What Does Vicks Vaporub Do For Toenails
Vicks VapoRub is a topical ointment. Although designed for cough suppression, its active ingredients may help treat toenail fungus. A 2011 study found that Vicks VapoRub had a positive clinical effect in the treatment of toenail fungus.
Furthermore, How can I hydrate my toenails? If the toenails look dry, cracked and brittle from long-term polish use, you can apply a vitamin E oil or lotion, rubbing it gently into the nail and cuticle to moisturize them. Allow it to absorb and dry fully before wearing shoes.
Secondly, What is the white hard stuff under my toenails?
Keratin is a protein that promotes the development of the skin and nails. Nail psoriasis sometimes causes too much keratin to grow under the nail. This overgrowth is called subungual hyperkeratosis. People with hyperkeratosis may notice a white, chalky substance under the nail.
What kills toenail fungus instantly?
Hydrogen peroxide can kill fungus that grows on toenails. You can directly wipe hydrogen peroxide on your infected toes or toenails with a clean cloth or cotton swab. Hydrogen peroxide can also be used in a foot soak.
What Are The Pros And Cons
I always recommend using a more effective treatment for your toenail fungal infection. Because there is limited information available regarding whether Vicks VapoRub is an effective treatment for toenail fungus. Scientific studies are small and have not been repeated to confirm effectiveness.
Pros
- May take a long time before seeing any results
- Not scientific proven
- May not work for everyone
How Do You Get Rid Of Thick Yellow Toenails
Applying a small amount of melted coconut oil can help heal thick yellow toenails. You can purchase over-the-counter antifungal nail creams and ointments. Be sure to clip and clean your nails before use to make sure the creams reach deeper layers. Laser therapy can be used to treat a fungal toenail infection.
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Are There Any Side Effects Or Risks
Vicks VapoRub does not have any damaging side effects when used as a treatment for toenail fungus. At worst, people with skin that is allergic or sensitive to the ingredients of Vicks may experience some irritation or mild burning.
In contrast, conventional medicines that are prescribed by doctors and are FDA-approved treatments for fungal infections have been known to have severe side effects.
For example, Lamisil, the most common prescription can cause side effects such as diarrhea, fatigue, and fevers. You may experience loss of vision, liver damage, nausea, stomach pain, skin rashes and experience difficulties with your breathing.
When doctors prescribe oral anti-fungal medications, you also have to take regular blood tests to make sure you are not suffering from side effects. It is also becoming more common to use pulse dosing which involves taking a drug daily for one week a month for several months.
What Is Toenail Fungus
Onychomycosis, better known as toenail fungus, is a fungal infection that thickens and blemishes your nails. This condition causes cosmetic issues, and over time, it induces pain too. People spending most of their time in the water, experiencing diabetes mellitus, and athletes foot is at greater risk of toenail fungus. Before telling you how to get rid of toenail fungus, its vital to understand its symptoms.
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Does Vicks Vapor Rub Cure Toenail Fungus
It has been rumored that curing toenail fungus is as easy as going to your kitchen pantry or bathroom medicine cabinet. Vinegar and Vicks Vapor Rub are two products that are supposed to cure toenail fungus.
The problem with these home remedies is that there is no recommended treatment regimen for either product. There also have not been any clinical studies confirming that either treatment is effective. The Mayo Clinic mentions both treatments, but emphasizes that there is no clinical evidence supporting either claim.
A podiatrist can diagnose your condition as onychomycosis and provide scientifically-based treatment that is right for you.
There are three types of treatment for onychomycosis:
- Topical Medications
Why Do My Toenails Curl Inwards At Sides
Nails that curve far inward at the sides are called ingrown nails. This condition may affect the toenails and be due to wearing shoes that are too tight, particularly in the toe box. Ingrown nails may also result from cutting the nails improperly. In some cases, treatment may involve removing part or all of the nail.
