If onychomycosis began to develop quite recently, then treating toenail fungus 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 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 onychomycosis, apple cider vinegar is used, as well as table and vinegar essence. 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. Helps prevent further infection and prevents the fungus from spreading to healthy nails and skin.
- fungistatic. The growth of fungi stops due to the fact that there is no nutrient medium for them.
- Fungicidal. There is a death of pathogenic microorganisms - fungi.
- Firming. Prevents splitting of nails.
- Preventive. If you treat shoes and socks with a solution that contains acetic acid, this will help to avoid onychomycosis.
- Whitening. Returning the nail to its natural color, getting rid of yellowness.
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 such types of vinegar 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).
Essence is used very rarely because of the risk of developing tissue burns.
In what cases can he help?
Usually vinegar is used as an adjunct to the main therapy. It is not recommended to self-medicate, 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 the regular use of vinegar makes the environment for the reproduction of fungal infections unfavorable, 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 perform competent treatment.
At an early stage of the disease, baths and compresses can also be used. And if the process is running, ointments will be more effective.
Application methods
At the beginning of the disease, when you can still get by with folk remedies, a doctor's consultation will be needed in any case. Only a medical professional will be able to assess the severity of the situation and confirm that drug therapy is not yet required.
There are several ways to use apple cider vinegar:
- baths (help not only to 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 the feet.
Preparation for treatment is carried out as follows:
- Make a hot bath for 15 minutes to soften the skin.
- Remove the stratum corneum with a pumice stone.
- Nails are trimmed and polished with a nail file.
- Wipe the 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 a bath with apple cider vinegar and 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 thoroughly dried.
- Soda in the amount of 1 tbsp. l. poured into 1 liter of water, 50 ml of vinegar is added. Feet are in such a bath for 25 minutes, after which they are wiped, 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 to 1 liter of vinegar. The treatment solution will be ready for use in a month. The resulting tincture must be filtered, pour 5 tbsp. l. salt and mix. Add 100 ml of solution to 3 liters of water, do a bath for 10 minutes. After the procedure, you do not need to wipe your feet, you have to wait until they dry themselves. It is better to carry out 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 make nails stronger. You will need one 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 in the evening. Take off your socks before going to bed.
- Plentifully soak a cotton pad in vinegar (regular or apple), attach to the damaged nail and stick 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. l. vinegar. Apply the product on the nails and secure with a bandage. Keep the compress for an hour 1 time per day. For longer than 14-21 days, the procedure does not need to be carried out 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 prepare your own ointment based on dimethyl phthalate. To do this, mix 1 tsp. of this solution with 1 raw chicken egg, 1 tbsp. l. vegetable oil and 2 tbsp. l. vinegar essence. After applying the ointment to the nails, they are tightly wrapped with a film, woolen socks are put on top. With the medicine 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. l. vodka and vinegar essence. The solution is applied first 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. Medicine is applied to the prepared nails (gauze is moistened in it) and held for 15 minutes. The procedure is repeated three times. Egg with vinegar gives a good effect in the treatment of toenail fungus.
- Lotions with glycerin are also made for 15 minutes. You need to mix equal amounts of glycerin, alcohol and vinegar.
The procedure is carried out daily for 7 days, after which there is a week break and the cycle repeats. 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, you should immediately stop the procedure. To check if there is 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 should not be treated with apple cider vinegar to treat nail fungus.
Vinegar is contraindicated during breastfeeding. 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, vinegar is diluted in water 2 times more than usual, making the concentration of the substance minimal.
Reviews
- First review, female, 32 years old: "As soon as I noticed that the nail on the big toe began to change in color, turn yellow, I began to take action. 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, she began to take baths with apple cider vinegar. After 2 weeks, I noticed an improvement. A month later, the disease was completely gone. It is necessary to carefully monitor the nails, especially those who have a fungus from relatives.
- The second review, a man, 46 years old: "After going to the pool, a fungus appeared on my nails. Moreover, for some time I did not pay attention to him, I thought that 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 regret not doing it right away. Now it is necessary to be observed at the mycologist. They said that I would be 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, indeed, I see a positive effect.
- The third review, a woman, 67 years old: "I often go to the country and in rainy weather I work in the garden in rubber boots. For many years everything was fine, and last year a fungus suddenly appeared. A neighbor advised me to make apple cider vinegar compresses, she herself cured a nail fungus that way. I did this for 2 weeks, but it didn’t get any 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 it’s just that my case is already running, it was impossible to do without drugs.