Sufferers of toenail fungus can find the sheer amount of potential over the counter treatments overwhelming at the least. It’s hard to know what will or won’t work for you before you spend the money on the products- and they can be expensive! In response to the expense of specially designed toenail fungus treatments, many people have tried making their own at home remedies. The question is- do they work? One of the most talked about at home remedy for nail fungus is Vick’s Vapor Rub. This has been used faithfully for generations as a helpful aid for the common cold and flu symptoms, but you’ll find a variety of alternative options for this over the counter topical product.
There are a lot of claims that by applying Vick’s to affected toenails faithfully for up to six months that your fungus will be cured. Most people suggest doing this at night and then covering your feet with socks, so that the rub can work throughout the night without rubbing off. The active ingredients in Vick’s include menthol, eucalyptus, and camphor and should never be ingested.
The vicks vapor rub toenail fungus cure is one that is widely disputed. It should be noted that one of the biggest problems with actually curing and ridding oneself permanently of fungus is not just clearing up the nail. The fungus has to be completely eradicated to prevent a recurrence, and a new, healthy regrowth of the nail must also take place. So, in order to have a potentially successful treatment the product must be one that can permeate the nail to reach the nail bed, effectively kill the fungus totally, and encourage a new healthy nail to regrow.
While some of the natural ingredients have been found to be potentially anti-fungal, it is unlikely that the strength and potency of those contained within Vick’s will be enough to eradicate a severe fungus within the nail bed. Add that to the fact that none of the ingredients are proven to stimulate new nail growth, and vicks vapor rub becomes sketchy at best for curing a fungus nail problem.
Despite this, many people still claim to have reached a degree of success in using this alternative treatment. The pro’s to trying this are that it’s completely safe, and there are no long term side effects for using this topically on your toenails, aside from a slight bluish discoloration which will most likely go largely unnoticed since the fungus itself will discolor the nail yellow. It is also decidedly cheaper than tested anti-fungal medication made specifically for treating this disorder. Advocates for this method report that you must use this consistently for six months to see results. The good news is that if it doesn’t work, you really haven’t lost much and it won’t cause any more damage.
You’re best option is still going to be using a tried and true method. The results for Vick’s as a successful treatment are just not there. While the ingredients may temporarily lighten the appearance of your nails, there is a huge difference between your nail looking better and being cured. In truth, it is hard to see Vick’s Vapor Rub as a real cure for any toenail fungus- which is notorious for being difficult to treat and permanently remove.