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Dr Gott: Here’s The Rub On Using Vicks For Nail Fungus
- DR. PETER GOTT, M.D. Newspaper Enterprise Association
Dear Dr. Gott: I am an avid reader of your column, primarily because you present so many remedies that do not advocate drugs for ordinary problems.
I am particularly interested in solving the problem of toenail fungus, and see that people have said that Vicks will help. Could you tell me exactly where you put the Vicks — on top of the nail, or under? Would it make any difference if the nail had polish? I imagine many women would like to know if nail polish interferes with the action of the Vicks. I usually keep my toenails polished so that the fungus is not apparent.
Dear Reader: Apply Vicks VapoRub to the nail, cuticle and surrounding tissue twice daily, rubbed in well, after having trimmed the infected nail as extensively as possible to reduce the “biomass” of the fun gus. You need not apply the Vicks under the nail, because there will, literally, be no “under the nail ” you have restricted that as much as possible.
Once you see normal nail growing out , continue to remove or trim infected nails, and apply the Vicks twice daily.
Although significant positive ef fects may take a year or more to appear , be patient. Keep telling yourself that 1) You have had nail fungus for years, so it may take years of therapy to cure it and 2) Vicks is so inexpensive that what have you got to lose?
Nonetheless, VapoRub does, unquestionably, in many people, provide a reasonable option for nail fungus that is safe and inexpensive.
How To Apply Vicks Vaporub To Your Nails
Because the product wasnt directly made to treat toenail fungus, there is no prescribed method about how to use it. However, we recommending using the product like any other topical treatment.
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Is Vicks Vaporub Suitable For Pregnant Women
In 2009, a statement was issued by doctors at the Wake Forest University School of Medicine warning people that Vicks salve should not be used on children under the age of two years old.
It was discovered that the strength of the VapoRub could promote mucus production and cause an inflammation of the airways.
Pregnant women are told to steer clear of over-the-counter medicines on account of the danger of impacting the placenta and creating an unsafe environment for the fetus.
There are two schools of thought. Non-medical groups claim the active ingredient, Camphor contained in the salve can pose a danger to unborn babies. However, there is no clinical evidence to support these claims.
Camphor can cause a miscarriage when ingested on its own. You would also need to consume a significant amount, more than the trace that would be left on your fingertips after applying the salve to your toes.
The other ingredients of Vicks VapoRub are also unlikely to cause any damage to your unborn baby. While it is safe to use the ointment while pregnant, if you do have any concerns, always make sure you give your hands a thorough wash before eating.
Also, if you have children under the age of two, dont leave the bottle out where your child can reach it. And flush any tissues or cotton buds you may use to apply the ointment down the toilet rather than putting them in a bin. You never know what kids are getting up to behind your back.
Myth Or Reality: Is Vicks Vaporub Effective For Mycotic Toenails
Honestly, when I read anything about Vicks VapoRub and onychomycosis, my mythbusters mind activates. I cant even count the times I have heard physicians and patients extol the positives of this over-the-counter ointment. I understand the cost benefit of using an easily attainable product but I want to see the evidence before recommending it.
What are the components of Vicks VapoRub? Thymol, menthol, camphor and oil of eucalyptus seem to be broad spectrum anti-infectives that have shown activity in vitro against Candida, Aspergillus and some dermatophytes.1 That said, in a recent literature search for a chapter I am writing on the myths of onychomycosis, I came across several articles on the use of the mentholated ointment for toenails, one of which was a clinical trial.1
The first clinical trial completed using Vicks VapoRub on mycotic nails was a pilot study by a family medicine group.1 Eighteen people who had nail disease completed the 48-week study. There are some positive aspects of this study but it did not follow all of the protocols that researchers normally do for topical antifungal studies. Unlike Phase 3 clinical trials for toenail onychomycosis, this study did not exclusively enroll patients who had cultures for dermatophytes like T. rubrum or T. mentagrophytes, and did not limit the percent of the affected nail to 50 or 60 percent.
