If onychomycosis has recently started to develop, treating nail fungus with apple cider vinegar with baking soda, 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 good penetration ability, so it easily enters the inner structure of the nail and creates an acidic environment there. Treatment is most effective when started at the first sign of a change in nail color and structure.
Types of vinegar and their effects
To fight onychomycosis, apple cider vinegar is used, as well as table essence and vinegar. Fungus reproduction takes place in an alkaline environment, fungi cannot tolerate acid, and vinegar creates an acidic environment.
Vinegar has the following effects on affected nails:
- Antiseptic. It helps prevent new infections and prevents the fungus from spreading to healthy nails and skin.
- fungistatic. Fungal growth stops due to the fact that there is no nutrient medium for them.
- Fungicide. There is a death of pathogenic microorganisms - fungi.
- Firmness. Prevents nail breakage.
- Preventive. Treating shoes and socks with a solution containing acetic acid will help prevent onychomycosis.
- Bleaching. Returning the nail to its natural color, eliminating yellowing.
Synthetic vinegar is inexpensive, but it is undesirable to use it for medicinal purposes. Onychomycosis can be cured with the help of natural fermentation products. These are types of vinegar like:
- apple (based on apple juice);
- wine (both red and white);
- 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 due to the risk of developing tissue burns.
In what cases can he help?
Typically, 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 has affected the nails based on the results of tests and examinations.
To start treating 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 fungal infections to breed unfavorable, causing them to 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 ointments will be more effective.
application methods
At the beginning of the disease, when you can still get by with folk remedies, a medical consultation will be necessary 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 necessary.
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 you have sores 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.
- Nails are trimmed 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 (oily, for example, for children) to prevent excessive dryness and irritation.
How to treat nail 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 dried well.
- Soda in the amount of 1 tbsp. I. poured into 1 liter of water, 50 ml of vinegar are 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 footbaths 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 to use within a month. The resulting tincture must be filtered, pour 5 tbsp. I. salt and mix. Add 100 ml of solution to 3 liters of water, take a bath for 10 minutes. After the procedure, you don't need to clean your feet, you have to wait until they dry. It is best to carry out the treatment in the morning and in the evening.
- A bath with essential oils (eg tea tree oil, cinnamon, oregano, clove, lavender) has an excellent antifungal effect, but first you should make sure 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 only suitable for those people who do not have damage to the skin of their feet.
compresses
- Dampen 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 ball abundantly in vinegar (normal or apple), attach it to the damaged nail and glue it to the finger with a bandage. You need to walk with this compress for 3 hours.
- Add iodine (3 drops) to 1 tbsp. I. vinegar. Apply the product to the nails and secure with a bandage. Keep the compress for an hour 1 time a day. For more than 14-21 days, the procedure does not need to be carried out 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 the ointment to the damaged nails.
- Wrap the film on top and walk with nail polish for 8 hours.
You can also make your own dimethylphthalate-based ointment. To do this, mix 1 tsp. of this solution with 1 raw chicken egg, 1 tbsp. I. vegetable oil and 2 tbsp. I. vinegar essence. After applying the ointment to the nails, they are tightly wrapped with a film, wool socks are placed on top. With the remedy on your 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. I. essence of vodka and vinegar. The solution is first applied to a gauze dressing, and then this dressing is left on the nails for 10-15 minutes. It is impossible to keep this solution longer than a quarter of an hour, because it contains concentrated vinegar essence.
lotions
- Mix 2 tbsp. I. spoons of vinegar with 3 egg whites (raw) and 2 tbsp. I. vodka. The mixture must be stored in the refrigerator. The drug 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 a good effect in treating nail 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 one-week break and the cycle is repeated. Treatment is carried out until a healthy nail grows.
contraindications
Vinegar treatment 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 for vinegar allergy, you need to dilute it by half with water and apply it to the inner surface of the elbow.
If there are wounds and inflammatory processes on the skin, baths should not be carried out. An acidic environment will only increase inflammation. Skin diseases like 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.
Assessments
- First evaluation, female, 32 years old: "As soon as I noticed that the nail on my big toe started to change color, it turned yellow, I started to act. My husband suffers from nail fungus, and I know how long and difficult. 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 disappeared completely. It is necessary to carefully monitor the nails, especially those that have a fungus of 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 just the color of the nails that had changed. 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 having done it right away. Now it is necessary to observe yourself at the mycologist. They said that I would be treated for about a year. In addition to the basic remedies, the doctor said that you can make a vinegar-and-egg ointment at home. My wife cooked it for me, and I actually see a positive effect.
- The third evaluation, a 67-year-old woman: "I often go to the countryside and in the rain I work in the garden with 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 this way. I did it for 2 weeks, but it didn't get better, and I went to the clinic. The doctor examined 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 run out of drugs.