20 simple ways to quickly cure fingernail fungus

Nail fungus is diagnosed in 20-30% of people. The pathology is much more difficult to treat than fungal infections of the skin. To obtain a good effect from therapy, it is recommended to use systemic and local antifungal medications for 18 months or more. In some cases, repeated therapy is required.

Treatment of nail fungus

Causes of fungal infections of the nail plates, classification, pathogenesis

Onychomycosis is an infectious pathology that manifests itself as damage to the nail plate due to the penetration of fungal flora. It can occur on both fingernails and toenails.

Damage to the nail plates is caused by the following pathogens:

• foot damage - dermatomycetes, candida albigens, non-dermatomycete molds;
• fingernail fungus - dermatomycetes, C. parapsilosis, mold fungal agents.

The nail complex can be affected by one fungal agent or 2-3 types of pathogen at the same time.

Factors provoking pathology:

• age over 50 years;
• long-term work in hazardous work that worsens immune status;
• regular sweating of feet due to improper selection of shoes;
• traumatic damage to the nail complex, which stimulates the inflammatory process and the proliferation of pathogenic microbes;
• immunodeficiencies that provoke tumor processes, autoimmune diseases, diabetes mellitus and other conditions;
• dystrophy of the nail plates in dermatological diseases.

All these factors can lead to the appearance of fungal infections.

Fungal nail infections (onychomycosis): a never-ending story?

Is onychomycosis still a dangerous problem?

Most superficial fungal infections are caused by dermatophytes belonging to one of three genera (Trichophyton, Epidermophyton, and Microsporum), with T. rubrum being the best known cause of fungal nail infection (Figure 1). Table 1 shows the prevalence of various superficial fungal infections in different geographic areas [1]. Among superficial fungal infections, nail onychomycosis is by far the most difficult to treat (Figure 2). As reported above, the prevalence of onychomycosis is more than 23% in Europe [2] and 20% in East Asia [3]. In North America, the incidence of onychomycosis is approximately 14% [4], with fungal infections causing up to 50% of all nail diseases [5]. With millions of dollars spent annually on oral and topical medications, laser treatments, over-the-counter medications and home remedies, it is clear that toenail fungal infections continue to plague the public and are determined to get rid of them. Unfortunately, this is easier said than done. Successful treatment of nail onychomycosis requires long-term therapy, which can last a whole year. Even then, complete cure includes both clinical cure (meaning clearing (sanitation) of nails) plus mycological cure (obtaining negative results both by microscopy and by sowing and growing dermatophyte cultures on nutrient media), which is often unattainable.

Picture 1 . View of a Trichophyton rubrum colony under light microscopy (40x).

Figure 2 . Distal subungual onychomycosis of the big toe.

Table 1 . The most common dermatophytosis in different regions of the world.

What are the risk factors for onychomycosis of the big toes?

The most common predisposing risk factor for the development of onychomycosis is reported to be advanced age, which is 18.2% in patients 60–79 years of age compared with 0.7% in patients under 19 years of age. Additionally, men are three times more likely to develop onychomycosis than women, although the reasons for these gender differences are unclear [6]. In addition, the prevalence of infection in people whose spouses have been infected with onychomycosis is low compared with the prevalence of the disease among children of affected parents, suggesting a genetic risk factor [7]. Although extremely rare, one study reported the identification of four members of the same family among seven unrelated groups of individuals sharing a common genetic trait (autosomal recessive CARD9 deficiency) who developed a deep tissue dermatophyte infection that was fatal [8 ].

Other risk factors include diabetes and conditions that contribute to poor peripheral circulation [9]. In fact, onychomycosis may represent an important predisposing factor for the development of diabetic ulcers and diabetic foot syndrome [10]. Immunocompromised patients, such as those with HIV infection or undergoing chemotherapy for cancer, are also predisposed to fungal nail infections [11]. There is at least one case in the literature of a fungal nail infection caused by a Fusarium fungus (non-dermatophyte) causing a fatal systemic generalized infection in a patient with lymphoma following a bone marrow transplant [12].

