If onychomycosis has begun to develop fairly recently, then treating toenail fungus with apple cider vinegar with baking soda, an egg and other folk remedies will help to cope. In advanced cases, such solutions, ointments and compresses can be used only 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. Treatment is most effective when it is started at the first sign of a change in the color and structure of the nails.
Types of vinegar and its effects
To combat nail fungus, apple cider vinegar, table essence and vinegar are used. Reproduction of the fungus occurs in an alkaline environment, mushrooms do not tolerate acid, and vinegar creates an acidic environment.
Vinegar has the following effects on the affected nails:
- Antiseptic. It helps prevent further infections and prevents the fungus from spreading to healthy nails and skin.
- fungistatic. The growth of mushrooms stops due to the fact that there is no nutrient medium for them.
- Fungicide. There is a death of pathogenic microorganisms - fungi.
- Firming. Prevents nail breakage.
- Preventive. Treating shoes and socks with a solution containing acetic acid will help prevent nail fungus.
- Whitening. Returning the nail to its natural color, eliminating the yellow.
Synthetic vinegar has a low cost, 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 (made from 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 (based on grape must).
The essence is used very rarely due to the risk of developing tissue burns.
In which cases can it help?
Usually vinegar is used in addition to the main therapy. It is not recommended to self-medicate, because only a doctor can determine which specific pathogen has 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 unfavorable for the reproduction of fungal infections, as a result of which they stop multiplying and die.
The disadvantages of such a procedure include the possibility of relapse, therefore, 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 very beginning of the disease, when you can still get by with folk remedies, a doctor's consultation will still be required. Only a doctor will be able to assess the severity of the situation and confirm that drug therapy is not yet necessary.
There are several ways to use apple cider vinegar:
- baths (they help not only to cure the fungus, but also have a positive effect on the skin of the feet);
- compresses;
- ointments;
- solutions;
- lotions.
Preliminary procedures
You shouldn't treat nail fungus with vinegar if there are wounds or cracks on the feet.
Preparation for treatment is carried out as follows:
- Take a warm 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 thoroughly so that each toe is dry.
- The skin around the nails is lubricated with a cream (oily, for example, for children) to avoid excessive dryness and irritation.
How to treat toenail fungus with apple cider vinegar
Trays
- A popular recipe is an apple cider vinegar and soda bath. 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, then the solution is washed off with water and the feet are thoroughly dried.
- Soda in the amount of 1 tbsp. L. poured into 1 liter of water, add 50 ml of vinegar. 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 package of dry celandine and add it to 1 liter of vinegar. The treatment solution will be ready for use in one month. The resulting tincture must be filtered, pour 5 tbsp. L. salt and mix. Add 100 ml of solution to 3 liters of water, take a bath for 10 minutes. After the procedure, you do not need to clean your feet, you need to wait for them to dry. It is best 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, cloves, lavender) has a great antifungal effect, but you must first make sure that you are not allergic to the oil. In an apple cider vinegar bath, just add 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 suitable only for those people who have no damage to the skin of the feet.
Tablets
- Moisten socks of natural fabrics (cotton) with vinegar and wear them for several hours in the evening. Take off your socks before going to bed.
- Generously dip a cotton ball in vinegar (normal or apple), attach it to the damaged nail and attach it to the finger with a plaster. You need to walk with such a compress for 3 hours.
- Add iodine (3 drops) to 1 tbsp. L. vinegar. Apply the product on the nails and fix with a bandage. Keep the compress for an hour once a day. For more than 14-21 days, it is not necessary to carry out the procedure 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 melts, remove the foil.
- Melt 200 g of butter and add it 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. L. vegetable oil and 2 tbsp. L. essence of vinegar. After applying the ointment on the nails, they are tightly wrapped with a film, on top of the woolen socks. With the medicine on the nails, you need to sleep through the night and wash off the product only in the morning.
Solution
The antifungal solution consists of 3 components: 3 raw egg whites, 2 tbsp. L. 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. L. spoons of vinegar with 3 egg whites (raw) and 2 tbsp. L. Vodka. The mixture must be stored in the refrigerator. The medicine is applied to the prepared nails (gauze is moistened in it) and kept for 15 minutes. The procedure is repeated three times. Egg with vinegar gives good effect in treating toenail fungus.
- Lotions with glycerin are also brewed for 15 minutes. You need to mix equal amounts of glycerin, alcohol, and vinegar.
The procedure is carried out every day for 7 days, after which there is a break of a week and the cycle is repeated. The treatment is carried out until a full-fledged healthy nail grows.
Contraindications
Treatment with vinegar is prohibited for allergic reactions to it. With the appearance of edema and rash on the skin, it is necessary to stop the procedure immediately. To check if there is an allergy to vinegar, it is necessary to dilute it in half with water and apply it to the inner surface of the elbow.
If there are wounds and inflammatory processes on the skin, the 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 should not be treated with apple cider vinegar to cure nail fungus.
Vinegar is contraindicated during breastfeeding. It is also undesirable to use vinegar products during pregnancy. If the attending physician allows the use of such drugs for the expectant mother, vinegar is diluted in water 2 times more than usual, making the concentration of the substance minimal.
Reviews
- First review, woman, 32 years old: "As soon as I noticed that the nail of the big toe started to change color, to yellow, I started to act. My husband suffers from nail fungus and I know how long and difficult the treatment can be . Therefore, at the first signs of the disease, he began to bathe 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 a mushroom from relatives.
- The second review, a man, 46 years old: "After going to the pool, a fungus appeared on my nails. Also, for some time I didn't pay attention to it, I thought it was only the color of my nails that changed. When the nails began to break, to thicken, dark spots appeared, I realized that the situation was serious and I went to the doctor. I'm sorry I didn't do it right away. Now it is necessary to be observed at the mycologist. They said I would be. been treated for about a year. In addition to the 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, in fact, I see a positive effect.
- The third review, a 67-year-old woman: "I often go to the countryside and when it rains I work in the garden in rubber boots. For many years everything was fine and last year a mushroom suddenly appeared. A neighbor advised me to do it. make apple cider vinegar compresses, she herself cured a nail fungus like that. I did it 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 he prescribed an ointment, and he said that apple cider vinegar is a good remedy, but it's just that my case is already underway, it was impossible to do without drugs.