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Does Vicks Vapor Rub Help Nail Fungus

Treat Scrapes And Burns

Does Vicks Vaporub work for fungus nails?

The petroleum in Vicks VapoRub may help to heal minor cuts and scrapes when applied once or twice daily as the thick formula creates a barrier between your cuts. The menthol and eucalyptus act as anti-inflammatory properties to help promote and stimulate healing, says Sobel. But a word of caution: some of the ingredients may be irritating on an open wound. If you notice any type of pain or a burning sensation, take the product off immediately and stick to Neosporin and a Band-Aid.

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.

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 not work for everyone

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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.

Vicks Vaporub Works As Treatment For Foot Fungus In Hiv

Read directions about Vicks VapoRub and its benefits on ...

Vicks VapoRub may be a cheap, effective and safe topical treatment for foot fungus among people living with HIV, according to results from a pilot study presented at ID Week 2012.

Onychomycosis is common in both the general population and among those living with HIV. Studies have shown about 15% to 40% prevalence in people living with HIV, but data is limited, according to study author Mariea Snell, M.S.N. Infection is associated with more advanced immunodeficiency and usually presents as proximal onychomycosis, which is often harder to diagnose and treat than other forms of this disease, Snell told TheBodyPRO.com.

Snell, from BJK Peoples Health Center and Washington University in St. Louis, Mo., and colleagues followed 20 patients with toenail fungus for 48 weeks, with patient visits every 12 weeks. The patients were 90% male and 55% African American, with an average age of 46 years. Ninety-five percent were on antiretroviral therapy, with 60% having a viral load below 50 copies/mL. The median CD4 count was 399 cells/mL.

The participants self-treated by topically applying Vicks VapoRub to affected toenails for a maximum of 24 weeks. At each visit, a digital photograph of the affected toenail was taken and a clinical assessment was made. For the first two visits, treatment adherence and tolerability were determined.

Warren Tong

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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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Where Do You Get Nail Fungus

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Nail Fungus Sufferers: What Works And What Doesnt

Are you tired of suffering from stubborn and ugly nail infections? Do you long for letting your once beautiful toes see the sunlight again? Do you wonder what its going to take to get rid of the fungus?

Over the years weve had the opportunity to collect testimonials from people who left comments on ToenailFungusTreatments.com, who have used different types of nail fungus remedies. After analyzing them, weve created some useful suggestions for those who want to eliminate nail fungus.

Of course, nothing is ever 100% guaranteed, but if we can learn from others with similar problems, we have a better chance of crossing off one more problem we have from the list that seems to accumulate many problems as we age.

How Doctors Heal Patients

In fact, I was thinking about doctors and how they learn. I know that if you ask any doctor who he or she learned the most from, they will say their patients. In the practice of medicine, a doctor who pays the most attention to the results that their patients are receiving, and makes appropriate adjustments is often the most successful both with people and against disease.

Recognizing this feedback loop was very valuable, we started collecting reports on remedies from our readers and have been able to create some basic guidelines for anyone with nail fungus problems who wants to use these treatments to get clear nails again.

Guidelines From Our Readers about Nail Fungus Remedies

Ugly Toenail Transformed to Beautiful and Perfect

The Facts About Vicks Vaporub For Toenail Fungus

Why You SHOULD NOT use Vicks Vaporub For Toenail Fungus. (Here’s What I’ve Learned.)

The truth of the matter is, toe nail fungus is extremely difficult to treat and even the best treatments have less than stellar results, particularly when the infection is severe. Research has shown that the best likelihood of obtaining a cure is to begin treatment very early and at the first signs of infection.

There are currently two types of treatment approved by the FDA for treating fungal nail infections: oral and topical. The traditional option that has shown the best success rate is Lamisil, an oral prescription medication. It has about a 50% cure rate, but it also has unpleasant and potentially serious side effects. Permanent liver damage is one such side effect. Prescription medications must also be used for extended periods of time and often interferes with other commonly used medications, such as antibiotics and antidepressants.