Several non-clinical risk factors also influence a person's chance of developing fungal nail infections. Onychomycosis of the nails is not common in tropical climates, apparently because people in these regions do not wear tight, closed shoes, which create a warm, moist environment for the fungal infection to spread. In addition, the spread of foot infections, including tinea pedis (athlete's foot), can occur in areas such as showers, bathrooms, or locker rooms where the floor surface is often wet and people walk barefoot [13]. Nail trauma also increases the risk of fungal infection of the affected nail, especially in older adults [11].

A recent study by our research team used regression analysis to show that a history of tinea pedis, as well as three clinical situations—onychomycosis, increasing (scaling) of the skin pattern on the plantar surfaces (a clinical sign of tinea pedis), change Nail colors (a clinical sign of onychomycosis, usually indicating the severity of nail infection) were statistically associated with the prevalence of infection in families with multiple infected family members (P≤.044) [14].

How to treat onychomycosis?

Treatment of onychomycosis includes chemical or surgical removal of the affected nail, the use of systemic or local drugs, pulse therapy, or a combination of these methods. Table 2 shows treatment regimens using oral and topical medications; and, as can be seen from the table, the course of treatment for a fingernail infection is shorter than the course of treatment for a toenail infection. Treatment of onychomycosis has improved significantly over the past few decades with the introduction of the antifungal drugs terbinafine and itraconazole. However, these drugs may have side effects such as liver damage or adverse drug interactions, which is especially true in older adults [15]. Additionally, nail infections caused by non-dermatophyte fungi, such as Fusarium, are particularly difficult to treat [16].

Table 2 . Treatment of onychomycosis with antifungal agents.

Why can't topical antifungals work better?

Unfortunately, currently available topical agents such as amorolfine 5% and cyclopirox 8% have low efficacy (approximately 5%-12%) [17, 18]. Low effectiveness may be due mainly to the inability of the drug to penetrate through the nail plate to the nail bed, where the infectious agents are located [19]. Thickened nails, extensive involvement of the entire nail, extension of the disease to the lateral ridges around the nails, and yellow nail spikes contribute to poor results of local treatment [11]. Figure 1 shows an example of distal subungual onychomycosis; nails are specially trimmed to show their thickening.

Further complicating the clinical situation is the fact that some antifungal drugs bind to the matrix of the nail plate and, therefore, do not reach the site of infection, which is localized in the nail bed. For example, terbinafine has been shown to rapidly concentrate in the nail, reaching a maximum concentration of 0.39 mg/g and persisting for up to 2 months after the end of treatment [20]. In this regard, Ryder and co-workers developed an in vitro nail model in which it was shown that the fungicidal effect of terbinafine when testing established dermatophyte infections on the human nail was actually less effective than in conventional microplate assays where crushed powder on affected nails [21].

Recently, many attempts have been made and various approaches have been developed to solve the problem of drug penetration into the nail plate. For example, there have been attempts to develop permeation enhancers to facilitate drug delivery through the nail plate, such as the addition of dodecyl-2-N,N-dimethylaminopropionate hydrochloride (HCl DDAIP, trade name NexACT-88; NexMed) and terbinafine to nail polish [19]. ]. Another method was to add terbinafine to nail polish as part of transfersome-ultradeformable lipid vesicles that can pass through intercellular spaces and are used as carriers for non-invasive targeted delivery and sustained release of drugs [22]. In addition, a new small molecule antifungal agent, oxaborole (AN2690), has been recently developed to better penetrate the nail plate [23]. However, to date, none of these topical preparations have been commercialized.

Therefore, regulatory approval of drugs for the topical treatment of onychomycosis and their recommendation for use in clinical practice may be hampered by the negative impact of an overly strict definition of complete cure, which includes nail debridement plus mycological cure (negative microscopy and culture results). . A review of data from several international clinical trials of antifungal drugs by Ghannoum and co-workers concluded that re-evaluating the definition of treatment for onychomycosis is critical [24]. In these trials, large numbers of toenail samples were collected from patients at the end of the clinical trial and contained visible fungal hyphae that, when further cultured, failed to grow on culture media. However, current technology does not differentiate between "live" and "dead" fungi, so even if these samples were to be classified as positive by microscopy, the infection may in fact be cured. The authors suggest that for clinical trials of topically applied topical medications, the treatment duration should be extended to 18 months, followed by a longer washout period of 3–6 months before initial assessment of effect to achieve both removal of residual drug in the nail , and non-viable fungal cells. Thus, the absence of clinical signs after an adequate period of elimination, combined with negative fungal culture results, with or without negative microscopy results, should be considered cured of onychomycosis. These changes in definition may allow more medicinal antifungal drugs to prove their clinical effectiveness for topical use.

