If onychomycosis began to develop recently, toenail fungus treatment with apple cider vinegar with baking soda, an egg and other folk remedies will help to cope with it. In advanced cases, such solutions, ointments and compresses can only be used as auxiliary components.
Acetic acid has a good penetrating ability, so it easily enters the internal structure of the nail and creates an acidic environment there. Treatment is most effective when started at the first sign of change in nail color and structure.
Types of vinegar and their effects.
To combat onychomycosis, apple cider vinegar is used, as well as table essence and vinegar. The reproduction of the fungus occurs in an alkaline environment, fungi do not tolerate acid, and vinegar creates an acidic environment.
Vinegar has the following effects on affected nails:
- Antiseptic. It helps prevent further infection and prevents the fungus from spreading to healthy nails and skin.
- fungistatic. The growth of fungi stops because there is no nutrient medium for them.
- Fungicide. There is a death of pathogenic microorganisms - fungi.
- Firming. Prevents nail splitting.
- Preventive. Treating shoes and socks with a solution containing acetic acid will help prevent onychomycosis.
- Whitening. Returning the nail to its natural color, eliminating yellowness.
Synthetic vinegar is inexpensive, but it is undesirable to use it for medical purposes. Onychomycosis can be cured with the help of natural fermentation products. These are types of vinegar such as:
- apple (based on apple juice);
- wine (from red and white wine);
- rice (from rice wine);
- cane (based on sugar syrup);
- malt (the main component is beer wort);
- balsamic (made from grape must).
The essence is used very rarely due to the risk of developing tissue burns.
In which cases can it help?
Vinegar is usually used as an adjunct to the main therapy. Self-medication is not recommended, because only a doctor can determine which specific pathogen affected the nails based on the results of tests and examination.
To start the treatment of nail fungus with apple cider vinegar, you can use a 9% solution or essence, strictly following the recommendations. Fungi have a strong sensitivity to acidic environments, so regular use of vinegar makes the environment for the reproduction of fungal infections unfavorable, so they stop multiplying and die.
The disadvantages of such a procedure include the possibility of relapse, therefore, in order to prevent the disease, it is necessary to take preventive measures and carry out competent treatment.
At an early stage of the disease, baths and compresses can also be used. And if the process is running, then the ointments will be more effective.
Application methods
At the beginning of the disease, when you can still cope with folk remedies, a doctor's consultation will in any case be necessary. Only a medical professional will be able to assess the seriousness of the situation and confirm that drug therapy is not yet required.
There are several ways to use apple cider vinegar:
- baths (they help not only treat the fungus, but also have a positive effect on the skin of the feet);
- compresses;
- ointments;
- solutions;
- lotions
Preliminary procedures
You should not treat nail fungus with vinegar if there are wounds or cracks on your feet.
Preparation for treatment is carried out as follows:
- Take a hot bath for 15 minutes to soften the skin.
- Remove the stratum corneum with a pumice stone.
- The nails are cut and polished with a nail file.
- Clean your feet well so that each toe is dry.
- The skin around the nails is lubricated with a cream (grease, for example, for children) to prevent excessive dryness and irritation.
How to treat toenail fungus with apple cider vinegar
trays
- A popular recipe is a bath with apple cider vinegar and club soda. In warm water, with a volume of 4 liters, dissolve 4 tablespoons of soda and vinegar. The feet are kept in the solution for 20 minutes and then the solution is washed off with water and the feet are completely dried.
- Soda in the amount of 1 tbsp. It is poured into 1 liter of water, 50 ml of vinegar is added. The feet are in such a bath for 25 minutes, after which they are cleaned, but not washed for several hours.
- Celandine is part of foot baths in the treatment of advanced cases of onychomycosis. It is necessary to crush the bundle of dry celandine and add to 1 liter of vinegar. The treatment solution will be ready to use in a month. The resulting tincture must be filtered, pour 5 tbsp. salt and mix. Add 100 ml of solution to 3 liters of water, make a bath for 10 minutes. After the procedure, you do not need to wipe your feet, you have to wait until they dry on their own. It is better to carry out the treatment both in the morning and in the evening.
- A bath with essential oils (for example, tea tree oil, cinnamon, oregano, clove, lavender) has an excellent antifungal effect, but you must first make sure that you are not allergic to the oil. In a bath with apple cider vinegar, it is enough to add only 3 drops of essential oil to 2 liters of water.
