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Vicks Vapor Rub for toenail fungus

Submitted by Lorna

Massage Vicks Vapor Rub on toenail and in a matter of days the toe nail will start turning dark in color.The dark color means the vicks is killing the fungus. As the toenail grows out you will cut the tonails and soon your tonails will not only look healthy but will be fungus free. My mother-in law told me about this and she was told to do this by her doctor.This works!

The following was sent in by Lyla

My toe grew a new, healthy nail up under the old one w/o me realizing it. Months after I used Vick's I noticed all healthy growth at and above the cuticle line but I didn't realize the toenail was growing under the old one and pushing it out of place until it fell off one day, revealing a short but beautiful nail. I'm a believer in using Vick's for toenail fungus cure.

Visitors comments

why not? Comments By: vsop on 2004-09-02 Why not simply cut the toe off? I did. TipKing says: Bit drastic.   DOCTOR'S RECOMMENDATION Comments By: WILLIAM STEWART on 2004-09-07 MY DOCTOR SAID HIS PATIENTS HAVE HAD NO LUCK WITH PENLAC NAIL LACQUER. INSTEAD HE SAID HIS PATIENTS HAVE HAD 95 PERCENT SUCCESS WITH VICKS VAPOR RUB. I STARTED USING IT LAST WEEK AND IT'S TOO SOON TO TELL THE RESULTS. I RUB IT ON THE TOE AND UNDER THE NAIL, THEN WRAP SARAN WRAP AROUND THE TOE AND SECURE IT WITH MASKING TAPE. I DO THIS TWICE A DAY.   It seemed to work for me Comments By: MC on 2011-06-27 I did this after reading about it somewhere else. I only did it a few days and then forgot but then a week or 2 later I noticed it was clear. I only have 1 nail left with a issue after the perscription actually cleared all the other toes. It did start to come back but I am pretty certain I reinfected myself somewhere as I had another bout of altheles foot. That is the hardest part of this whole thing. You really have to clean and disenfect everything to make sure you don't get it back including all shoes.   won't work Comments By: Richard on 2004-12-29 I used Vick's for 6 months with no benefit whatsoever. Then I even tried Vaseline, thinking I'd got the suggestion wrong. Still it was of no benefit.   Vicks works! Comments By: Marsha on 2005-01-06 There are a number of types of toenail fungus, and it may not work on all of them, but it seems to be working for mine. I massage it in twice a day. It also softens the bottoms of feet, and helps heal the tiny cracks in my fingers.   Vicks works but....... Comments By: chris on 2005-01-19 My wife had fungus pretty bad on two toes. We bought the Wal Mart version and it cleared up great !! Lot cheaper with same great results saving $$$ Say what you want, but here it worked.   day one- Comments By: danielle on 2005-01-22 I rubbed it into my toes last night and was completely surprised to find my one toenail completely dark this morning. I am defiantely keeping this going, even if the only benefit is that one toe being fungus free.   Vick's vapor rub Comments By: Kellie on 2005-02-19 I asked my doctor about my nail fungus and she said that she had read in one of her medical magazines to use Vick's vapor rub and I tried it and my nail also turned dark. I will keep using it to make my nail go back to normal.   ? Comments By: Jay on 2005-04-17 why would it turn dark? TipKing says: Maybe it is when it is dying   Want to comment on above Saran wrap thing Comments By: Sharon on 2005-05-26 Above someone said they were using Vic's and then wrapping toe with saran wrap. Not sure if thats working for you but I heard the fungus grows when the nail isn't allowed to breath so this might be hurting your progress. (I'm forbidden from wearing nail polish for my recovery period for this reason) I asked Podiatrist about Vics when she prescribed a $15 creme starting with Tine something. She was evasive and snarky with me and said she never heard of it and why would it work. I had heard about it on Dr. Gott. I bought the damn creme but nail is taking forever to grow, its been a month, so hard to say if its working or not. But since I can't wear polish am glad it didn't get dark like I heard Vics does.   Give it time... Comments By: stargazer on 2005-06-29 I used it for a few days and my nail turned a little dark. I stopped and it started looking thick again. I am going to try it for longer this time. I think people give up too soon.   VIck's Vapor Rub Comments By: Anonymous on 2005-12-29 It's been 3 days now using Vick's Vapor Rub on my toenails and they are looking so much better. I may loose half of my large toenail because it was really bad and has now become detached. But...its color has changed from dark brown to a whitish color. My other toes had small yellow spots and they have disappeared. So far my nails have not turned black so I will continue to treat with vapor rub. When I can start wearing nail polish again?   