Ointment To CURE Toenail Fungus? | Doctorly Investigates

SUBSCRIBE TO DOCTORLY UNHINGED PODCAST!

Is Vicks VapoRub the secret to curing toenail fungus? Find out in this video where we explore the latest skincare trend that's making waves on TikTok. We'll investigate this trend and share our honest thoughts.

*Shop Favorite Skincare Products*

*Affiliate Links Generate Revenue for the Channel*

00:00 Vicks VapoRub
02:28 Ingredients
03:39 Studies
06:40 Overall Thoughts

Disclaimer: This video is not intended to provide diagnosis, treatment, or medical advice. Content provided in this video is for educational purposes only. Please consult with a physician regarding any health-related diagnosis or treatment.

[Bim]

My podiatrist recommended Vics as I take another medication that prohibits me from taking the regular anti fungal pill that's prescribed for toenail fungus. Applied daily for 30 days and it was cleared up and hasn't returned for 5 years.

[musicalessence]

I used Vick’s Vapor rub on my problem big toe and it worked! I ruined my toe skiing with boots that didn’t fit right on my big toe. I got blood in my nail bed and then fungus grew after. 20 years later, I tried this. I rubbed Vicks every night into my nail bed and slept with a sock. Next night, I lightly sanded the top of my nail bed and repeated the process. It took several weeks but improvement kept happening. I took photos as I went to check process. After it was gone, I kept doing it to make sure I was good. Honestly, I had no idea it was a treatment, I just knew that the ingredients were good for you. 💜💜💜

[darlenepalmer]

I did the Vick and it worked. But took months and months. Dr. couldn’t get it gone so I tryed the Vicks. It really does work.

[kgrimes]

I had toenail fungus for the last 2 years. Extremely irritating in terms of looking at it. I cut down the nail and soaked my toe in witch hazel for a while about 15-20 mins, let it air dry and applied Vicks with a q-tip within 3 days the fungus was completely gone. I was mad I didn't do it years ago but at least the nail is pink and taking forever to grow back in BUT I'm just happy it's fungus free and slowly looking normal again. 😁

[suziemyers]

I’m an family med doc and began my practice when the only option for toenail fungus was ketoconazole which required monitoring of LFTs. I stumbled upon the Vicks treatment in a newspaper column written by a podiatrist and started recommending it and had pretty astonishing results. Of course, spraying shoes with jock itch/athlete’s foot OTCs and wearing socks to bed were important parts of treatment. When Penlac came out, it was expensive and not covered by insurance so compliance was spotty. There are more pharmaceutical choices now but any treatment take’s however long it takes the great toenail to grow out. Cost, compliance, interactions…

[taiga]

Former toe nail fungus sufferer! Saw my derm who was not keen on the med due to side effects . Prescribed Penlac topical which you paint on like a clear nail polish. I only missed 3 nights out of a one year treatment and my toesies have been fine ever since. As a reminder, this is a long haul but effective treatment option with little to no side effects.

[marti]

I have had toenail fungus forever. I started using colorless tiger balm and isopropyl alcohol to treat it. Tiger balm has many of the same ingredients as Vicks Vapo Rub, but in higher concentrations. I think the alcohol dries out the nail and since fungus likes moisture this helps fight the infection. Also, I find that cutting the nail short and debriding the nail is important. It seems to be working. I took the oral prescription twice in my life. It worked the first time, but the fungus returned. The second time I had a terrible side effect - I lost my taste. I stopped the prescription and my taste returned. I did try bleach for awhile before my current treatment, but that did not help so much. Plus, bleach is hard to administer because it is so caustic.

[southernyankee]

I got toe nail fungus a few years back and did put Vicks on it and kept it on 24/7 and kept my foot covered with a sock and within a couple of weeks the fungus was gone.

[jonwalter]

I've had five toenail fungus infections in the last 15 or so years. First two were on my little toes (not at the same time). Tried the Vicks on both and the infection grew out and was gone - I applied it two or three times a week, took a few months for the infected part of the nail to grow out. Got it on one of my big toes about two or three years ago; did the Vicks and it improved but I didn't stick with regular applications and it came back full force. And then I got it in my other big toe. Have since been applying the Vicks about every day. On the first toe the infection has grown out and is gone but I'm still applying a light amount since I'm still doing the toe with the newer infection. The other toe is about 80-90% grown out, just about an eighth of an inch left and it will be gone. I plan on continuing applying a few times a week for a few months just to make sure. I strongly recommend, based on my experience, the Vicks for toenail fungus. Plus compared to most other remedies, whether home or medical, it's pretty dang cheap. I'm using the even cheaper store-brand vapor rub atm. The only warning I would give is that when I was applying it heavily to one of my big toes, apparently it softened the nail and the nail started to deform by rolling one side down in toward the nail bed. But over time that has corrected itself.