Compared to prescription medications, Vicks is even less promising as a cure despite treatment that can last over a year. Several studies have been conducted in an attempt to ascertain the effectiveness of Vicks Vaporub for toenail fungus. The results revealed that when Vicks was applied to the infected area on a daily basis, 65% of the participants said it was ineffective. It also seems that once you quit using the Vicks treatment, the infection is very likely to return.

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Vagisil For Nail Fungus

Jim P. offers a different optiona vaginal anti-itch product:

On a radio show years ago, Joe or Terry mentioned that resorcinol was an anti-fungal. This is the active ingredient in Vagisil .

So I tried it on my toenail fungus. The results were equal to Vicks VapoRub , but the nail surface was smoother and more normal-looking. All I do is rub Vagisil into the affected nails and nail bed once a day after my shower. 30 seconds once a day is all it takes, and theres no odor or greasy residue.

Note you wont clear up existing fungus you have to wait for new nail growth to see the difference.

Resorcinol has been around for more than 150 years. It has been used topically as an antiseptic and to treat a variety of skin conditions including psoriasis, eczema and acne. Not surprisingly, it has antifungal activity, which might account for why it could be useful against nail fungus.

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

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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.

What Is Vicks Vapor Rub

Does Vicks VapoRub Help Against Some Nail Fungus

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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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.

Does Vicks Vapor Rub Actually Work For Nail Fungus

In order to understand whether Vicks Vapor Rub works or not for nail fungus treatment it is important to understand what ingredients are included in this rub. The ingredients that are found in this cold treatment usually include Camphor, Menthol, Eucalyptus Oil, Thymol, Nutmeg Oil, Turpentine Oil and Cedarleaf Oil. From all these mentioned ingredients it is though that the components that makes it effective for nail fungus are Camphor, Menthol, Eucalyptus oil and Thyme. All these four ingredients were tested in a laboratory and showed the most potential in inhibiting the growth of fungus. Eucalyptus oil might be beneficial since it can lessen inflammation and also minimize pain. Due to the fact that Menthol has cooling effect it can greatly reduce symptoms like itching and pain. The other component, which is Camphor have anesthetic and antimicrobial properties therefore might be beneficial in nail fungus treatment. The most effective ingredient in Vick Vapor Rub according to one study is Thyme. This component works effectively at inhibiting the growth of dermatophytes, which is one of the causes of toenail fungus. In case you will decide to try Vicks Vapor Rub for toenail treatment make sure that it includes all these four components, since different brands might offer a bit different formula.

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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.

How To Use Vicks Vaporub For Toenail Fungustreatment

The Right Way To Use Vicks Vaporub for Toenail Fungus – Toenail Fungus Cure

As established above, the possibility of having Vicks VapoRub work for your toenail fungus is pretty slim under 40% precisely. However, you can determine if it will work if you fall under the following category:

  • The entire toenail was not affected by the fungi
  • There is no pain
  • You do not have thick skin under and around the affected nail
  • The nail has not grown into the skin edges
  • The nail hasnt changed color to whitish-yellow, and there are not colored streaks

How to use Vicks VapoRub for Toenail Fungustreatment

  • The first step is to trim your nail and file it down before applying any treatment. Make sure you are thorough with the filing as it affects the efficiency of the treatment. Here are the reasons:
  • The procedure will be effective if your file your nail and reduce the length and thickness. It will also increase your chance of success which could rise to 60%
  • When you have nail fungus, it usually forms a thick impenetrable layer of film which covers the nail. This creates a barrier that prevents medications from getting to the nail bed.
  • With this, your chances of success increases as the medication do not have to struggle to get to the fungus and address the root of the problem.
  • Benefits of Using Vicks VapoRub for Toenail Fungus
  • Vicks VapoRub is soothing and reduces the pain and itching that comes with toenail fungus
  • It is a well-known solution for many household issues like cough
  • There is no side effect with using Vicks VapoRub
  • What Kills Toenail Fungus Fast?

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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.

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