Vicks works Comments By: anom on 2006-04-01 Vicks worked wonders for me. Applied it to toenails once daily for two weeks. They now are fungus free, clear and healthy looking.   Vicks for nail fungus Comments By: Sandi on 2006-05-27 I used it on a finger nail fungus and it worked in a couple weeks. Amazing.   Hurrray Comments By: John on 2006-06-09 I have tried everything I could to get doctor to prescibe me to get rid of my fungus lingering on for about 4 years . I overheard a converstaion at his office about VIck , looked it up on the net for verification tried it and WOW its working Im wearing sandles confident and happy , after a month's use .   Third Week Comments By: anon on 2006-07-16 I'm into my 3rd week of rubing vic's into my toe nails. Can't tell if it's working yet or not, but one is getting dark. I'll keep at it.   Curious Comments By: Smp on 2006-08-05 If your toenail is already dark and discolored from the nail fungus and you're using the Vick's Vapor rub, how are you to tell that the rub is working? Seems most have experienced the toenail becoming darker. Does the toenail get darker first and then clear up or have the natural coloring?   Vicks for Toe Fungus Comments By: Rosemary on 2006-08-10 I've been using Vicks Vapor Rub Cream for three months now on both of my big toes and have seen a dramtic difference. It's been working for me and have been telling everyone to try it.   The 'cure'? Comments By: Anon on 2006-09-12 Distilled vinegar twice a day will have similar effects. Most important is not to miss an application.   Vicks didn't work for me Comments By: Disheartened on 2006-09-16 I have had a nail fungus on one of my big toes for years. I started using Vicks about tree years ago. My entire nail has come off twice, but as soon as it grows back, the fungus is still there. Don't be fooled into thinking you are cured after several months because it takes up to a year for a nail to completely grow back. I have a sensitive stomach or I would have gone to a podiatrist years ago to take the medication needed. Yes, the Vicks helps the look of the nail and you will think you are cured, but once you stop taking it, I guarantee it will return with the nail fungus there.   Vicks works Comments By: Jeanne on 2006-11-01 My great toenail was accidently ripped partially off, surgery took the rest off. I was told it would never grow back. But it did, deformed and fungal.It developed a black area at the base. My doctor told me to live with it. Someone told me about Vicks. I applied it 3 times a day for about 5 weeks.It slowly detached, and as it did I stuffed Vicks under the nail as well as around it. This morning I cut thru the white membrane type of tissue holding it on. This left this white tissue covering the nail bed. Should I continue with the Vicks or start using an anti fungal cream?   Re: Disheartened Comments By: Mom of twelve on 2006-11-07 you will get it back if you don't get new shoes cause it lives on in your shoes, so you really reinfect yourself.   Vicks works! Comments By: tammy on 2006-12-11 Both my Mom and Uncle had nail fungus and they stuffed it under their nails every night. My Mom had it on her thumb nail too so you really need to make sure it is right before you go to bed. The Vicks will melt down under your nail bed while you are sleeping. Both are free and clear so if you are willing to give it a try, this has no side affects and great results. You must be patient though and be consistent!   You need just a little more Comments By: Anon on 2007-01-10 I have been using vicks for my toenails, and they have been getting darker. I am waiting for them to look healthy again, but my podiatrist told me something I never thought of adding to the mix. Since the fungus is usually caused by a bacteria, make sure that your feet are clean and dry after your shower. If you have athletes foot, make sure you are working to get rid of that because that is where a lot of toe fungus comes from, and spray your shoes often with Lysol to kill any germs. Hope the extra suggestions help.   I was Skeptical Comments By: Rox on 2007-03-23 My son first got it at two years old because his father has it and it is very contagious. We tried everything nothing worked. We tried Lamisil and it was risky because it causes liver damage and under warning says you can die from taking it!! My grandmother recommended he try Vicks. I thought it was a dumb idea but I was willing to try anything to help my son's toe nails look better! it started darkening and now it is clear!! It is amazing. When I told his pediatrican he laughed like it I was lieing wierd how the doctor thinks it its a joke! I am suprised myself. His nails were very bad thick that the toe clipper couldn't get through and a musty yellow color. It has been 2 years that we've used it and only two toenails look like it still has a little fungus on it. Very impressed with the results!   