What Is Vicks Vaporub
All this talk about Vicks VapoRub, but what actually is this stuff in the first place?
In short: Vicks VapoRub is a #1 selling branded children and adult cough cold product. Well… That is the main use of it anyhow. However, this Proctor & Gamble Company product is a very versatile and also is commonly used for pain relief when applied topically to aching muscles and joints.
Using it as a way to treat toenail fungus is much lesser-known, but nonetheless is something that people are using it for and finding some success with.
And one of the many good things about it is that you can trust it. There are plenty of toenail fungus treatment “scammy” products that have been exposed on this site, like Fungus Hack for example, and VICKS is definitely not one of them.
What Is Toenail Fungus
Toenail fungus is also referred to as onychomycosis . Fungal infections can originate from a variety of molds, yeasts, and fungi that can grow in the cracks of the nail or skin surrounding the toenail. Athlete’s foot, often contracted from locker room floors, is a type of fungus that can lead to an infected toenail or skin infection. The most typical fungus that grows on the feet and leads to needing treatment is called dermatophyte.
How Do You Get A Fungal Nail Infection
Most fungal nail infections occur as a result of the fungi that cause athlete’s foot infecting the nails.
These fungi often live harmlessly on your skin, but they can sometimes multiply and lead to infections. The fungi prefer warm, dark and moist places like the feet.
You’re more likely to get a fungal nail infection if you:
- don’t keep your feet clean and dry
- wear shoes that cause your feet to get hot and sweaty
- walk around barefoot in places where fungal infections can spread easily, such as communal showers, locker rooms and gyms
- have damaged your nails
- have a weakened immune system
- have certain other health conditions, such as diabetes, psoriasis or peripheral arterial disease
Fungal nail infections can be spread to other people, so you should take steps to avoid this if you have an infection.
Don’t Miss: Can Bad Toenail Fungus Be Cured
Why Trust Verywell Health
As a seasoned health writer, Danielle Zoellner knows the importance of finding just the right product to fit your medical needs. Throughout her career, Danielle has interviewed a variety of experts in the medical and health fields while reviewing dozens of products. Her experience and knowledge in the field work together to help readers like yourself find the best products for your daily life.
Additional reporting for this story by Jennifer Nied
For over 10 years, Jennifer Nied has reviewed products, interviewed experts, scrutinized ingredients, and pored over research studies and claims, to help readers like you understand what works for your specific conditions. Every product in this piece was selected taking into account recommendations from doctors, published research, and real customer reviews.
Is There Any Real Proof That It Works
Let’s get right to the point here… is there any proof that this stuff actually works? Because I’m sure a lot of people reading this have wasted a lot of time, patience and money trying things that simply turn out to be complete duds.
Does it really work?
Well… when it comes to the effectiveness of VICK’s specifically dealing with nail fungus, there unfortunately isn’t much research out there. That said, there is some…
A study published in the Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine in 2011 took a look at the effects of VICKS on 18 patients who were suffering from onychomycosis over a period of 48 weeks .
The results were measured in 3 ways. They measured its effectiveness as a cure both mycologically and clinically, as well as on a personal assessment by the patients themselves.
The results: 15 of the 18 patients, or a whopping 83%, showed positive effects. And… 5 of the patients, or 27.8%, had been cured based on mycological and clinical results after the 48 weeks were up. 10 patients, or 55.6%, had infections that cleared up partially and only 3 had no change.
All in all… pretty good results.
Lack of proof?
As stated, there really isn’t much information and research out there specifically on VICKS VapoRub’s effectiveness when it comes to this.
The study mentioned above definitely proves some effectiveness and has some positives, however there has been some criticism as to the way this study was conducted, which might make it carry a little less weight.
Read Also: What Is Good To Treat Toenail Fungus
How Can I Treat Psoriasis Naturally
If youre looking for organic remedies to use in addition to medications, there are many different natural treatments out there for psoriasis.
There are a few different things that may be triggering your psoriasis, which is a great place to start with natural treatment. Identifying and avoiding these triggers can help prevent a flare-up from occurring in the first place and increase quality of life. Triggers for psoriasis can include illness, stress, smoking, and injuries to the skin.
Aside from avoiding triggers, there are many other natural methods for the management of psoriasis. Below are a few different home remedies for psoriasis. Make sure to consult a doctor before trying any of the following remedies.
Remedies To Fight Toenail Fungus At Home
Toenail fungus, also known as onychomycosis, is perhaps one of the most common nail disorders. It is a fungal infection that penetrates through chinks in your toenail, cuts in the surrounding skin, or the separation between the nail and the toe, and affects the material below the toenail.
