Does Vicks Work On Toenail Fungus

When To See A Doctor

In most cases, toenail fungus is considered a cosmetic problem. Still, it may cause serious complications for some people.

If you have diabetes, toenail fungus may lead to foot ulcers or other foot problems. According to a 2012 study, chronic toenail fungus is a significant risk factor for bacterial cellulitis of the leg.

If you have diabetes or a weakened immune system, you shouldnt use home remedies for toenail fungus. Contact your doctor for the appropriate course of action.

Molecular Confirmation Of The Fungi

The species M. guilliermondii and R. mucilaginosa, isolated on SDA from a human toenail affected by onychomycosis were molecularly confirmed targeting the Internal Transcribed Spacer using the ITS1 and ITS2 primers . The DNA extraction was performed using the commercial kit Animal and Fungi DNA Preparation Kit® according to manufacturers protocol. The PCR amplification took place in a 25 µL final volume of mixture reaction containing: 1X MangoTaq Colored Reaction Buffer , 2.5 mM MgCl2 , 0.5 mM dNTP , 0.5 mM of each primer , 1.25U/µL MangoTaq and 2 µL of DNA. The amplification series consisted of 35 cycles of the following: 95 °C for 30 sec, 56 °C for 30 sec and 72 °C for 30 sec.

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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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Victory Over Toenail Fungus With Vicks

I had toenail fungus so bad that there were little white things on the left big toe eating away at the nail. My family doctor said it would take three visits and three treatments and the medicine can be hard on the liver. What really got my attention was the cost: $700.

I checked with a friend who is a podiatrist. He confirmed what the doctor said but assured me that the liver scare was no big problem.

A week later, just before my wife and I left on a one month trip to Europe, she read your column about using Vicks VapoRub to kill toenail fungus. As soon as we got to Switzerland we went to an international pharmacy and bought a small jar of Vicks.

I went straight to my room and put on my first treatment. The next morning the white things were gone. Six weeks later, there is no sign of toenail fungus! Now I apply it only once a week.

I probably should share the $700 I saved with you but I spent it in Europe. I do want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for printing this home remedy.

Mac McC.

If you would like to see a video about some other ways to solve the nasty nail fungus challenge .

If you would like to read more stories about Vicks VapoRub, you might wish to download our Guide to Unique Uses for Vicks. It reveals the most unusual use of all: Putting Vicks on the soles of the feet to ward off a nighttime cough. Here is a cool story to whet your appetite:

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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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Why Try Home Remedies

Home remedies are inexpensive. Even though prescription drugs and over-the-counter products may be available for some conditions, home remedies may also be effective at a fraction of the cost. For example, the retail price of a years supply of the medication for toenail fungus called efinaconazole is several thousand dollars, compared with $24 for Vicks VapoRub.

Home remedies are also readily available when you need them. You may already have them in your kitchen cabinet or on your bathroom shelves. If not, theyre likely to be as close as the nearest supermarket.

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Cornmeal Mush Foot Soaks:

K.B. offers one of the stranger home remedies we keep hearing about. His baggie trick is quite clever:

Regarding the cornmeal treatment: I read about it on this website perhaps two years ago, but, at that time, there were no specific instructions as to usage, so I devised my own, and had great success in approximately six weeks.

I half-filled a ziploc baggie with corn meal, and as I read or applied makeup or watched television, I placed my foot into the bag so that my afflicted nail was submerged into the dry cornmeal. I would do that twice a day for ten or fifteen minutes at a time.

For housekeeping purposes, one would need a towel so that foot could be free of cornmeal when finished with treatment. The results were miraculous, and this was such a simple remedy after years of having this unsightly nail, and even visiting dermatologist for prescriptions that did not work. The healthy condition has been maintained without cornmeal.

I tell everyone about your website and your Saturday morning program on NPR as you truly stay abreast of so many things. of course, we all read your weekly column also.

K.B.s innovative approach is quite different from anything we have heard when it comes to cornmeal. The more typical remedy is to make a cornmeal batter. Here is one example:

Larry loves cornmeal mush. We are still astonished that it could work SO fast. It kind of defies logic, but hey, theres not much to lose giving it a try:

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Vicks Vaporub And Its Ingredients

Vicks VapoRub is a household ointment, and it is commonly designed for cough and cold suppression. But some studies show that some of the ingredients can help treat toenail fungus.

Vicks ingredients are camphor, menthol, cedar leaf oil, some nutmeg oils, turpentine oil, eucalyptus oil, and petrolatum. And these oils are believed to be the best of the best in treating nail fungus.

Also, it has been passed on from generation to generation in every household. It can also be used to treat ear infections, athletes foot, and hemorrhoids.

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How To Treat Severe Nail Fungus Au

There are a number of toenail fungus cures accessible for you to try.

Traditionally used home remedies, on the other hand, can be anything but herbal as an instance, they frequently ask for using chemicals akin to chlorine bleach or hydrogen peroxide, all of which carry their own set of risks.

Using Vicks for nail fungus remedy may be more desirable for individuals whove thin, soft nails if heres the case.

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Does Vicks Vaporub Really Work

Nobody has been able to prove that Vicks VapoRub is an effective treatment for toenail fungus. Although research has been conducted, testing has been limited, albeit positive.