Vick's Vapor Rub Appears to be Working Comments By: carolyn on 2007-04-05 Well, up until three years ago, I had never been bothered with dark toenails. One day I put my daughter's sandal on to go outside and check the mail,and vavoom! a few days later my nails turned dark. I was horrified. So I went online to read about homemade ointments that would clear it up. I saw Vick's Vapor Rub and I tried it and it really works. My toenail began to get clearer in just one week. I stopped using it and the darkness has reappeared. I will try using it a little bit longer this time.   i really hope this works Comments By: cathy on 2007-04-13 i started the vics last nite on my 2 big toes and the toe next to them. im taken my kids to florida in october and i hope to god i dont have to wear gym shoes on the beach. im gonna give it a week and see. then let my poor 18 year old daughter try it. ill be back in a week. r   Toenail fungus & Vicks Vapor Rub Comments By: Optimistic!!!! on 2007-04-13 I went to the doctor paid a $25. copay and only spent 15mins. for the doctor to tell me to use vicks Vapor rub on my toenail fungus which developed as a result of longstanding atheletes foot. I used it last night for the first time and haven't noticed any results but my doctor suggested that I use it once a day at night for 6 months in order to clear up the infection. Hope this works, but I am very optimistic about it!!! :)   ?????SHOULD I WEAR SOCKS WITH VICKS????? Comments By: chandra on 2007-04-26 I'm starting to use vick's after many recommendations...but should I wear socks? I mean...I don't want them in the open 'cuz DUH...I'm embarassed by them and I don't want my loaded vick's feet walking everywhere and getting my sheets and stuff full of it. Is it ok to wear socks? and someone said get new shows 'cuz it grows in there...well you'll always have to get new shoes then...everyday..so I hear you should spray anti-bacterial stuff in there. ANY THOUGHTS?? TipKing says: Spraying your shoes is a good idea and I think that wearing socks is okay   what am I doing wrong Comments By: Judy on 2007-05-02 I have been using Vicks for about a month. The big nails are looking better, but I now have 2 other toenails on one foot that the nail is coming off. Please help. My nails never did turn dark.   does it really work? Comments By: jenny on 2007-06-18 have had nail fungus on my big toe and now is on another. Have tried tree tea oil and seems to make the nail very soft almost to come off then nothing happens. Is it going to be like that with Vicks?   help Comments By: suzie on 2007-06-19 I been using vicks vapor rub for 2 months now. I dont see any new toe nail growing out. But boths my 2 big toe nails are coming off. I get up each morning I notice more of the nail as gone, due to using vicks. Is it suppose to eat the nail down. will the nail be completely gone then the new nail comes out. someone please let me know if this is happening to anyone. let me know if this is good or not.   Vicks-Generic Brand Comments By: Arizona on 2007-06-21 I have been using vicks vapor rub the generic brand for about 2 weeks and applying it twice daily and I see results already, I cant wait until a couple of months and I am fungus free:)   Time to start again Comments By: Lynda on 2007-07-01 Hi I have tried everything for my yuk toe nails including distilled vinegar. This worked to an extent but required application twice daily. It seemed to control the fungus but not eradicate it altogether. I have not used it for some time and guess what? The fungus is back as good as ever. I will try the Vicks remedy, starting today and keep my fingers crossed   acryllic nail fungus Comments By: Magnolia on 2007-07-14 Hey fungi-family! I have acryllic nails and have gotten a fungus under one of my nails. It is lifting about to the halfway down point. I have spent big money on what my nail salon sells as fungus killer but to no avail. I just got the Vicks last night and I have to admit that my nail looks a bit improved. I just shove it up under the lifted edge and massage in on top and around my cutcile. I can't really take my nails off because a good manicure is one of the requirements of my job. (Seriously.) I hope it will still work under these. Has anyone treated with Vicks and kept their fake nails on? Good liuck everybody! I wish we could post before and after pictures. I also heard Tilex works...I guess that will be next if this doesn't do it!   