Feet fungus on the legs is the most common disease that is found in both men and women. Detecting it in the initial stages is quite difficult and problematic, since the fungus slowly affects the nail, without giving itself any symptoms. But the sooner the disease is diagnosed, the easier it will be to get rid of it. And before talking about how to overcome this ailment, one should say a few words about the primary symptoms of this disease and the methods of its independent diagnosis.
Symptoms
As already mentioned at the very beginning, it is very difficult to recognize the fungus of nails at the initial stages. The thing is that he does not manage himself practically. The only sign of damage to the nail plate with yeast -like fungi is the appearance of stripes and stains on the nails. However, they are barely noticeable and have the same color as a healthy nail.
As the fungus multiplies, stains and stripes begin to expand and light, while the nail itself does not change its shape. But again, this happens so slowly that a person does not even notice this. And when the fungus grows strongly, the first main symptoms of the disease appear. This:
- itching and burning;
- thickening of the nail;
- increased fragility of the nail plate;
- the presence of white plaque on the nail itself and the soft tissues that surround it;
- The appearance of an unpleasant odor.
It is these symptoms that make a person's attention to the disease. But it already becomes too late. To cure the fungus in this case is no longer an easy task. We have to make every effort to get rid of it once and for all.
Self -diagnosis
If you notice the symptoms described above, but doubt that in your case they are associated with a fungal disease, then you can conduct self -diagnosis at home. To do this, you need a little potassium permanganate and warm water. Prepare the solution from potassium permanganate and lower your legs into it for a couple of minutes.
Then pull out your legs, wipe them and carefully examine your nails. In the absence of fungal damage, all nail plates should be brown. If some parts of the nails have not stained, then your fears were true - you have a fungus.
You should not hesitate with his treatment, since your health depends on it. Do not think that fungi settle only in nails. No, they penetrate deep under the nail plate and through the skin fall into the circulatory system. After that, pathogenic fungi are carried throughout the body, having a negative effect on the entire body.
Therefore, as soon as you notice the manifestations of a fungal disease, you must immediately consult a doctor. If, due to your employment, you cannot go to the hospital, then you can start treatment at home (which is extremely not desirable). But in this situation, in no case can not be inactive. It will badly affect your health.
How to treat the fungus on the nails of the legs?
How to cure the fungus on the nails of the legs? This question should only be asked a doctor. The thing is that the varieties of fungi are more than 300. Each of them has its own feature and threshold of stability to a particular drug.
Here it is necessary to take drugs of both external and oral use. The former are necessary in order to eliminate the symptoms of the disease, the latter - to destroy the fungus inside the body.
There are a huge amount of antifungal drugs in the pharmaceutical market. These are pills, and capsules, and ointments, and gels, and drops. All of them have a different price, but they act the same way.
External drugs are applied to the affected nail several times a day. They are quickly absorbed, inhibit the growth of the fungus. Octus medicines, penetrating into the stomach, quickly absorb into the circulatory system, providing a powerful blow to pathogens, destroying them one after another.
Treatment of nail fungus on the legs at the initial stages of development
If you managed to recognize the fungus of nails at the initial stage of development, then you are very lucky. The treatment of this ailment will pass quickly and without any consequences.
If you start the treatment of the fungus at this stage of development, you may not even have to wait until a healthy nail grows, since the fungus does not have time to destroy it.
Treatment of fungus at the second stage of development
Here things are already more difficult. The thing is that at this stage of its development, the fungus already affects most of the nail. The main symptoms begin to appear, and the disease already introduces great discomfort to a person.
At this stage in the development of the disease, strong drugs as a doctor’s appointment can be used.
They are also applied to dry and washed nails. However, now loose areas appear on their surface. They should be removed. You can do this with any sharp tool. But you should be careful. Removing loose particles, you can get hurt that it will only aggravate the current situation.
Remove loose plaque should not only on the surface of the nail, but also under it. Then, the medicine must be administered into the resulting cavity. In this case, it is also convenient to use drugs in the form of drops. Such manipulations should be carried out every day until a healthy nail grows.
Treatment of fungus on the legs at the third stage of development
At this stage of the disease, self -medication of the fungus on the legs is unacceptable. It is required to seek help from a doctor. The oral drugs cannot be dispensed with. And they have various contraindications and side effects, therefore they are assigned strictly on an individual basis.
This happens only after a microscopic examination and special tests for the stability of the fungus to drugs. During self -medication, you can make many errors that will definitely come in to the near future.
Treatment of nail fungus folk remedies
Treatment of nail fungus at home is in many ways similar to the treatment of nail fungus on the hands. But it should also be carried out carefully. If a deterioration is observed, then you should immediately consult a doctor and abandon the idea of self -medication.
So, what does traditional medicine advise us? And she offers us many ways to treat nail fungus on the legs. But! They should be used only in combination with drug treatment.
The most effective method of combating the fungus on the nails is the garlic. It is crushed with a knife or passed through a compress, and then applied to the affected nail and covered with polyethylene and bin on top. Such a compress should be left for the whole night, and in the morning you should remove the remaining garlic from the nail and attach a new one.
Also in the treatment of fungal damage to the nails, iodine has proven itself well. It is applied with a cotton swab on the affected nail plate several times a day. Only before its use it is necessary to wash and dry your legs.
To prevent the "resettlement" of the fungus to neighboring nails, they should also be periodically treated with iodine. But here there is one "but". After the use of iodine, the nails acquire yellow.
The use of celandine is also an effective method for treating nails. This is a poisonous plant that is easy to find in the vastness of our country. To treat the fungus, the juice of this plant is used. It is applied to the affected nail several times a day. It is not necessary to rinse it.
The disadvantage of this method of treatment of the fungus is that it can only be used for free for a few months (in the summer). Then you will have to go to the pharmacy and purchase celandine oil. By the way, it also gives a good therapeutic effect.
In addition, soda baths also have a good therapeutic effect. They are simply prepared - a couple of liters of warm water are taken and several tablespoons of baking soda are struck in it. Soda creates an alkaline environment in which fungi cannot develop and multiply normally. With its systematic use, fungi ultimately die and the disease retreats.
You can also use 9% vinegar. Before its use, it is necessary to wash and dry the legs. Then, using a nail file, eliminate the loose parts of the nail and simply grease it with a cotton swab, which should first be moistened in vinegar. Heat, dilute, or do something else with vinegar before use.
Nail fungus prevention
The fungus of the nails of the toes causes a mass of discomfort to a person. You can pick it up anywhere and anywhere. Naturally, it is always easier to prevent the disease than to treat it. And even if you managed to overcome this ailment, this does not mean that you are now insured from him for the rest of your life.
You should follow some rules that will help you once and for all forget about the fungus of the nails:
- It is required to constantly comply with the rules of personal hygiene;
- You can’t wear someone else's shoes;
- You can not walk barefoot in rooms where increased humidity prevails;
- You can not use other people's hygiene products;
- It should be regularly ventilated and washed;
- As a prevention, it is necessary to periodically use therapeutic varnishes and antifungal drugs of external use.
All these simple rules will help you protect yourself from this ailment. And if it so happened that you already had to get acquainted with this disease, do not postpone a visit to the doctor. The sooner you begin to treat the fungus correctly, the faster you get rid of it.