How Do I Know If My Toenail Fungus Is Going Away
Nail fungus can be resistant to treatment and nails take a long time to grow out, so it can take several weeks or months for an infection to be fully resolved. You will know that the treatment is working and the infection is clearing up when you see growth of a new, healthy nail from the base of the nail bed.
Home Remedies For Toenail Fungus
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Toenail fungus, also known as onychomycosis or tinea unguium, is a common nail condition affecting millions of people in the United States. Fungal nail infections can develop on the nail from various organisms such as molds, yeasts, and fungi. This usually occurs after these organisms come into contact with a cracked nail or skin surrounding the nail as the opening provides a portal of entry for these organisms.
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How To Use Them
A person interested in trying a blend of essential oils can buy the oils online or from a health food store. Mix the oil with a carrier oil before applying the mixture to the affected nails.
Ozonized oils are oils infused with ozone gas. Examples of oils that are available in ozonized form include sunflower oil and olive oil.
According to , ozonized oils show positive effects similar to a traditional medication called terbinafine cream in treating one type of fungus. In this study, the researchers used rabbits to test the effectiveness of the treatment.
Another study carried out on 400 people tested how ozonized oils affected fungal infections. In this 2011 study , researchers used ozonized sunflower oil to treat toenail fungus.
Their results indicated that ozonized oils cured up to 90.5 percent of the total infections with only a 2.8 percent relapse rate after 1 year. The researchers concluded the ozonized sunflower oil works more effectively than ketoconazole cream, which is an antifungal medication.
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Apply Or Consume Garlic
A 2019 study published online indicated that garlic is an antifungal powerhouse, potentially making it a gem for treating toenail fungal infections. It is best to place crushed or chopped garlic on the affected area daily, Hayag says. It is important to take caution when following this remedy, as garlic has the potential to cause chemical burns to the skin. To avoid any burns, theres also the option of taking garlic supplements to see if that might help clear things up.
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Whats In The Vicks Vaporub Cure
Vicks contains menthol, camphor, eucalyptus oil, cedarleaf oil, nutmeg oil, petrolatum, thymol and turpentine oil. A number of these ingredients have antifungal activity, which may explain its success against nail fungus.
Thymol has antiseptic, antibacterial and antifungal activity . Other essential oils such as eucalyptus and tea tree oil also have fungicidal action .
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Healing Rough Skin On Your Heels
The American Academy of Dermatology Association recommends petroleum jelly as a moisturizer, especially when used on damp skin, because it keeps moisture from evaporating.
That may explain why some people have found Vicks VapoRub helpful for healing rough skin on the feet and heels.
But more research is needed to support the anecdotal claims about its usefulness as a treatment for dry, calloused skin on the feet.
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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:
Foods For Fighting Inflammation Arthritis And Joint Pain
In the United States, 54 million people are living with arthritis, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
For those with arthritis, one in four will experience severe joint pain. That joint pain and stiffness often affects quality of life by limiting your ability to do the things you love.
When you suffer from arthritis, your body is in what is known as an inflammatory state. In this state, the old adage you are what you eat is quite true: some foods may trigger more inflammation while others can help reduce it.
If youre suffering from aching joints due to inflammation, changes to your diet can help.
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What Experts Say About The Vicks Toenail Fungus Myth
If theres one thing that a lot of experts cant refute about the use of Vicks Vaporub for toenail fungus, however, is that theres evidence that it can help with the condition. This is a good thing but doctors and scientists have a few reservations that prevent them from recommending it as a treatment to their patients.
For one, there are very limited studies about the topic. The most cited study of on the matter involves a very small sample size and conditions that are varying in severity and types of infection. This means that the 18 subjects that participated in the study, the types of fungi that caused their infections and the severity of their conditions are different. These make their positive result still hard to quantify.
In this regard, experts cant directly answer the question, does Vicks vapor rub work on nail fungus? definitively just yet. However, theyre also not telling you not to try using Vicks on your feet for fungus. Since this product is formulated to be safe for topical use, chances are, applying it on the affected area wont hurt you.
Vicks Vapor Rub For Toenail Fungus Myth Or Miracle Cure
Is VICKS VapoRub for toenail fungus effective?
There our a lot of home remedies out there for curing toenail fungus, but a lot of them simply do not work. You have apple cider vinegar, Epsom salt baths, all the essential oils, etc.
VICKS Vaper Rub, which is really called the trademark name of VICKS VapoRub, is one of the many cheap treatment options out there that some people suggest But Does It Actually Work?
The answer is YES, at least to some extent… It definitely does have some potential as a treatment option as you will see. And… it’s easy to find in stores and it’s cheap, so of course this is something that a lot of people are going to be interested in, especially when you look at other treatment options which can get pretty darn expensive.
Some statistics say that around 10% of the population has at least some amount of toenail fungus and around 50% of people 70 years old and older have it. It’s a pretty crazy statistic and there is no doubt that toenail fungus is a big problem.
Much of the time it goes away on its own due to the body’s effective immune response, but sometimes it can get out of hand and requires serious attention. Of course you do not want that to happen so treating as soon as possible should be a priority.
Toenail Fungus Explained:
- Thickened nails
- Discoloration, usually whitish or yellowish
- Brittle fractured nails
- Darkened color from all the dead debris
- Bad smells and strange looks from onlookers
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Side Effects Of Vicks Vaporub For Toenail Fungus
There have not been any reports of side effects of using Vicks VapoRub for toenail fungus. There are few people that have experienced mild burning while using Vicks VapoRub but those are very few in number. If at any time during treatment the fungus appears to be getting worse, see your physician. If youre allergic to Vicks or other related ointments, please not to use Vicks ointment and consult your doctor for alternative treatment.