The fungus tends to thrive in certain conditions, such as abnormal body pH, a weakened immune system, continuous exposure to a moist environment including sweaty shoes and socks, poor hygiene, and diabetes.
As embarrassing as this condition may be, simply camouflaging your unsightly toenail, such as painting your nails, without tending to it properly would do you more harm than good. If the infection goes untreated long enough, it could spread to the adjoining skin, to the other toenails, and even perhaps to your fingernails.
Recommended Reading: How Does Nail Fungus Treatment Work
Dangers Of Traditional Treatment Options
Fungal nail infection is treatable with oral anti-fungal drugs, topical medications, surgery, or laser treatments. The problem with these modern treatments, however, is that they can sometimes cause complications. Depending on the chosen treatment, some of the possible side effects that may occur include skin rashes, blisters, loss of appetite, gastrointestinal issues, headaches, respiratory problems, abnormal nail growth, or liver damage.
Due to the many risks associated with modern treatments for fungal nail infection, many people are now opting for alternative remedies that are relatively safer. As an added bonus, its also possible to treat fungal nail infection using just a few basic ingredients one already has available at home.
Ways To Safely Treat Toenail Fungus At Home
- EMAILSHARE
Stocksy/Design by Cristina Cianci
Toenail fungus sounds funky, but believe it or not, its much more common than you think. Thats because the pesky foot issuewhich most often presents as yellowing, cracking, and thickening of the nailscan be caused by everything from slower-growing nails and excessive sweating to athletes foot and walking barefoot in communal areas such as pools, shower rooms, gyms, and the like.
Most infections are caused by tinea species, but can involve harder-to-treat species called dermatophytes,” says Francisco Oliva, DPM. He adds that infections usually occur when theres a combination of issues affecting the toenail. Sometimes there is an injury to the nail at some point, he explains. The effects can be delayed for months and years. Once the fungus invades the nail, the keratin layer of the nail becomes a difficult barrier to penetrate.
Don’t Miss: Is Listerine Good For Toe Fungus
How To Get Rid Of Yellow Nails
Treatment of yellow nails will depend on the cause. Most likely, your nails have become discolored because of an infection you have or a product you used. These home remedies are based on those causes of discoloration. However, it is important to be aware that home remedies are not always effective. See your physician if home remedies arent helpful in eliminating discoloration. If you dont already have a doctor, our Healthline FindCare tool can help you connect to physicians in your area.
What Is The Prognosis Of Fungal Nails
Curing fungal nails can be difficult and treatment can take up to 18 months. Relapse and reinfection are common. Trying to remove or modify your risk factors, if possible, is essential to preventing reinfection. People who have medical illnesses that predispose them to fungal nails can have an even more difficult time eradicating the fungus.
You May Like: Does Vaporub Cure Toenail Fungus
What Real Users Are Saying
There is a lot of talk about using VICKS for toenail fungus and a lot of people recommending it online, HOWEVER, there is a lack of information coming from people who have actually used it to treat such.
Most of the information I have found comes from sources saying things like “it can be used for this”, “it has been used for that”, and things like this.
It would be nice to see some more good evidence of it working, but at the same time, the lack of good evidence doesn’t mean that it doesn’t work.
I was able to find a small number of reviews on Amazon. Of course there weren’t many because most people’s reviews talk about other things since treating toenail fungus isn’t the reason most people buy it.
*If you do have your own success story with VICKS VapoRub be sure to leave it in the comment section below for others to see!
Toenail Fungus: Causes And Risk Factors
Toenail fungus is a fungal infection in the toenail. It happens when a fungus anything from mold to yeast to other types of fungus gets in the nail bed from a cut or break in the nail or repetitive trauma to the nail, and penetrates the nail itself, says Dr. Sundling. The nail then continues to grow with the fungus. Once a nail plate is infected with fungus, it will never not be infected, and you must wait to see how it grows out and whether the new nail growing behind it is healthy. The new nail rarely grows in healthy without treatment, says Sundling.
Toenail fungus is very common 14 percent of people have it in North America, according to an article published in the journal PLoS Pathogens and its more common the older you get, adds Sundling. Wearing shoes that are too small can damage the nail and make it more vulnerable to fungus, as can having a fungal infection on the skin of the foot and not treating it, which could expose the nail to fungus. You may be more at risk to toenail fungus if you have diabetes, or a weaker immune system.
