In this article we will look at the symptoms of an advanced form of fungal toenail disease, treatment with medicinal and traditional methods, indications for nail removal, and recommendations for preventing infections.
Chronic toenail fungus is a reason to immediately go to the doctor and start treatment immediately.The disease is detected at a late stage if the initial symptoms are confused with a simple mechanical injury to the nail.Sometimes the problem does not manifest itself at all at the initial stage.If untreated or done incorrectly without consulting the doctor, the disease progresses.Mushrooms are much more dangerous than many people think.Such an infection, accompanied by loosening and destruction of the toenails, is a parasitic infection of the whole body, immunity is impaired, allergic manifestations are possible, and there is a risk of developing bronchitis, asthma, chronic sinusitis and conjunctivitis.
In old onychomycosis, the nail is opaque, white, yellow, or bluish.In more severe cases, it turns black, becomes loose, peels off, cracks, thickens, and changes shape.The adjacent skin is red, inflamed, pain, burning and itching is felt.Painful sensations are caused by mold and yeast-like fungi.Other varieties do not cause suffering or physical discomfort;They can only be identified by the shape and color of the nails.The inability to wear open shoes or walk barefoot causes difficulties.An unpleasant, nauseating smell becomes a constant companion.
Treatment methods
The advanced form can only be treated under the supervision of a doctor: dermatologist or mycologist.He will take scrapings from infected toenails, classify the problem, and prescribe treatment.Amateur activity is unacceptable here!It is impossible to cure the disease with home remedies.It is only possible to drive the disease inside, temporarily suppress the source of infection.But the consequences will be more terrible.
When the disease is advanced, patience is required.The treatment is complex and complex.Failure to complete this will inevitably lead to relapse.The tips are simple.You will be able to recover if you follow the rules of simultaneous implementation of a set of measures:
- Use of external agents (varnishes, ointments, sprays, gels).
- Take oral medications (tablets, capsules).
- If necessary, the doctor will prescribe intravenous injections.
- Taking immunostimulating agents, vitamin and mineral complexes.
- Use of anti-inflammatory medications.
- Application of traditional medicine methods.
- If your feet sweat excessively, do foot baths every day adding a tablespoon of sea salt for every five liters of water.Before applying ointments, wash your feet with warm water to speed up the treatment.
- Regular treatment of shoes with antiseptic preparations.
If you follow these measures, curing fungus is not as difficult as it seems.
Preparations for topical use.
Official medicine offers many different medications for the external treatment of leg fungus.The doctor will prescribe the ones you need, it is not necessary to experiment, try everything.
Healing varnishes:
- Ciclopirox.Antifungal agent.Destroys yeast and mold fungi.Apply every four days.Duration – six months.At the same time, take terbinafine tablets by mouth (it is safe for pregnant women).
- Terbinafine-based varnish.Apply a coat of nail polish to the affected toenails every four days.Treatment lasts 9 to 12 months.
Antifungal ointments:
- Terbinafine.Stops the growth of yeast and parasitic fungi.With the simultaneous administration of tablets of the same name, it has a destructive effect on the fungus.
- Ketoconazole.It blocks the proliferation of the fungus and destroys it.Apply in the morning, at night, of course, a month.It is not absorbed into the blood and is not detected in plasma, which is why it is recommended for pregnant women.Contraindicated for children under three years of age.
- Naftifine - to destroy advanced toenail fungus, it is recommended to use it in the form of drops.Designed to combat dermatophyte fungi, yeasts and molds.
- Clotrimazole destroys advanced foot fungus at the cellular level.
Preparations for oral administration.
The tablets are prescribed in short but frequent courses due to the negative effect on the human liver and kidneys.
- Fluconazole.Available in capsules.Take 150 milligrams.Duration of treatment – 56 days.The toenails are then scraped to determine if further treatment is necessary.
- Itraconazole capsules.With its help, chronic onychomycosis can be cured within six months.
- Griseofulvin.Antifungal antibiotic.It accumulates in the skin cells from which keratin is formed, making healthy toenails immune to onychomycosis.The treatment lasts 8 months.