What's new in the treatment of onychomycosis?

Recent devices developed for the treatment of onychomycosis include laser devices, photodynamic therapy devices, iontophoresis and ultrasound. Laser treatment has been approved for cosmetic treatment only, but the effectiveness of treatment in eradicating fungal infection needs to be determined in additional randomized controlled trials [25]. There are isolated reports in the literature about the treatment of onychomycosis using phototherapy, which involves irradiation of accumulated protoporphyrin within the fungal hyphae, which leads to subsequent damage to the hyphal cells [26]. The availability of iontophoresis and the use of electric current (0.5 mA/cm2) facilitates the passage of the drug through the nail plate, which has been proven in studies on human cadaveric nails, but corresponding clinical studies have not yet been completed [27]. Finally, although ultrasound therapy has previously shown fungistatic activity against nail lesions [28], the device itself appears to be too complex with ultrasound transducers and drug delivery compartments required for each nail and requires the development of a special computer program interface, making this method only available in a doctor's office and probably very expensive [29].

Why do patients relapse so often?

There are several factors that may contribute to a high risk of recurrent fungal nail infections. Patients with a genetic predisposition to onychomycosis, those with immunodeficiency or diabetes mellitus may develop relapses and may never achieve permanent recovery from the fungal infection [11].

This may be due to either failure of eradication or reinfection with a new fungal strain upon subsequent exposure. Arthrospores, which are chains of conidia in fungi, are formed when the integrity of fungal hyphae is disrupted and are considered the main agent causing nail damage. These arthrospores have been shown to have thicker cell walls than conidia formed in vitro and are more resistant to antifungal drugs and thus may remain in the nail bed as a reservoir for disease recurrence [30]. However, the level of innate resistance among dermatophytes is low. In vitro susceptibility testing was performed at our center on 140 consecutive strains from subjects who failed topical terbinafine in clinical trials. In all cases, the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of terbinafine for each patient in the kit or within a single in vitro dilution were identical and there were no cases of resistance development. The same results were obtained within each set with fluconazole, itraconazole, griseofulvin (with the exception of one isolate having a 3-fold increase in MIC). This provides further evidence that there was no cross-resistance between antifungal agents [31]. The study found that the case of treatment failure for infected nails may be due to multiple/familial factors.

Even in cases where the fungal infection has been completely eradicated after antifungal therapy, there is still a risk of re-infection. As mentioned above, people are exposed to dermatophytes in water bodies through many repeated day-to-day activities, including trips to the gym and increased travel. General preventive measures, such as not walking barefoot in public showers or hotel showers, will help avoid unnecessary infection. This is one of the most common routes of infection in the home. It has long been suspected that nail infections are more common in close contact with family members. However, this claim was not confirmed until recently, so our research team used molecular techniques to prove that individuals in the same family were infected with the same strain of T. rubrum [14]. For those trying to avoid reinfection, measures such as treating shoes with a spray containing antifungal agents or disinfecting shoes in a commercial ultraviolet device [32] after each use are recommended. Thus, the patient not only must treat the infection, but also break the vicious circle of reinfection.

Literature

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2. Haneke E, Roseeuw D (1999) The scope of onychomycosis: epidemiology and clinical features. Int J Dermatol 38 Suppl 2:7–12. doi: 10.1046/j.1365-4362.1999.00015.x

3. Ogasawara Y (2003) Prevalence and patient's consciousness of tinea pedis and onychomycosis. Nihon Ishinkin Gakkai Zasshi 44:253–260. doi: 10.3314/jjmm.44.253

4. Ghannoum MA, Hajjeh RA, Scher R, Konnikov N, Gupta AK, et al. (2000) A large-scale North American study of fungal isolates from nails: the frequency of onychomycosis, fungal distribution, and antifungal susceptibility patterns. J Am Acad Dermatol 43:641–648. doi: 10.1067/mjd.2000.107754

5. Scher RK (1994) Onychomycosis is more than a cosmetic problem. Br J Dermatol 130: 15. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2133.1994.tb06087.x