RE: Magnolia Comments By: Stephanie on 2007-07-15 hey I had acrylic nails and it ended up hurting the fungus...I would try and get rid of the nails!!!   7 yr. old with fungus Comments By: Tanya on 2007-07-23 My daughter has gotten this fungus from her daddy. He has had it for years and we have tried many "remedies" to no avail. Even the "guarenteed" ones do not work! My daughter has gone through 2 huge tubes of prescribed meds and nothing. I called her Doc. today and said I wanted a referal to a foot Doc. That is when they told me about Vicks. They also said Listerine would help. Both are always in our home so I hope that something will get rid of it. My family might be free....finally!   Vicks Vapor Rub for nail fungus Comments By: Sharon on 2007-08-17 I was prescribed several expensive treatments for my toenail fungus. To my dismay none of them worked. My younger sister passed on a little tidbit about using Vicks Vapor Rub for the problem as well as other problems. It is working!!!! I did a little research and it appears that one of the inactive ingredients is Thymol. I understand that this is the main ingredient to honor it's effectiveness against nail problems.   Vicks Worked for me Comments By: Hiker on 2007-08-19 I have had thick yellow toenails for about ten years. I took Lamisil twice with temporary improvement and no change from the prescription nail polish. One of the women I work with suggested Vicks and I started 6 months ago. One of my big tonenails is almost completely grown out normal. The other one was a little slower to start to grow normally, but I can see some nomral nail at the base. One of the little toes next to my big toe started to look yellow and thick, so I upt Vicks on that one for a month and it looks great. I know from losing my toenails due to the fungus in the past that I take almost a year to grow a big toenail, so I'm optimistic.   vapour rub Comments By: alan on 2007-08-28 tried all sorts over a year - drops of bleach applied with qtip which seemed to cause changes - too powerful though and too dangerous to skin and the carpet !tried canesten anti fungal - useless, germolene antiseptic - helped but it came back after 3 months while still treating - switched to generic vapour rub 3 weeks ago and looking good !saw changes in 2 days all the 'angryness' has gone out of the nail and no yellow streaks in recent growth..camphor and turps seems main ingredients... cutting nails very short too   Lets hope that 'Vicks' works for me.... Comments By: Anon on 2007-09-01 Have been reading all the comments. I have had really severe nail infection on all 10 toes for about 15 years now. All nails are deformed, thick and yellow. Have tried Leucatin from the US but didn't work abit. Feel totally embarassed and never go anywhere without socks on. Will start trying the Vicks tonight !!! Don't have nothing to lose..   trying it Comments By: Derrick on 2007-09-07 Well, I have had this discoloured nails and nails crumbling for a couple of years now, never found a decent solution to it, tried various creams and potions, so I'm going to try this vapour rub, but as my local supermarket didnt have any I have got their own brand, I dont know if its the same, but it smells like it, so may as well give it a try (well until either the fungus goes or the store brand runs out) got this other stuff, smells pretty much the same, but I bought it in Thailand, it fdor sore muscles, looks a yellowy colour and is a stonger smell, but pretty much the same (and it cost about 40pence, for the same size jar) I have nothing to lose but my fungus and god awful nails (havent been able to trim them, they just crumble away, and I just empty my socks) Anyone had GOOD results with this vapour rub though ?   Anyone heard of this ? Comments By: Derrick on 2007-09-07 been browsing the websites for a cure for nail fungus and I found this stuff Luecatin, anyone else heard of it ? Anyone had any decent results from it ? It doesnt seem cheap ($67 a 4oz bottle) I've had no results with tea tree oil or vinegar, but my nails are changing colour with this store brand vapour rub and the stuff I got from Thailand (I cant understand the label, its all in Thai)   It works Comments By: P and P on 2007-11-11 I was on an oral Lamisil for one year as part of a research study in NYC. I was required to have blood tests almost monthly to check for any poitential liver disease. The doctor proudly informed me after the year it was cured, only to find a reoccurance several months later. VICKS WORKS! Thanks for the TIP, tipking!   