Due to the lack of clinical evidence, the Food and Drug Administration have not added Vicks VapoRub to their approved list of treatments for fungal infections. At present, anecdotal evidence is the most we have to go on.

Medicines that are approved by the FDA are not exactly the best treatments either. Lamisil is the most successful drug for treating onychomycosis but still has less than a 50% cure rate. In a 12-week study, only 38% of patients reported improvements. This increased to 49% after 18 weeks.

The danger with Lamisil, however, is that patients can have serious side effects. Furthermore, FDA-approved prescription medicines can interfere with other commonly used medications, such as antibiotics. They also have to be taken over an extended period of time.

Medical professionals acknowledge that fungal infections are notoriously difficult to treat. Typical healing times take over a year, and anything up to 18 months to completely disappear. Furthermore, there is also a possibility the fungal infection will return once you stop treatment.

Therefore, religiously rubbing Vicks to your toes could prove as effective as any other treatment but without the side effects.

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Studies To Support That Copper Socks Have Antifungal Properties

When a number of participants with toenail fungus were already on their medication, a study was conducted to check what role vaseline jelly can play to treat the fungus.

The research proved how 8 out of 10 participants had experienced smoother nail textures and moisturized nails.

They regularly applied vaseline jelly and cleaned it with a mild alcohol-based solution to avoid any residues.

Thus, it is said to be very effective and people trust vaseline for it has great anti-fungal properties too.

How Does Vicks Vaporub Work On Toenail Fungus

Although scientific evidence is not conclusive, it is believed Vicks can be an effective agent against foot fungus due to active ingredients which work in harmony to destroy toenail fungus.

These key ingredients are known to have antifungal properties which impede the growth of fungus. When fungi are not able to flourish, the infection weakens. Eventually, the infection stops spreading and will disappear altogether.

However, the fungus doesnt die off. As a new nail grows in, it pushes out the infected nail and takes the fungal infection with it. You are then left with healthy, fungal-free toes.

However, it has also been reported that once you stop using Vicks VapoRub, the fungus can grow back. This, of course, could be a marketing ploy, so you buy the salve over the course of a lifetime.

However, the science behind toenail fungus is a strong indication that you should continue using fungal treatments until you are certain the infection has disappeared.

Even still, Vicks also boasts a raft of other essential oils which are known for helping to fight infections and promote healthy skin, reduce inflammation and ease muscle pain. VapoRub can be more beneficial to your feet than just as an antifungal ointment.

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Toenail Fungus: Symptoms And Causes

If one or more of your nails are infected with fungus, you may have nail fungus.

Nail fungus can infect fingernails, although it affects toenails more frequently.

Various fungal species cause fungal nail infections . The most common cause is dermatophyte, a type of fungus. Yeast and molds can also infect the nails, causing infection.

People of any age can acquire a fungus nail infection, but it is more common among the elderly. The nail might become brittle and dry as it gets older. Fungi can infiltrate through the breaks in the nails as a result of this. Other factors, such as poor blood circulation in the feet and a weaker immune system, could also be involved. Athletes feet can cause toenail fungal infection, which can spread from one nail to the next. However, contracting an infection from someone else is uncommon.

What Is Toenail Fungus

Toenail fungus is a widespread, issue that affects millions of people worldwide. Those numbers jump to 20% for those over 60, and an astounding 50% for those 70 and above.

Also known as onychomycosis, nail fungus occurs when fungi, which are normally present in and on the human body, begin to overpopulate.

If this overabundance of fungi gets between the nailbed and the toenail, it causes a nail fungal infection.

Nail fungus is characterized by a yellow or white spot that starts under the tip of the nail and as it progresses and spreads deeper into the nail, it causes the nail to discolour, thicken and crumble at the edge..

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How Soon Will It Get Results

Toenail fungus is notoriously difficult to cure. As we noted in the scientific studies, some participants noticed results in 24 weeks and the condition cleared up in 48 weeks. However, toenail fungus is also known to take 12-18 months to clear.

The time it takes for toenail fungus to clear depends on the severity of the infection and your reaction to the treatment. No one treatment works for everybody. However, if Vicks VapoRub does work for you, expect to start seeing signs of improvement after about six months.

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What Are The Side Effects To Use Vicks Vaporub

Most users report no side effects when utilizing Vicks Vaporub as a nail fungus treatment. Some users may experience a mild warming sensation, but that is about it. This is a far cry from some of the terrifying possibilities of prescription drugs, which can have severe side effects such as organ failure and even death.

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What Is Vicks Vapor Rub

Vicks Vapor Rub is a well-known medicine for common cold, which is around for more than one hundreds of years. In fact some people have been using it in generations to treat conditions like congestion of chest, stuffy nose, coughs and etc. Other uses might be to lessen pain and ashes of muscles or joins. Another use for Vicks Vapor Rub was discovered only recently and it is though that this rub can be effective in treating nail fungus. In fact it is not only thought, but there were already a couple of studies, which tried to investigate why it works and how well it works. However it is important to point out that the number of these studies is very limited and the results are also a bit conflicting. While there is still no clear explanation why this rub works on nail fungus many people try it and start noticing improvement after one or two months of usage.

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