Nail fungus gives a person not only unpleasant sensations in the form of unbearable itching, burning, swelling, but also aesthetic discomfort. Onychomycosis must be treated without fail, as it can be transmitted to another person and has the ability to progress.
In addition, if ignored, nail fungus often leads to dangerous consequences in the form of transmission of infection to healthy tissues and its entry into the bloodstream. The result is the spread of pathogenic microorganisms throughout the body. Onychomycosis can be treated not only with medication, but also with traditional methods.
One of the most effective ways is to use celandine oil. This remedy is absolutely safe and considered very effective. We will learn further how to use celandine oil for nail fungus and other products based on it.
Causes
The fungus develops in a favorable environment - rooms with high humidity. Therefore, it is easy to guess that the main reasons for the development of infection are visiting swimming pools, saunas, baths, public showers without changing shoes.
Additionally, wet, poor-quality, or tight shoes can become a source of onychomycosis. It is also worth saying that there is a high risk of contracting fungus in people with diabetes, vascular diseases of the lower extremities and eczema on the legs.
Regular use of antibacterial and anti-inflammatory drugs, wearing the clothes and shoes of a sick person can also lead to the development of pathologies.
Symptoms of the disease
Onychomycosis has several characteristic symptoms, so it is quite easy to recognize. The main ones:
- disintegration of the nail, its hardening, discoloration, appearance of spots and stripes;
- unbearable itching, redness of the skin around the plaque, swelling of the specified area, peeling;
- separation of the plate from the nail bed.
The fungus also manifests itself as darkening and dulling of the nail surface.
The effectiveness of celandine treatment
At the initial stage, celandine for nail fungus can be used as the only remedy. However, in advanced cases, they will not be able to cope on their own. In this situation, treatment must be comprehensive, otherwise complications cannot be avoided.
In addition, the effectiveness of celandine as a prophylactic agent has been proven. The plant resists the spread of infections, calms the inflammatory process and prevents relapse of the disease.
Attention!Do not compare celandine with the drug of the same name sold in the pharmacy for nail fungus. The medicine is also quite effective for onychomycosis, but it has nothing in common with the plant indicated in the name. Contains potassium and sodium alkali, salt, soda and water. The solution is also very corrosive and must be used with extreme caution.
Description of the substance, its properties
Celandine is one of those plants that has long been used to treat various dermatological diseases. It contains several components, thanks to which the inflammatory process is quickly suppressed, even the most severe itching is relieved, etc.
For example, the plant's juice is often used to cauterize wounds. This plant is also characterized by antifungal and disinfectant effects. However, celandine juice is very harsh on the skin and can cause burns and peeling. Therefore, it is more advisable to use it for nail fungus.
Celandine oil is milder. Typically used for:
- herpes;
- ringworm;
- psoriasis;
- seborrhea;
- papillomas;
- onychomycosis;
- colorful lichens;
- warts
The naturalness and safety of this product allow it to be used for dermatological diseases in children. Soothes the skin, relieves itching, relieves swelling.
Advantages and disadvantages
The benefits of celandine are as follows:
- Budget.
- Natural and safe compared to synthetic antifungal agents.
- Availability.
Among the disadvantages are the following:
- As an independent remedy, celandine is not used to treat onychomycosis in advanced cases.
- The plant juice has coloring properties, which makes it impossible to use on your hands.
We also noted the toxicity of celandine juice.
Treatment options
Antifungal agents based on celandine can be purchased at the pharmacy or prepared yourself. Here are the main ways to prepare and use the plant for nail fungus.
Juice
You can make celandine juice yourself. To do this, the fresh plant must be crushed and squeezed with gauze and juice. Apply with a cotton swab to the previously clean and dry nail 1 to 2 times a day. The course of therapy is 1 to 3 months.
Infusions
They are used in pure form, in the form of applications, bags or as an additive to hot water foot baths. All methods can be grouped: first take a shower, then apply a compress, then make lotions. The course of treatment lasts no more than 21 days.
Decoction
Several branches of the plant (dry) must be poured with a glass of boiling water. Bring the container with the liquid to the fire and, after boiling, cook over low heat for 20 minutes.
Then the medicine is filtered and added to a bowl of hot water. The nail and skin steaming procedure is carried out 10 minutes a day for 1 month.
Oil
There are several ways to treat nail fungus with celandine: add oil to foot baths and apply directly to the affected area.