I would never have believed it Comments By: Jean London on 2007-11-16 Have had fungus on my big toe for several months and on finding your site tried Vicks Vapor Rub starting just two days ago. Already there is a difference, its actually disappearing before my very eyes. Many thanks.   Try tea tree oil Comments By: sak on 2007-11-24 I'm about to start treating my big toenail fungus. I've heard vicks rub, tea tree oil, and distilled vinager fights fungus. I will try all (separately) until the fungus is gone.   VICKS VAPOR RUB Comments By: DD ROSS on 2007-11-26 I HAVE HAD NAIL FUNGUS ON TOE AND FINGER NAILS. I HAD THEM ABOUT 3-4 YRS NOW. I TRIED MOSTLY EVERYTHING. I EVEN TRIED WHITE IODINE. I HAD NOTHING. SO MY DOCTOR SAID TO TRY VICKS. IT HAS BEEN ABOUT A WEEK AND ALL MY NAILS ARE GETTING DARK. I HAVE NOTICE A BIG DIFFERENCE IN THEM. I WOULD TELL EVERYONE TO TRY THIS.   Got a question? Comments By: dawn on 2007-12-25 If VapoRub works for toenail fungus, will it help clear up athletes foot?   doc said to try it Comments By: isus on 2008-01-22 All 10 of my mom's toes have fungus. The doc told her to use Vicks. So, going to start it tonight.   Thymol is the common ingedient Comments By: Scottie on 2008-01-29 The reason vicks and listerine work is that they have a common ingredient which is thymol. You can also purchase Amoresse Thymol which I think has a higher concentration of the thymol just under 2%. Im not sure how how much vicks has. Listerine has about .67%   VICKS WORKS! Comments By: sweetgirl27 on 2008-01-31 Vicks works I got rid of my fungus and also heard from a friend of mine that his hair is growing back by applying garlic juice to his bald spot every night for three months, sounds crazy but it's growing back! Who needs drugs.   Will Try! Comments By: Anon on 2008-02-04 I have a real bad toenail and I am so embarrassed. My first time dorming in college was the worst. I am totally going to try it because I am afraid it will spread. Thanks all for the tip.   Vicks or no vicks Comments By: Round Rock Mom on 2008-02-06 I have decided to try vicks vapor rub for a cure for severe toenail fungus. This is a problem that I have had for 15 years. I have had the Lamisil prescription it did not help and made me dehydrated. I have also applied plain unflavored Yogart and Apple Cider Vinegar to my toes. Each seem to help, but nothing has completely solved the issue. This is day three of my application of Vicks at night, and I discovered that when I rubbed my toes there were dead particles of fungus coming out if the pours. The yogart did this at first too. I will get back with you in a month and tell you my results.   LEUCATIN Comments By: Sara on 2008-02-07 I tried Leucatin, but had an allergic reaction to it. Nothing too drastic - just put it on my toe once and all night my toe throbbed and was red and puffy. I'm maybe not the best person to answer since it seems I have a sensitivity to Leucatin. However, I have read many good results. Oh, and once you've purchased Leucatin and if it doesn't work for you, you can return it within a year for a full refund. Hope this helps!   Vicks for fungus Comments By: Grandma on 2008-02-21 I saw my primary physician yesterday concerning a toe nail that I was certain had a fungal infection. I was concerned about being put on one of the prescription meds as they are hard on the liver as I am already on a lot of medication. You can imagine my surprise and amuzement when she told me to get a big jar of Vicks. I double checked with my home health visiting nurse about it. She laughed and said that it cleared up her husband's foot and three infected toes. I guess I am buying several jars of Vicks. LOL. My doc said that many primary docs have been recomending Vicks for several years but this is something that the pharmacutical companies have been fighting, big time. Who knew?????   Vicks Comments By: P on 2008-02-21 I had toe fungus (not very severe) and the Vicks is working very well! There is a clear line of demarcation and I can see it is growing out healthy and pink. Just keep them short, clean them, wear socks and shoes, and use Vicks twice a day. I was surprised myself, but its great!!   I have to try this! Comments By: Misty on 2008-03-11 I've had toenail fungus on all toes on my left foot for about 3 years. I've been to my dermatology doc and he gave me some creme first since I was trying to get pregnant and didn't want to take such a risk with Lamisil. After my son was born last March, I was put on oral Lamisil for 3 months. I noticed no change at all. Incidentially, my liver enzymes were up a bit during this time, but nothing to be concerned about. Either way, I just decided that Lamisil didn't work. I had heard someone mention Vick's and just passed it off thinking it was a load of poo. You all have changed my mind. I hope and pray that this is the answer. I am going to stop by the store on the way home from work tomorrow and pick up a big ole jar and have at it. I haven't been able to wear open toed shoes in public in years. Now that I have a little one, I want to be able to dress in flip flops and sandals for our outings. I pray that I have the same results as everyone here...even if I have to keep putting the Vick's on every day for the rest of my life. It'd be worth it to be able to wear a pair of shorts or capris this summer with sandals instead of having to wear socks and tennis shoes and look like a dork.   