Did this study convince me to recommend Vicks VapoRub to my toenail onychomycosis patients? No.
Reference
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How To Apply Vicks Vaporrub
Severe cases of toenail infection can cause you pain and irreversible toenail damage. To fully get the optimal result, twice a day is the recommended time to use this product, once in the morning and once at night.
Everyone has different skin types, so you might need to beware of how much youre putting in your toenail. Rub the Vicks VaporRub to the affected area and gently massage it.
If twice a day is a bit much for you, you can have it once a day to see some changes.
Once the infection is gone, you make sure to keep your toenails dry, clean, and well-maintained. You never know if they will come back reinfection is a common scenario.
As always, if the infection is still there, you might want to check in with your doctor for further assessments.
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Does Vicks Vapor Rub Cure Nail Fungus Active Ingredients
As we have seen from the above findings, some active ingredients in vicks vapor rub make it a suitable cure for nail fungus. Does Vicks vapor rub cure nail fungus? It depends on the type of fungus you may have under your nails.
Vicks seems to work for some people and not others. Here are the active ingredients that combat fungus:
- Camphor-4.8%
- Eucalyptus-1.2%
- Thymol- percentage not included
These three are what kill fungus at first sight. Vicks vapor rub also has other inactive ingredients as far as nail fungus is concerned such as:
- Cederleaf oil
- Petrolatum
- Turpentine
The percentages of these are not known. These make some sufferers avoid Vicks for nail fungus. Does Vicks vapor rub cure nail fungus? It does in some people and so is any other product with these active ingredients. If you would rather find these active ingredients separately and avoid coming into contact with turpentine and petrolatum even the better in form of herbs.
Why Vicks For Toenail Fungus
Now that we know how someone could get toenail fungus, lets talk a possible treatment: Vicks Vapor Rub. What is it about this cough and cold medicine that helps with infected toenails? Good question.
One of the ingredients in Vicks is thyme oil and it has been shown to remove fungus from underneath toenails.
In the January-February 2011 issue of the Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine, a study was printed in which eighteen people who were dealing with toenail fungus applied Vicks to the affected area.
Five of the participants were cured, ten saw their symptoms improve, and three participants experienced no changes at all.
Of the five people who were cured, only two kinds of fungus were identified Trichophyton mentagrophytes and Candida parapsilosis. This suggests that the treatments effectiveness may depend on the type of fungus that someone has on their toe.
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How To Apply Vicks Vaporub On Toenails
Because Vicks is not a conventional treatment for toenail fungus, there is no prescribed method about how to use it. However, conventional wisdom determines that Vicks should be applied to the nails and skin like any other topical cream after washing.
Trim your nails to keep them short. To cut your nails, use a good pair of toenail clippers. If you have hard, brittle toenails, use heavy duty toenail clippers.
Then follow the instructions below twice a day. However, it should be noted that some peoples skin is more sensitive to some analgesic formulas than others.
If you find applying Vicks VapoRub twice a day irritates, only use it once a day. You may also want to consult your doctor before using Vicks as a treatment for toenail fungus.
- Take a hot shower or bath. You can also soak your feet in a bowl of hot water.
- If you have hard skin, corns or calluses on your feet, shave away the top layer of dead skin with a pumice stone.
- File your nails down so that the salve can get into the gaps of the toenail bed.
- Rub the Vicks ointment over the entire surface of your toe and nail with your finger making sure the ointment gets to the skin down the side of your nails and underneath the toenail onto the nail bed.
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Scoop Out Some Vicks With A Spoon
Use a spoon to scoop out a small amount of Vicks. Its important to use your spoon and not your applicator, as it would be unhygienic to use, say, a cotton ball to apply the Vicks to your toenail, then re-dip it in the Vicks for a second helping.
Remember also that touching your toenail directly is a bad idea.
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