6. Gupta AK, Jain HC, Lynde CW, MacDonald P, Cooper EA, et al. (2000) Prevalence and epidemiology of onychomycosis in patients visiting physicians' offices: a multicenter Canadian survey of 15,000 patients. J Am Acad Dermatol 43:244–248. doi: 10.1067/mjd.2000.104794

7. Faergemann J, Correia O, Nowicki R, Ro BI (2005) Genetic predisposition—understanding the underlying mechanisms of onychomycosis. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venerol 19:17–19. doi: 10.1111/j.1468-3083.2005.01283.x

8. Lanternier F, Pathan S, Vincent QB, Liu L, Cypowyj S, et al (2013) Deep dermatophytosis and inherited CARD9 deficiency. N Engl J Med 369:1704–1714. doi: 10.1056/nejmoa1208487

9. Saunte DM, Holgersen JB, Haedersdal M, Strauss G, Bitsch M, et al. (2006) Prevalence of toe nail onychomycosis in diabetic patients. Acta Derm Venerol 86:425–428. doi: 10.2340/00015555-0113

10. Nenoff P, Ginter-Hanselmayer G, Tietz HJ (2012) Fungal nail infections - an update: Part 1 - Prevalence, epidemiology, predisposing conditions, and differential diagnosis. Hautarzt 63: 30–38. doi: 10.1007/s00105-011-2251-5

11. Scher RK, Baran R (2003) Onychomycosis in clinical practice: factors contributing to recurrence. Br J Dermatol 149:5–9. doi: 10.1046/j.1365-2133.149.s65.5.x

12. Arrese JE, Pierard-Franchimont C, Pierard GE (1996) Fatal hyalohyphomycosis following Fusarium onychomycosis in an immunocompromised patient. Am J Dermatopathol 18:196–198. doi: 10.1097/00000372-199604000-00014

13. Aly R (1994) Ecology and epidemiology of dermatophyte infections. J Am Acad Dermatol 31:S21. doi: 10.1016/s0190-9622(08)81262-5

14. Ghannoum MA, Mukherjee PK, Warshaw EM, Evans S, Korman NJ, et al. (2013) Molecular analysis of dermatophytes suggests spread of infection among household members. Cutis 91:237–246.

15. Elewski B, Tavakkol A (2005) Safety and tolerability of oral antifungal agents in the treatment of fungal nail disease: a proven reality. Ther Clin Risk Manag 1:299–306.

16. Tosti A, Piraccini BM, Lorenzi S (2000) Onychomycosis caused by nondermatophyte molds: clinical features and response to treatment of 59 cases. J Am Acad Dermatol 42:217–224. doi: 10.1016/s0190-9622(00)90129-4

17. BlueCross BlueShield of Northeastern New York (2006 November 28) Drug Therapy Guidelines: Antifungal Agents Lamisil (terbinafine), Sporanox (itraconazole), Penlac (ciclopirox), Vfend (voriconazole). Drug P&T Newsletter.

18. Lauharanta J (1992) Comparative efficacy and safety of amorolfine nail lacquer 2% versus 5% once weekly. Clin Exp Dermatol 17:41–43. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2230.1992.tb00277.x

19. Ghannoum MA, Long L, Pfister WR (2009) Determination of the efficacy of terbinafine hydrochloride nail solution in the topical treatment of dermatophytosis in a guinea pig model. Mycoses 52:35–43. doi: 10.1111/j.1439-0507.2008.01540.x

20. Faergemann J, Zehender H, Millerioux L (1994) Levels of terbinafine in plasma, stratum corneum, dermis-epidermis (without stratum corneum), sebum, hair and nails and after 250 mg terbinafine orally once daily for 7 and 14 days. Clin Exp Dermatol 19:121–126. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2230.1994.tb01138.x

21. Osborne CS, Leitner I, Favre B, Ryder NS (2004) Antifungal drug response in an in vitro model of dermatophyte nail infection. Med Mycol 42:159–163. doi: 10.1080/13693780310001656803

22. Ghannoum M, Isham N, Herbert J, Henry W, Yurdakul S (2011) Activity of TDT 067 (Terbinafine in Transfersome) against Agents of Onychomycosis, as Determined by Minimum Inhibitory and Fungicidal Concentrations. J Clin Microbiol 49:1716–1720. doi: 10.1128/jcm.00083-11

23. Alley MR, Baker SJ, Beutner KR, Plattner J (2007) Recent progress on the topical therapy of onychomycosis. Expert Opin Investig Drugs 16:157–167. doi: 10.1517/13543784.16.2.157

24. Ghannoum M, Isham N, Catalano V (2013) A Second Look at Efficacy Criteria for Onychomycosis: Clinical and Mycological Cure. Br J Dermatol. E-pub ahead of print. doi:10.1111/bjd.12594.