After 30+ years....it's working. Comments By: Scott Greenfield on 2008-03-15 Have had foot fungus for over 30+ years from military boot camp. Tried Vicks Vapo Rub and after 30 years the toe nails have bgun to clear. The brown will disappear in time.   Vic's on the toe of a 5 year old... Comments By: Curious in CA on 2008-03-25 ... after 5 years of a nasty looking big toe nail (he was born this way andit has never grown) I took him to a pod. doc. oc says its a bad case and suggested trying Vics... and if it does't woprk, my son needs tohave toe nail removed (big deal, since this doc would totaly put my son under anesthesia for the procedure!).... we started the Vics... but three days later his toe is red, puffy and looks angry... I'm thinking I should cenase the Vics... anyone else seen similar reaction.. perhaps this means it's working?? HELP> *)   Vick's and oxygenated water Comments By: Max on 2008-03-26 Well just tried the vick's treatment for 2 weeks and it's gone... I had to give my feet an oxygenated water bath everynight because I had a calous on my feet and this works, i don't know if the oxygenated water helps or anything,don't actually know, but I do know that most people forget that oxygenated water helps in many cases and is the cheapest product ever.   Lost two..one to go Comments By: Toenailless Wonder on 2008-04-10 Lost two toenails...one to go...big toenail still hangin' on. Will Vick's help it fall off?? I'm avioding going to the doc if I can help it.   I smell too Comments By: don on 2008-04-13 Trying it . Have had fungus for a few years, so nothing to loose. Will let you know   Vicks Works for me Comments By: XQUISIT ONE on 2008-04-16 I have had dark toenails as far back as i can remember (lil kid) and i researched everything a few years ago and i decided to go to my primary care to get the medication sporonox which i can say it did clear half of each nail on both feet and did not return however never cleared all the way i have never been able to wear flip flops etc that expose all the toes unless i had covered the nails with dark polish so i would try anything not dangerous to my health to have that experience. Moving along, i ran across this and other discussion boards that several fungus victims have commented on vicks and tea tree oil (tea tree oil 2-4 daily and vicks vapor rub 2-3 daily) so i decided to try. Results thus far, i applied vicks the first night and after showering the next morning i took a good look at them and noticed a couple toes were clearer than the day before :-) so i will continue to apply even if it means for the rest of my life (lol) i also apply tea tree oil 3-4 times daily (whenever i think about it) and did a smaller dosage of bleach soak (two caps of bleach and filled foot spa halfway with warm water). well guys and gals i hope the best for us all to have the perfect or close to perfect clear nails were searching for since it is a personal complex with how we feel about oue selves (can't leave the lil toes out :-). I WILL RETURN IN A WEEK TO KEEP YOU POSTED AND GOOD LUCK TO ALL   It seems to be working. Comments By: Optimistic on 2008-04-16 I have been using the Vics for about a month now and I can already tell a big difference. My husband is also using it, but not as noticable of a change. He is the one who gave this to me to begin with. Hopefully it will continue to work!   Vick's and White Vinegar Comments By: Kathy on 2008-04-20 I had a bad fungus on my big toenail. This is what worked for me: First, wash the toes and feet with hot soapy water. Dry well. Soak toes for at least 30 minutes in distilled white vinegar (you can buy a gallon of it at Wal-Mart for $1.50). Let the area dry naturally. Before bed, I load up the Vick's (again, Wal-mart brand works just as well) all over the nail and at the base of the nail where new growth comes from, using a Q-tip. Cover it lightly with a bandaid so the gunk doesn't get all over the sheets. In the morning, take off the bandaid and shower. It's been 2 months, and the fungus growth has stopped. The new nail growth is clear and pink!!!   vicks user Comments By: llee on 2008-04-21 I have used vicks for 2 days should I not have the polish on?   