - how to avoid infection with fungal spores

As a preventative measure against onychomycosis infection, you should follow a few simple rules:

Use your shoes to visit the pool, shower, sauna or steam bath. Try not to walk in such barefoot places, especially if there is even minor damage to the skin.
Do not lend foreigners your shoes and foot hygiene items, such as pumice stone or a pedicure brush at home.
In order to never think about how to get rid of toenail fungus, change underwear, socks or tights more often. Your health depends on it.
When you come to a pedicure, check if the master has sterilized his instruments. In some salons there is a service of purchasing your set of pedicure tools. This significantly reduces the risk of fungus contracting.
Remember that to prevent calluses, corns and blisters, you should wear loose-fitting shoes that do not restrict movement. Remember: if there are no wounds, cracks or scratches on the surface of the skin, fungal spores are unlikely to attack you.