25. Gupta AK, Simpson FC (2013) Laser therapy for onychomycosis. J Cutan Med Surg 17:301–307.

26. Harris F, Pierpoint L (2012) Photodynamic therapy based on 5-aminolevulinic acid and its use as an antimicrobial agent. Med Res Rev 32:1292–1327. doi: 10.1002/med.20251

27. Delgado-Charro MB (2012) Iontophoretic drug delivery across the nail. Expert Opin Drug Deliv 9:91–103. doi: 10.1517/17425247.2012.642364

28. Silva JL, Doimo G, Faria DP (2011) The use of high frequency waves to treat onychomycosis: preliminary communication of three cases. An Bras Dermatol 86:598–600.

29. Abadi D, Zderic V (2011) Ultrasound-mediated nail drug delivery system. J Ultrasound Med 30:1723–1730.

30. Yazdanparast SA, Barton RC (2006) Arthroconidia production in Trichophyton rubrum and a new ex vivo model of onychomycosis. J Med Microbiol 55:1577–1581. doi: 10.1099/jmm.0.46474-0

31. Bradley M, Leidich S, Isham N, Elewski B, Ghannoum M (1999) Antifungal susceptibilities and genetic relatedness of serial Trichophyton rubrum isolates from patients with onychomycosis of the toenail. Mycoses 42:105–110.

32. Ghannoum MA, Isham N, Long L (2012) Optimization of an infected shoe model for the evaluation of an ultraviolet shoe sanitizer device. J Am Podiatr Med Assoc 102:309–313. doi: 10.7547/1020309

Symptoms and stages of pathology in adult patients

Onychomycosis is localized on the fingers or toes. The clinical picture of the disease is manifested by changes in the color, transparency and shape of the nail plate. Symptoms of fungal infection may differ depending on the type of pathology. The following types of onychomycosis are distinguished:

1. Marginal damage is the very first initial stage of pathology, caused by the entry of a pathogen from the outside; almost imperceptible changes in the nail plate appear in the area of ​​its free part, not adjacent to the nail bed; yellowish-gray stripes and patterns (areas of nail abrasion) are noted.
2. Normotrophic variety - the nail plate has stripes or sectors of damage, but at the same time retains its original thickness and shape; the nail becomes brittle and acquires a yellow-gray tint; the plate becomes thinner and grows more slowly.
3. Hypertrophic appearance - observed in patients who have not treated onychomycosis; the nail plate thickens either in the area of ​​the free part of the nail or in the place of the nail folds; They also highlight complete damage to the plate, when it evenly changes color, transparency and thickness.
4. White superficial variety - occurs more often after prolonged therapy with systemic antifungal drugs; appears as whitish or yellowish opacities on the surface of the nail.
5. Proximally deforming appearance - the nail plate takes on a wave-like shape (similar to a washboard), the color and transparency remain the same.
6. Onycholytic variety - the plate becomes fragile, brittle, thin; occurs against the background of a hypertrophic or normotrophic type of onychomycosis.
7. Atrophic type - thinning of the nail, brittleness; appears when the plate is frequently polished.

Based on the clinical picture, the doctor determines the type of pathology, makes a diagnosis, and prescribes therapy.

Tips and precautions

• These folk remedies should be used until the affected nails are completely restored.
• After each of these procedures, they should be dried thoroughly, since a humid environment promotes the growth of infection.
• Trim or file your nails regularly. This will help speed up the healing process and prevent future disease.
• Always wear gloves when doing laundry or washing dishes.
• Wash your hands regularly with antifungal soap.
• For mycosis, it is useful to apply ozonated olive oil and gently massage the skin around them. This will also prevent the development of the disease.
• You cannot use varnish or apply nail extensions if you have a fungal infection.
• During the treatment period, take vitamins A, E, C, H, PP, B5, D.