HOPE IT WORKS!!! Comments By: tamirra on 2008-04-23 My dads going to try it tonight, the stuff the docs gave him never did and he used it for about 6 months, so keeps all crossed for this working.   vics helps nail grow faster Comments By: Anon on 2008-04-26 I've had my nails fall off a couple of times. It usually takes about two years (!) for it to grow completly back. I started putting vicks on it the last time it came off and it took only a year for it to grow back. I'm not sure the fungus is gone though. It looks a little bit better, but time will tell if this nail hangs on.   vick vapor rub Comments By: april on 2008-05-01 i went to see my doctor about the hard dry skin on my feet, he told me to use vicks vapor rub on them every night for five days. just rub it on and wrap it in saran wrap, then put on a sock. its only been 1 day for me and i already see a difference in my foot. it is softer and smoother. only down side is my foot smells like vicks even after it is scrubbed.   Can so many users be wrong? Comments By: Lynn on 2008-05-04 I got a nasty toenail fungus after I was cut during a pedicure. Never had any problems before. That was two years ago. I went to my regular doctor and was sold a product called Restore AF. It did nothing. After a year and a half of painting over them so no one would know, I went to a foot doctor. He prescribed Lamisil. I thought I had found my cure. The nail grew out beautifully. But 6 weeks after I ended treatment I noticed a dark area forming at the base of the nail...IT'S BACK!!!! I am starting VapoRub today. I live in South Florida so my toes are on display year round. I hope so many happy Vicks users can't be wrong. I'll let you know if it works for me.   Worked For Me Comments By: nice nails on 2008-05-05 I had one nail with a light case of fungus and Vic's cured it in a couple months. My big toe was much worse, it's now been about 18 months (I put Vics on the nail in the morning and before bed) and I can finally say it looks completley normal (for the last 6 or 8 months it has looked very good, just not perfect) My nail never turned black. My podiatrist told me she has never seen it work before. I'm sure the reason it worked is I rarely missed a day.   Day 3 Comments By: Sadie on 2008-05-11 So after reading all the comments, I thought I would try it. And I have to say, I'm a little shocked that something as simple as this is working!! I have it on three nails, and one of them (the one thats been bad for longest) has started to go brown. I'm spraying my shoes as suggested, and doing the Vicks morning and night. I'll keep you updated!!! Sadie   Vicks cured my severe toe nail fungus Comments By: Rudy Puhalla on 2008-05-16 I had severe fungus on my toe nails. A podiatrist recommended that I use vicks vapor rub. My toe nails were actually black and miraculously they are white again after 6 months of daily applications. I can't thank him enough.   Seems to be helping Comments By: anon on 2008-05-20 Have had a discoloured large toe-nail for a while but was ignoring it stupidly. thought it may vitamin deficiency..then heard a friend mention fungus so checked out the chemist who mentioned medication and creams ..very expensive and worried about side effects..saw the Vicks thing on internet and have been using for couple of weeks and although it hasn,t turned black it has improved.. it seems to have lightned the yellow colour and slowly disappearing up the nail to the top.. hope that is a good sign and now have to get something for my shoes to spray in.. hope to clear it by the summer.. keep you posted.   Slight modification to Vicks regimen Comments By: Oreganoguy on 2008-05-21 In order to enhance efficacy of Vicks regimen, add a few drops of PURE oil of oregano. Pure oil is very potent, so mix drops incrementally, until the desired strength is achieved.   Are our shoes the culprit? Comments By: Anon on 2008-05-23 I started using Vicks several weeks ago and see new pink smooth nails emerging on all of the nails on my toes that had a fungus. I too have used Lamisil and had new nails emerge, but had the fungus return not only on the original toe but several others. I have worn sandals almost exclusively for my entire life because I live in South Florida, but this last winter spent several months travelling in the north and wore one pair of closed toe shoes. I wore those shoes several times a week after returning from my trip and now I am convinced that the shoes themselves may be the culprit for the spreading of the fungus to my other toes. Does fungus live in your shoes? Does anyone know? If you have one infected toenail and cure your infection can you get it back by just wearing shoes that you wore while your toenail was infected? That would seem to be an answer for why so many people in this post are getting re-infected. Should we just throw out shoes that we wore while our toenails were infected?   