[cryptofan]

I had what I considered modest toenail fungus on one toe, the toe next to the big toe. I used Vicks on that toe twice a day for about two months. Did ABSOLUTELY NOTHING, never changed a bit. Gave up for a couple of years and just dealt with having an ugly toenail. . I then heard about using bleach, 1 to 1 ratio. I basically have tough skin and never had any issues with prolonged exposure to bleach, (I often hand wash socks or whites) so I went full strength for seven days. I submerged that toe in a shot glass full of bleach for 3 minutes a day, for seven days. Never even rinsed the bleach off, just dried it well with a paper towel when I was done. Never burned the skin at all. My toenails grow slow in my opinion, but I could see great improvement in a couple of months. I guess it took probably six months for the entire nail to grow out and no fungus at all, perfectly shaped nail and nail color. I would never recommend the same protocol I used to anyone else, this is not medical advice. But, it worked perfectly for me.

[kimdecker]

You know what I love about these videos (among other things)? They make us better "consumers" of scientific literature and of science in general. You give us a peek into how you, as clinicians, evaluate evidence--sample size, study length et al--and then you help us understand how you translate that evaluation into actionable recommendations. This is what critical thinking looks like! I appreciate it!

[markgoostree]

I took Lamisil to treat my nail fungus. Doc said we'd test in six weeks to see if it was bothering my liver. I took myself off of it in five days. ( Friday) I called him on Monday, went it for that blood test... he said stop. Remember, this is just five days of the meds. It gave me hepatitis, jaundice, my "bilirubin" number went to 11, I lost thirty pounds, was eventually hospitalized four days, and they thought I was going to need a liver transplant. Took six months to feel like I was over it. oh yeah... I still have the nail fungus.

[TK-dtnk]

I had a military doctor tell me to do this. It actually did work. I had to use it on two separate occasions and it worked both times.

[sbelle]

I am from India, and I treated my toenail infection with Vicks VapoRub around 5-6 years ago. Cheap and effective

[msbowie]

I have a finger nail fungus ( probably from the nail salon) and have been using Vicks Vapor Rub for several days now and see a noticeable improvement in my finger nail. Glad that the docs approve this treatment! 😊 Love you guys, love your channel! One of my favorites!

[virginiahopkins]

My father was in World war 2, In Pacific theater. If any of the soldiers having fungal infection with their feet, it was tropical inviroment. all where issued vicks salve, coated toe nails and between toes every night and put socks over feet. It worked, also taught us to always wear flipslops in showers, like at school, and beach, never wear anybody elses shoes. If you get cracks in skin of heals of feet common problem with age, coat with vicks before bed and wear white socks over feet. This is a lot cheaper than very costly medication, paying far doctor, ect. cures athletes feet, Retired RN nurse, Another trick with vicks salve, If you are dealing with real sick patients, who have a foul smell put a lttle dab of vick salve or campher under your nose. learned this in nursing school. BM from a patient who has gangrene is an awful smell, Working ER I have had Diabetic patients come in with bed sores that had turned into gangrene. It is job of nurse to always treat all patients with dignity, and never say or with body language react negative to patients who can not help bad smells.

[SleepyGothCat]

I had a toenail fungus once. I cut off the "dead" nail, washed the area with soap and water, sprayed alcohol to help it dry quicker and disinfect it, then applied Vicks.

Fungus was gone and my toenail grew back perfectly!

[dansu]

I tried them all, including oral Terbinafin. Both of my by toes where completely damaged by a fungus, for years. So I gave Vicks a try. I put a good chuck of Vicks and a band-aid every night. After 8 weeks, new nails ! now I have to do it once in a while when the fungus starts back.

[melissabridge]

I was in dance for years as a child. I took ballet, and modern jazz from age 5- 17. My dance instructor told my mom to wash my feet and rub Vicks on them and put on white cotton socks. My feet stayed smooth and the menthol made my sore feet feel better. I am 56 and still use it on my feet to this day 😂!

[neilsawdon]

During Covid lockdown I had a toenail that started to turn yellow - tried dabbing it with liquid hand sanitizer alcohol, it cleared within a few days. Didn't know about Vicks at the time or I would have given it a go.