Do not forget - in order to remove the fungus and avoid relapse, you need to complete the treatment. It is also necessary to adhere to the rules of personal hygiene to avoid re-infection with the disease.

Manifestations of fungus in childhood

Symptoms of onychomycosis in children are most often observed when the skin of the feet and hands is affected by the fungus. Nail changes:

• The normotrophic type of the disease is manifested by degeneration of the plate with its normal thickness and shape. The nails of young patients become striated, dull, and have a whitish-yellow tint. The plate begins to peel off in the base area.
• Mycotic leukonychia - looks like pinpoint spots that merge over time and cover the entire surface of the nail.
• Atrophic and onycholytic type - the nail begins to separate from the nail bed and shorten.
• Distal-lateral mycosis - transverse grooves of a brownish tint appear (tunnels created by the pathogen).

Hypertrophic and proximal (wavy deformation) types of the disease are rare in children.

Which doctor should I go to for nail fungus?

If symptoms of onychomycosis appear, it is recommended to visit a physician. The doctor will conduct an examination and refer you to a dermatologist or podologist. You cannot treat the disease yourself or ignore the symptoms of the disease, as this can lead to serious deformation of the nail plate. A pronounced change in the shape of the nail requires surgical treatment.

If you suspect a fungus, consult a doctor

Diagnostic methods

To make a diagnosis, it is necessary to confirm the presence of a fungal agent in the nail plate. For this purpose, the microscopy method is used. A piece of material is taken from the patient from the free part of the nail, the plate itself, and the subungual zone. If a pathogen is identified, the material is re-sampled for testing. If fungi are detected again, therapy is started.

In some cases, seeding is indicated. It is performed more often after a course of therapy. Culture shows the ability of fungi to cause relapse.

In addition to culture and microscopy, before antifungal therapy, the patient can be prescribed:

• general blood test, urine test,
• liver enzymes,
• alkaline phosphatase,
• bilirubin,
• TSH.

These studies will help identify chronic diseases and prevent possible complications from taking medications.

Local therapy

Local therapy is less effective, so it is often combined with systemic medications. Topical remedies for nail fungus include:

• ointments,
• creams,
• varnishes.

To use topical medications, you must first remove the affected parts of the nail plate. For this purpose, keratolytic patches are indicated. They are divided into:

• Urea (Ureaplast, Onychoplast, Urea patch with quinosol).
• Salicylic (Quinozolo-salicylic patch, Quinozolodimexide patch).

Sometimes the affected nail plates are removed by cleaning (hardware removal with diamond cutters and other methods).

After removing the affected nail, local therapy begins. If the nail plate is preserved after softening or mechanical cleaning, apply varnish. The most common of this group of external agents are:

• Loceryl - has amorolfine, is indicated for application twice a week; The course of therapy is six months (hands), a year (feet).
• Batrafen - active ingredient - ciclopirox; applied every other day during the first month, then in the second month of therapy it is indicated once a week; the course lasts up to six months.

Loceryl, 5%, solution for external use, (nail polish), 2.5 ml, 1 pc.

Laboratoires Galderma, France

Price from 920₽

Mikoderil, 1%, cream for external use, against nail fungus, 30 g, 1 pc.

OTC Pharm, Russia

Price from 519₽

Uniplast bactericidal moisture-resistant adhesive plaster, 1.9x7.2, medical plaster, set, 20 pcs.

Veropharm, Russia

Price from 76₽

There are contraindications. Specialist consultation is required.

In addition to varnish, it is allowed to use creams and ointments. Effective medicines:

• Clotrimazole in the form of ointment or cream (Candid. Yenamazole, Candibene, Kanizon);
• Bifonazole (Mikospor, Bifosin) - in the form of a cream, spray;
• Ketoconazole (Nizoral, Ketoconazole) and other medications.

Terbinafine (Fungotherbin, Binafin) ointment or cream for nail fungus is often used. The effectiveness of this product is quite high.

Recipe for homemade lotion against fungus

Here is a recipe for preparing a lotion that has an effective and safe composition. After a month of using it, you will forget about the fungus and your nails will become well-groomed and smooth.