Read Also: How Do I Know If My Toenail Fungus Is Dying
After Application: See How Your Feet Respond
It is important to minimize the risk that you end up hurting yourself.
Getting rid of the fungus is high on the priority list, but a persons overall health is more important.
Test to see if bleach is right for you. Start out with 1:10 dilution of bleach and water.
If irritation does not occur, gradually increase the bleach to water ratio.
Putting the bleach directly on the nail should be avoided if you have sensitive skin. If applying bleach directly to the nail is causing issues, then dilute the bleach and then try the application.
If bleach just is not working for you or causing pain and discomfort, there are alternatives.
Toenail Fungus Treatment Options
Treatment of onychomycosis will vary, depending on the severity of the infection and the type of fungus that initially triggered the infection. Topical treatments like antifungal creams and medicated nail lacquers are among the most effective treatment options for toenail fungus.
Laser treatment or the surgical removal of the toenail may be necessary in more severe cases of toenail fungus. Over-the-counter products and home remedies are also methods used alone or in conjunction with prescription drugs to treat nail fungus and prevent reinfection.
Read Also: How Do You Get Rid Of Green Nail Fungus
Use A Foot Powder For Triple Action Relief
If you do not like the earlier suggestions, then you can also use foot powder to prevent foot fungus, which you will find very easily in the market or you can , although many of these powders are not as effective but still, some such powders are very effective against all types of foot fungus, just you have to use them in the right way.
You just have to take a small amount of powder and this Sprinkle in your shoes a little each day. In a few days, you will see that the powder will absorb excess moisture and protect your shoes from the fungus.
All you have to take care of is to remove the remaining powder from the shoes before wearing them.
Why Does It Develop
A fungal nail infection occurs from the overgrowth of fungi in, under, or on the nail. Fungi thrive in warm, moist environments, so this type of environment can cause them to naturally overpopulate. The same fungi that cause jock itch, athletes foot, and ringworm can cause nail infections.
Fungi that are already present in or on your body can cause nail infections. If you have come in contact with someone else who has a fungal infection, you may have contracted it as well. Fungal infections affect toenails more commonly than fingernails, likely because your toes are usually confined to shoes, where theyre in a warm, moist environment.
If you get a manicure or pedicure at a nail salon, be sure to ask how the staff disinfects their tools and how often they do it. Tools, such as emery boards and nail clippers, can spread fungal infections from person to person if theyre not sanitized.
Recommended Reading: What Really Gets Rid Of Toenail Fungus
Question 5question 5 Of : What Causes Foot Fungus
Trim Your Toenails Short And Straight
Keeping your toenails neatly trimmed short and straight across can prevent sharp edges that could injure your nail bed or become ingrown, making your toes more susceptible to fungal infections. Always disinfect your nail clippers after each use, since fungus spreads easily, and only receive pedicures from reputable nail salons that disinfect their tools between customers.
You May Like: Who To See For Toenail Fungus
Foot Fungus: Causes And Risk Factors
A foot fungus is a fungal infection of the skin, better known as athletes foot, says Sundling. The fungus enters through cracks in the skin. Its known as athletes foot because athletes or anyone who is more active and sweats a lot is more at risk. Kids are also more at risk, because they dont tend to wear different shoes, and changing your shoes is one way to avoid foot fungus.
Foot fungus is very common. It does not mean that someone is dirty or didnt bathe, and if you have a compromised immune system, you may be more susceptible, says Sundling.
What’s The Best Way To Control Psoriasis
Everyones case of psoriasis is different, which means treatment will be different for every person. However, some of the best treatments for psoriasis seem to include a combination of lifestyle changes, home remedies, and prescription medications. This article contains information on treatments and medications. Using this article in combination with a consultation from your doctor can help you find the best way to control psoriasis.
Also Check: Does Alcohol Kill Fingernail Fungus
Question 2 Of : How Do You Treat Severe Foot Fungus
Possible Causes Of Yellow Nails
If your nails have been damaged by dyes or harsh products, new nail growth should be a healthy, clear color. If your nails continue to be yellow, there may be something else going on in your body. Sometimes having yellow nails can be an indication of something more serious. Vitamin or mineral deficiencies can cause nails to appear yellow, and introducing a multivitamin supplement to your regiment may stop the problem.
In some cases, nails that remain yellow despite repeated treatment can be a symptom of thyroid conditions, psoriasis, or diabetes. In rare situations, yellow nails can indicate the presence of skin cancer. A condition called yellow nail syndrome is indicated by continually yellow nails and respiratory or lymphatic problems.
Don’t Miss: How To Eliminate Nail Fungus