Traditional methods of treatment
- Celandine oil - freshly squeezed plant juice has a cauterizing effect and destroys the body of the fungus.Treat daily until complete healing.
- Acetic acid is a powerful and affordable remedy against old onychomycosis.A special solution is prepared based on vinegar.Mix equal parts of vodka and 70% vinegar essence, add three raw chicken egg whites.Mix.Place in the refrigerator.Moisten a piece of gauze and place it on the sore nail.Let it act for a quarter of an hour.Doing this for six months is enough time to cure the fungus.The product is aggressive and can cause burns to healthy tissues.Lubricate the skin around the affected nails with cream or sunflower oil.
- Propolis infusion with 20% alcohol.Sold in a pharmacy.Wet a piece of gauze and make a compress.Do this daily until the fungus is gone.
- Golden mustache To prepare the tincture, pour vodka over the golden mustache and hide it in a dark corner.On the fifteenth day, dilute three parts water with one part tincture.Treat the fungus in the morning and evening.Treatment lasts at least six months.
- Homemade antifungal ointment.Place a 200 gram piece of butter (butter), 100 milliliters of acetic acid (70%) and a raw chicken egg in the shell in a glass container.Don't stir.Place the mixture in a cool place.Wait a week.The shell will dissolve.Then you need to stir, spread, cover with plastic wrap and bandage.
- Calamus rhizome tincture: 15 g.Prepare the root with a glass of boiling water.Let it act for 30 minutes.You drink a glass of tincture a day.At the same time, daily ten-minute baths are carried out.To do this, steam 30 grams of calamus rhizome with boiling water (one glass) and leave for 30 minutes.The nails will begin to crumble in seven days.And then lubricate with ointment.If treated with this method, the fungus can be cured in a month and a half.In this case, immunostimulating, anti-inflammatory and vitamin preparations are taken orally.
- Squeeze out the toothpaste (with fluoride) the size of the knuckle of your little finger.Add the ashes of three cigarettes.Make a compress, leave it overnight and wash it off in the morning.
- Take equal parts of honey and onion juice and mix.Keep refrigerated.Treat neglected fungus daily.
- Lilac and calendula flowers - 30 grams each, celandine - 15 grams, oak bark - 45 grams.Add half a liter of water.Boil, let it rest for an hour and make a compress.Every day until the fungus is completely cured.
- One hundred milliliters of hydrogen peroxide, two liters of warm water - take a bath for a quarter of an hour.Pat dry with a paper towel and apply ointment.Repeat every day until it is clear that the fungus is gone.Hydrogen peroxide will protect healthy nails from infection and relieve healed nails from reinfection.
If traditional and folk medicine methods do not help, you can resort to laser therapy.Laser treatment is painless and produces an almost instantaneous effect.Four treatments are enough to kill the fungus.In this case, the periungual skin is not damaged.
nail removal
Surgery to remove a nail is rarely used if conservative methods do not give the desired result.
- The surgical removal method is painful.The nail plate takes a long time to recover.
- The laser method of nail removal is easy and painless.The disadvantage is the high cost.
- Replacing surgical nail removal with medications.Under the influence of medications, the nail plates soften and are then painlessly removed.The process is long and requires caution.
Treatment of onychomycosis during pregnancy.
Treatment of chronic toe fungus with most medications is contraindicated during pregnancy!They can harm the intrauterine development of the fetus.A mycologist will prescribe safe remedies that will slow down the development of the disease and improve the appearance of the nails.And the healing or complete removal will have to begin after the birth of the child.
It is better for pregnant women to resort to proven methods of traditional medicine.They act more gently and have fewer side effects:
- Perform foot baths with warm water and sea salt.
- Clean the skin around damaged nails with celandine juice.Continue for 3 months.
Recommendations and advice
An advanced fungus must be treated immediately!Do not let the infection affect the entire body, be patient and be sure to complete the therapy.Treat only after examination, under the supervision of a doctor.Traditional medicine methods should be combined with medications recommended by a specialist.Advice for the patient's relatives: observe good hygiene, take vitamins and medications that increase immunity.