Unfortunately, fungal infections affecting the nail plates are quite common diseases, when the first signs of which appear, you should immediately contact a dermatologist who will determine the type of fungus and prescribe treatment.
The disease is insidious, capable of returning again and again after incomplete treatment. Many healers claim that they know an effective folk remedy for fungus on the legs. This is ordinary baking soda. How effective is this agent in the fight against pathogenic microorganisms? What is afraid of toenail fungus ?
In this article we will talk about the properties of soda, its ability to deal with this ailment and in conclusion, we will present you the opinions of doctors about this method of treatment and patient reviews.
Soda
Baking soda, being a natural natural substance that every housewife has, helps to reduce high acidity and restore the acid-base balance. It is these properties that determine the effectiveness of soda against fungus.
In an acidic environment, pathogenic microorganisms actively develop. The characteristic symptoms of the disease appear:
- thickening of the nail plate;
- its fragility and fragility;
- discoloration (yellowness, spots).
In addition, the likelihood of nail ingrowth increases, there is intolerable itching and burning. Without timely treatment, the process can affect nearby skin areas. It will help to cope with the fungus of nails on the legs of soda. It contributes to:
- more effective intake of antifungal agents;
- reduce unpleasant sensations (itching, burning);
- cleansing the skin of dead cells, reducing peeling.
In addition, soda is known for its antiseptic properties - it disinfects the affected areas, preventing the spread of the pathogen and infection again. Destroying protein bonds in the cells of pathogenic microflora, this substance kills the fungus, prevents its reproduction.
Often, fungal infections that appear against a background of reduced immunity lead to the development of various dermatitis. The use of such a folk remedy for foot fungus blocks the occurrence of secondary infections.
Soda baths
The most common way to use soda is to make baths. They eliminate the unpleasant odor, help soften the skin around, exfoliate keratinized skin particles, destroy fungal spores. There are several options for making soda foot baths:
- Dissolve a spoonful of soda (tablespoon) in two liters of water. For half an hour, the legs are placed in the prepared solution. Then the product is washed off and the drug prescribed by the doctor is applied.
- Mix 250 ml of calendula decoction with two tablespoons (tablespoons) of baking soda and pour two liters of hot water. The procedure is carried out until the water has cooled completely. Calendula will have a healing and anti-inflammatory effect.
- Grate 100 grams of ordinary laundry soap (72%), add 50 grams of soda, 3-4 drops of peppermint or lemon essential oil. In such a soda bath for the feet, you need to hold the feet for 25 minutes. Laundry soap will enhance the antibacterial effect.
- Add 50 grams of sea salt and soda, 15 drops of iodine to warm water. The procedure lasts 25 minutes. Sea salt helps to relax and has an anti-inflammatory effect. Iodine, which has a powerful antimicrobial effect, helps eliminate fungal infections.
Soda baths are recommended regularly. It is advisable to do them in the evenings, before bedtime. After the procedure is completed, remove the damaged keratinized skin, cut to the maximum the nail affected by the fungus. Then apply an antifungal drug. The preparatory procedure will improve its penetration into the deeper layers of the plate, accelerate recovery. When treating a fungus with baking soda, dry powder is used, but you can also make paste, ointment, lotions. Present to you some recipes for such funds.
Pasta with soda and aloe
Add a little water to 50 g of baking soda so that the mass has a creamy consistency. Pour 15 ml of aloe juice into it and mix well. With this composition, the nails affected by the fungus are lubricated half an hour before bedtime. When the product is absorbed and dries, feet should not be wetted.
Soda and lemon
Many traditional healers believe that soda against a fungus in combination with lemon is quite effective. To prepare such a paste, it is necessary to fill with water two tablespoons (tablespoons) of soda until a thick homogeneous mass is obtained and add 4 drops of natural lemon juice to it. On the affected area, the paste is applied in a thick layer. This procedure must be carried out every two days until the growth of a healthy nail. In addition, this paste can be used to disinfect shoes.
Mint Ointment
Grind fresh mint leaves to a mushy state and add one tablespoon of soda and salt to the mass. Apply the composition on damaged nails and between the fingers and leave for 25-35 minutes. Procedures should be carried out once a day until complete recovery. The combination of mint with soda and salt quickly relieves itching, eliminates burning sensation and pain, soothes and disinfects problem areas.