What Does The Research Say About Vicks Vaporub Effects On Nail Fungus
The most commonly cited research regards Vicks effectiveness is from the Journal of American Board of Family Medicine.
In this study, 18 participants applied Vicks VapoRub to their toenails daily for 48 weeks. By the end of the study, 5 patients were completely cured, and 10 had partial relief. 83% of the participants experienced toenail fungus relief!
Another study by the Journal of the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care tested Vicks VapoRubs effectiveness with AIDS patients who suffered from nail fungus.
AIDS patients have immune system issues, meaning they can not risk pharmaceutical treatments such as Lamisil or Sporanox. In the study,
18 participants applied the treatment to their toenails for 24 weeks. 15 out of the 18 saw improvement by the end of the experiment. Most importantly, there were no side effects!
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Will Vinegar Soften Toenails
The antifungal properties also make vinegar soaks a good idea for people who have toenail fungus. Soak your feet for 10 to 15 minutes daily in a vinegar bath until the infection subsides. You can increase the length of time in the soak gradually. It may take two to three weeks or longer to see improvement in symptoms.
Side Effects Of Toenail Fungus Medication
One of the many benefits of using a homeopathic remedy is that there are little to no adverse side effects. Topical treatments often prescribed to treat toenail fungus can potentially burn or blister the skin. Oral medications for treating onychomycosis can cause liver or gastrointestinal damage. Be sure to read your medications list of potential side effects. Consult your pharmacist, physician, or specialist if you are concerned about side effects of prescription drugs.
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The Price Certainly Doesnt Get Any Better
If you are going to try a treatment for toenail fungus then one thing you definitely have to consider is the price and the price here is pretty darn good fortunately.
A 1.76 oz little tub usually costs somewhere around $5-6 and you can pick it up at any Walmart, Walgreens, CVS, and plenty other stores.
That is a very cheap treatment and Im sure you are well aware of that if you have been searching for treatments for any good length of time.
There are some rather ridiculously priced toenail fungus treatments out there that show less promising results than VICKS.
*Emuaid MAX is a more expensive topical treatment, but is something else you may want to read about. It is one of the very few toenail fungus treatments that we recommend here at Operation Wellness.
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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Clean Socks And Shoes
Regularly changing your socks and shoes can also cut down on the growth of unwanted foot fungus. Both socks and athletic shoes can also be washed in hot water to rid the growth of yeasts and fungi that may be growing on the fabric. Some shoes can be machine dried. Drying shoes in the sun is another option when cleaning footwear.
Adding a half-cup of baking soda or one cup of vinegar to the washing machine can help eliminate bacteria or fungus on socks or shoes.
Boots and other footwear that are not machine washable could be wiped out with a vinegar and water solution or sprayed with an over-the-counter antifungal spray. Medicated powders are also helpful in treating shoes for foot fungus.
Allowing the feet to breathe by taking off shoes and socks when possible can prevent fungal growth. Protect your feet by wearing breathable footwear and clean socks. Antimicrobial socks and shoes made from bamboo, copper, or specialty fabrics are also available. They can help reduce unwanted bacteria and yeast from growing in your footwear.
A proactive approach to keeping your feet clean and dry can prevent the spread of toenail fungus. You can wash or soak feet with warm soapy water or a foot bath using everyday household items. Soaking your feet in an all-natural, homeopathic concoction can be beneficial in reducing or eliminating toenail fungus.
Direction On How To Use It
Before applying Vicks Vapor Rub on your toenails there are a few things you need to do. First of all, you should clip your affected nails as short as you can. Second of all, clean your feet thoroughly especially those areas that are affected by nail fungus. Third of all, make the feet completely dry. Then apply the cream on affected nails and also make sure that the cream would be applied as deep under the bed of nails as possible. In order for the cream to stay longer on affected area use a bandage to wrap your fingers. Repeat this process daily until nail fungus disappears completely.
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Clean And Dry Your Nails
We recommend showering or using a foot soak before applying Vicks to your fingernails.
Keep in mind that fungi loves moisture and can easily spread to the groin, feet, head, or other nails, so it vitally important that you do not come into direct contact with any infected nails.
Before applying any formula, make sure there is no wetness. Use a paper towel or other moisture absorbent to prevent spreading.
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Does Vicks Vapor Rub Soften Toenails
One common thing that comes up are products that contain menthol. So Vicks VapoRub is a common nail remedy for nail fungus. It probably wont help. But it wont hurt anything either.
similarly, Is Vicks VapoRub good for toenail fungus?
Vicks VapoRub
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.
in the same way, 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.
likewise What is the best way to soften toenails?
Soak your feet in warm water for at least 10 minutes to soften your nails, and then use a towel to thoroughly dry your feet and toenails. Using a nail clipper, make small cuts to avoid splintering the nail and cut straight across. To lessen the chance of the nail becoming ingrown, dont round off the corners.
Can I put Vicks on my feet?
When applied to the chest and throat, it may help ease cold symptoms like nose and sinus congestion. Vicks VapoRub will likely not work to help ease cold symptoms when used on the feet. Adults can safely use this vapor rub on the feet to ease muscle aches or pain.
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