1. In a dark glass bottle, mix:

• 4 teaspoons apple cider vinegar;
• 10 drops of lavender oil;
• 6 drops tea tree oil.

2. Close the lid and shake well.

3. Now add 1/8 cup (30 ml) distilled water to it.

4. Close and shake the bottle again.

5. Apply the solution to your nails with a cotton ball 3 times a day. Remember to shake well before each use.

How to prevent the occurrence of pathology

The occurrence of onychomycosis can be prevented by following simple hygiene rules. It is recommended to take a shower every day and dry your feet thoroughly with a towel. You should clean the bathroom or shower room with antiseptic solutions and change clothes (especially socks and tights). Chlorine-containing products are recommended for treating wet rooms.

It is advisable to avoid visiting public baths and saunas, or take personal shoes with you, which will reduce the likelihood of infection. For prevention, it is permissible to use antifungal sprays after a visit.

The pathogen can be contracted on the beach. Therefore, after a beach holiday, you should wash your feet, treat them with an antifungal spray or other external preparations.

You cannot wear someone else's shoes or socks - this can be a source of infection. When trying on shoes or boots in a store, you must put on ankle boots or socks (and then immediately put them in the wash). Be sure to use antifungal sprays to prevent infection.

You should choose shoes according to the weather. Feet should not sweat. The size of boots or shoes must be appropriate so that the foot does not get pinched. Excessive pressure and trauma provoke the proliferation of fungal agents. If one family member has been diagnosed with a fungus, the entire family should be treated at the same time.

The fungus provokes reduced immunity. For this reason, chronic diseases (diabetes mellitus, thyroid pathologies, immunodeficiencies, ENT diseases) should be treated in a timely manner.

Today, onychomycosis is treated quite successfully. Pharmacies have a large arsenal of antifungal drugs, both systemic and local. Treatment should be prescribed by a doctor to prevent complications and further relapses of the pathology. Lamisil can be used as a universal option.

Prevention of nail fungus

The body does not form specific (targeted) immunity against the fungus, so even after successful treatment for onychomycosis, if hygiene rules are not followed, there is a risk of re-infection.

To avoid catching onychomycosis, it is important:

• observe the rules of personal hygiene;
• do not use other people's personal belongings or clothing;
• wash your feet (or at least your feet) daily in cool water and soap;
• so that socks or stockings are always clean and dry; if you are prone to excessive sweating, treat your feet with special preparations;
• do not allow your nails to grow, but also do not cut them too short so that they remain level with the pads of your toes;
• periodically disinfect nails with an antiseptic;
• Clean regularly and avoid dampness and excessive humidity.

In case of nail injuries, it is important to immediately treat the wound with antiseptics and consult a doctor for prompt treatment of the wound, since it can serve as a “gateway” for a fungal infection.

How to treat toenail and fingernail fungus with Lamisil?

Lamisil can cure nail fungus. It is available in the form of cream, spray and tablets. A variety of forms of the drug allows you to treat nail fungus at home.

Systemic therapy is indicated with tablets of 250 mg once a day for 12 weeks. Along with the tablets, you need to apply the cream to the affected areas twice a day. The course of local therapy is up to 2 weeks or more. It is better to apply the cream until the nail is completely renewed.

Lamisil, 1%, cream for external use, 15 g, 1 pc.

GlaxoSmithKline, Switzerland

Price from 264₽

There are contraindications. Specialist consultation is required.

Treatment of hand skin fungus

An acidic environment is detrimental to microbial spores. Among the best folk recipes for fungus on the hands is tomato juice. You can make baths and lotions from the drink for a quarter of an hour. To treat fungal infections use:

• against yeast microorganisms Candida – onion juice, grate, leave for 15 minutes;
• for lesions between the fingers - a mask of fresh mint leaves, grated with salt, leave for an hour.

You can make a tincture from pine needles and cones. To do this, pour 250 g of the mixture of components with a liter of alcohol, leave for 2 weeks without light, lubricate the affected areas twice a day. Among the best recipes is a homemade ointment, for the preparation of which you need to make a mixture and apply it at night for two weeks. Ingredients include (in tablespoons):

• vinegar – 2;
• glycerin – 1;
• alcohol – 1.