For nail fungus, it is recommended to mix celandine oil with ethyl alcohol for greater effectiveness. This is a great way to cure nail fungus. Take 15 drops of oil per glass.
The mixture is tightly closed with a lid and infused in a glass container for exactly 24 hours. Then the areas affected by the fungus are treated with the resulting medicine. There is no need to rinse the product.
Baths
To prepare a foot bath, place in a bowl of hot water (1 liter):
- 200 ml of alcohol tincture;
- 4 tbsp. I. celandine oils;
- decoction of the plant (1: 1 with water).
Everything mixes well. It is necessary to keep your feet in the solution until the water cools down. The procedure is performed daily. A solution based on celandine oil, infusion or decoction effectively relieves itching and stops the inflammatory process.
Celandine oil mixed with soda is considered an effective treatment. Before using the medicine, the feet must be steamed in a soda solution (1 tablespoon for every 3 liters of hot water). You must hold your feet until the water heats up.
Then, the diseased nails are filed and disinfected with alcohol. The affected nail plate and the area adjacent to it should be treated daily with celandine oil until the symptoms of onychomycosis disappear.
Compresses and lotions
You can cure the fungus by applying a mixture of oil and hydrogen peroxide to the area affected by the pathogenic fungus. Funds are deposited alternately – every 8 hours. Feet are completely steamed before use.
Nail fungus treatment with celandine is done with a mixture of lemon juice and celandine oil. The first is to take 2 tablespoons. I. Second – 1-2 drops. The ingredients are mixed well and applied once a day to areas affected by fungal spores.
This mixture softens the nail and disinfects it. For these purposes, it is also recommended to mix oil with vinegar (3%). At 2 tbsp. I. you need 2-3 drops of oil. The product is applied directly to the affected area or as a compress at night. Duration of treatment – 2 weeks.
The use of a compress with celandine oil is considered an effective treatment. Nails should be steamed, smoothed with a file, dried and applied to the affected area with oil. Then you need to wrap the legs with plastic wrap. Exposure time 8 hours.
Contraindications
Despite the fact that celandine has many beneficial properties, there are contraindications to its use. One of them is individual intolerance to celandine products.
Also, doctors do not recommend using the product for people with serious diseases of the heart and vascular, nervous and respiratory systems.
Do not apply oil to places where there are cracked nails, open wounds, abrasions, etc.
To determine if you are allergic to celandine, apply a small product based on it to the area at the base of the brush, from the inside. If redness, irritation or other harmful symptoms appear on the skin half an hour after using the medicine, the medicine is not suitable for treatment.
Attention!In the complex treatment of onychomycosis, doctors recommend using pharmaceutical products. One of the most effective is mountain celandine balm. It contains not only celandine, but also other medicinal herbs.
The product is considered quite aggressive and can cause side effects if used incorrectly. It must be applied immediately to areas affected by fungi.
General treatment rules
How to treat nail fungus with celandine products? In order for the therapy to give a positive result faster, it is necessary to prepare the legs for the treatment procedures. This will require a series of specific actions:
- Steam your feet well in a hot soda solution.
- Then treat the foot with a pumice stone and cut off the overgrown nail.
- If the nail plate is affected, it is necessary to carefully go over it with a nail file.
- Then disinfect the treated area with hydrogen peroxide or alcohol.
- Then, a celandine-based product is applied and a transparent film is placed on top.
Then the compress is removed, the oil is washed off and iodine is applied to the affected areas.
Homemade celandine oil and tincture recipes
To prepare the oil, you need to take a bunch of dry plant and pour it with a glass of unrefined vegetable oil so that it covers the plant by 1-2 cm. The mixture must be placed in a water bath for three hours. Then the medicine is filtered several times. The finished product is stored in a cool, dark place.
The second method of preparing butter is a little different. To do this, dry grass is carefully rubbed in hands or cut with a knife. The resulting powder is poured with olive, almond and vegetable oil without additives 1-2 cm above the vegetable raw material.
Cover the container with the mixture with a lid and place it in a dark place for 1 month. Shake the medicine periodically. The oil is then filtered several times and used according to the instructions.
An infusion is prepared from a dried or fresh plant. A glass jar (3 liters) is filled to the brim with dry celandine herb. Alcohol is poured there (to the brim). Cover the container with a lid and leave in a dark place for 15 days.
Prevention
Preventive measures, first of all, should be aimed at strengthening immune functions. Furthermore, we recommend only wearing shoes of suitable quality. In baths, saunas, swimming pools and public showers, extra shoes are required.