Soda, vinegar and hydrogen peroxide
Dissolve 100 g of soda quenched with vinegar in a liter of warm water. Add 150 ml of vinegar (9%) and 200 ml of peroxide. Wet cotton pads in this solution and apply to sore nails, fixing with a plaster. Change dressings every 6 hours.
Herbal baths
To disinfect affected areas of the nail and skin, relieve inflammation using a solution of soda in combination with salt and medicinal herbs. To prepare the product, it is necessary to prepare a decoction of two liters of water, a string, oak bark, chamomile (30 g each). In the broth cooled down to +37 ° C, add 3 tablespoons (tablespoons) of soda and the same amount of salt. Mix the ingredients until completely dissolved, strain the solution and pour into a bowl. The duration of the procedure is half an hour, then the affected nail is cut to the maximum and the problem area is treated with peroxide or iodine.
Contraindications
Undoubtedly, soda has many useful properties. From the toenail fungus, its use is justified. However, during treatment, contraindications should also be taken into account, which can aggravate the situation. The use of soda-based preparations should be excluded with:
- wounds or cuts on the skin;
- individual intolerance to this substance;
- with certain types of skin diseases.
Before using sodium bicarbonate, make sure that the substance does not cause you allergic reactions. To do this, apply dry powder to a small area of the skin for 5 minutes. If you feel unpleasant sensations - burning, itching, if the skin turns red, refuse to use it.
Making hot baths with soda is not recommended for hypertensive patients, so as not to provoke a jump in blood pressure. In addition, such procedures should be excluded with an increase in body temperature. The use of soda against the fungus is effective only in the initial stages of the disease, with the advanced form, treatment will not give the expected result.
Disease prevention
Judging by the reviews, many patients are interested in the question of how to get rid of the fungus forever. They claim to have tried many drugs, but the treatment was unsuccessful. This is not surprising - at the beginning of the article we talked about the fungus being insidious, and if the treatment is not completed, it returns again and again.
Everyone knows that preventing a disease is easier than treating it. Prevention of fungus is not as complicated as it might seem at first glance, and it does not require financial costs. There are two main ways to protect yourself from this disease:
- personal hygiene and compliance with rules of conduct in public places;
- drug prevention of nails.
If obvious symptoms of the disease are detected in a family member, in addition to hygiene measures, drug prophylaxis should be carried out. The nails and the skin around them are treated with special creams, ointments ("Mycozoral", "Lotseril", "Mycostop"). This will help reduce the risk of infection.
The opinion of dermatologists about the treatment of soda
This is a complex and difficult to treat disease. There are several varieties of it, therefore, in order to understand what the fungus on the legs is afraid of, a specialist must conduct laboratory tests and prescribe drugs that can provide effective assistance in each case.
Most experiments with self-medication either do not give results (at best), or cause harm - valuable time is lost when the disease is still “in its infancy” and much easier to treat.
Soda therapy is acceptable (if there are no contraindications), but only as an adjuvant in the complex drug fight against the disease. In addition, only local exposure to the affected nail is often not enough. Quite often, experts consider it necessary to carry out general strengthening of the body, for which vitamin complexes, dietary adjustments, sleep normalization, and stress resistance are prescribed.
Soda against toenail fungus: patient reviews
I must say that there are many reviews about this method of treating an insidious disease, and all of them are rather controversial. Some argue that soda against a fungus is an effective and efficient tool that, with prolonged use, gives excellent results.
Others complain that they missed the time without timely contacting the doctors for help. The disease was started and it took longer to heal.
To summarize
Undoubtedly, each person has the right to decide for himself how to relate to his health - to self-medicate and experience all kinds of alternative medicine methods or seek the help of experienced specialists. Someone believes that modern antifungal drugs have many contraindications and side effects. But that is precisely why we turn to experienced dermatologists so that the doctor takes them into account and prescribes a remedy suitable for you. Doctors are not against the use of soda in complex therapy, but provided that all procedures are agreed with the attending physician.