- Sea salt helps strengthen nails. You will need a glass of sea salt and vinegar. Add 7 liters of hot water. The tool is only suitable for those people who do not have damage to the skin of the feet.
compresses
- Moisten socks made of natural fabrics (cotton) with vinegar and put them on for several hours at night. Take off your socks before going to bed.
- Soak a cotton pad liberally in vinegar (regular or apple), stick it to the damaged nail and stick it to the finger with a Band-Aid. You need to walk with such a compress for 3 hours.
- Add iodine (3 drops) to 1 tbsp. Ivinegar. Apply the product on the nails and secure with a bandage. Keep the compress for an hour 1 time a day. For more than 14-21 days, it is not necessary to carry out the procedure in order to avoid negative effects on the thyroid gland.
Ointment
To prepare the ointment, you need:
- Take a chicken egg and pour 100 ml of vinegar essence into it.
- When the shell dissolves, remove the film.
- Melt 200 g of butter and add to the mixture.
- Apply ointment to damaged nails.
- Wrap the film on top and walk with ointment on the nails for 8 hours.
You can also make your own dimethyl phthalate ointment. To do this, mix 1 tsp. of this solution with 1 raw chicken egg, 1 tbsp. ivegetable oil and 2 tbsp. ivinegar essence. After applying the ointment to the nails, they are tightly wrapped with a film and woolen socks are put on top. With the drug on the nails, you need to sleep all night, and wash off the product only in the morning.
Solution
The antifungal solution consists of 3 components: 3 raw egg whites, 2 tbsp. essence of vodka and vinegar. The solution is first applied to a gauze bandage, and then this bandage is left on the nails for 10-15 minutes. It is impossible to keep such a solution for more than a quarter of an hour, because it contains concentrated vinegar essence.
lotions
- Mix 2 tbsp. ytablespoons of vinegar with 3 egg whites (raw) and 2 tbsp. yovodka. The mixture should be stored in the refrigerator. The drug is applied to the prepared nails (gauze is moistened) and held for 15 minutes. The procedure is repeated three times. Egg with vinegar gives a good effect in treating toenail fungus.
- Glycerin lotions are also made for 15 minutes. It is necessary to mix equal amounts of glycerin, alcohol and vinegar.
The procedure is carried out daily for 7 days, after which there is a week-long break and the cycle is repeated. The treatment is carried out until a healthy and complete nail grows.
Contraindications
Treatment with vinegar is prohibited due to allergic reactions. With the appearance of edema and rash on the skin, you must immediately stop the procedure. To check for an allergy to vinegar, you need to dilute it in half with water and apply it to the inner surface of the elbow.
If there are wounds and any inflammatory processes on the skin, baths should not be carried out. An acidic environment will only increase inflammation. Skin diseases such as eczema and psoriasis are also a contraindication.
Children under 12 years of age should not be treated with apple cider vinegar to treat nail fungus.
Vinegar is contraindicated during lactation. It is also undesirable to use vinegar-based products during pregnancy. If the attending physician allows the use of such drugs for the expectant mother, the vinegar is diluted in water 2 times more than usual, which makes the concentration of the substance minimal.
Reviews
- First examination, female, 32 years old: "As soon as I noticed that the nail on my big toe began to change color, turning yellow, I started taking action. My husband suffers from nail fungus and I know how long and difficult what can be the treatment. Therefore, at the first symptoms of the disease, he began to take baths with apple cider vinegar. After 2 weeks, I noticed an improvement. A month later, the disease had completely disappeared. It is necessary to carefully monitor the nails, especially those that have fungus from relatives.
- The second review, a man, 46 years old: "After going to the pool I got a fungus on my nails. Also, for a while I didn't pay attention to it, I thought it was just the color of the nails that had changed. When the nails began to break, thicken, dark spots appeared on them, I realized that the situation was serious and went to the doctor. I am sorry that I did not immediately. Now it is necessary to observe the mycologist. They said that they would treat me for about a year. In addition to basic medicines, the doctor said that you can make an ointment based on vinegar and eggs at home. My wife cooked it for me, and indeed I see a positive effect.
- The third review, female, 67 years old: "I often go to the field and when it rains I work in the garden in rubber boots. For many years everything went well, and last year a fungus suddenly appeared. A neighbor advised me to make compresses of apple cider vinegar, she herself cured a nail fungus that way. I did this for 2 weeks, but it didn't get better and I went to the clinic. The doctor looked at my nails, ordered tests, and then prescribed an ointment. And he said that apple cider vinegar is a good remedy, but my case is already running, it was impossible to do without drugs.