vicks works Comments By: Please Believe it! on 2008-05-27 first my left big toe started to turn yellow then dark.. then my right.. that was about 7 years ago/..( good lord its been that long..) I want to wear sandals and am so embarrased.. I never go to the beach and have been in a long term relationship with a man who has never seen my feet.. in any even I tried the vicks and it did start to work noticeably the very same day.. I have been washing them, soaking them in listerine, drying them, then caking on the vicks like its nobodys business.. who care about the smell, just to be able to see them lightening up a bit more each day is a dream come true.. I cant wait until the end result.. my Doctor was the one who recommended.. I didnt believe her and took a while before I tried it.. I should have tried it then, I would have been all clear by now..   Only wish it was quicker!! Comments By: Daphne on 2008-06-09 I too had disgusting big toe nail rot thanks to previous job but thanks to you guys tried Vics and WHAMMO nails are growing (SLOWLY) back fresh and lovely. One part of nail in the middle wants to break off but think I shall leave it and just continue to apply vicks and foot powder twice daily after bathing.   Vicks Vapor Rub at the tips of my big toe nails Comments By: Jason Williams on 2008-06-11 I use it under the tip of the front of my toenails and it stopped the thickening and seperation. I agree that you should do it at night with little white socks on very clean, very dry toes. I only had the fungus very mildly on the big toes only I also blow dry my feet after every shower, including the toes and between the toes. My feet look very good and my nails look perfect.   Hopeful Comments By: Anon on 2008-06-15 I seem to have a fungus (hard to tell!) on a few nails. The nail on one big toe stopped growing a few years ago (maybe it's not really a fungus, and is a result of trauma to the toe, e.g. tight shoes...?), and there is a space between the nail and the nailbed. Took Lamasil for 3 months, no results. I've been using grapefruit seed extract (pure)for the past 6 weeks. I thought the fungus was getting worse, because some areas of my nails have become dark, but after reading your postings, maybe it is working after all. In any case I will start using Vicks today. Does anyone have any experience with nails that have stopped growing? If it's a fungus, will the nail start growing again if I use Vicks?   excited Comments By: Caroline on 2008-06-16 I had fungal toenail for over 30 years tried vinager for a couple of months and nothing, started vick's yesterday no change yet but feel it working, if nothing happens ive heard bleach is good.   The Doc. Confirmed this is real Comments By: Snoopy on 2008-06-20 My 12 year old daughter has nail fungus. I now have it too. We went to a dermatolgist who told us to use Vics vabor rub on the infected toes 2 X Daily (AM and PM). The nails that have the fungus are turning black around the cuticle and under the nail.   The best cure for toenail fungus Comments By: June Holland on 2008-06-23 Hi everyone. Its true that some simple home remedies don't do much for nail, toenail and foot fungus. I'v written a number of articles on the subject because i myself was a toenail fungus sufferer. I'v written articles related to the subject, eg http://www.articlesbase.com/diseases-and-conditions-articles/toenail-fungus-cure-451742.html be patient, it takes 30 seconds to load and also how i cured my own toenail fungus which can be found at http://nailflora.com/howicuredtoenailfungus.html. I also have a Squidoo page on the subject at http://www.squidoo.com/toenail_fungus_sufferer To all your success!   getting surgery in 2 days Comments By: anon on 2008-06-24 I have surgery scheduled and have never heard to use this vapor rub before! Should I cancel the surgery and try this? Please answer this! TipKing says: There is no guarantee that vapor rub works. As you can tell by the different feedback that this site receives   continue how long? Comments By: anon on 2008-06-26 Do you keep putting the vapor rub on indefinately after the good toenail is growing out, or would that keep it black?   Vics has tree oils and turpentine Comments By: ken on 2008-07-05 I have bad toes but recently they look better. I've tried: bleach, apple cider vinager, tea tree oil etc. my toes nails always dried up and nothing seemed to work. The vics keeps my toes oily...and because of this it is easy to get under the toes and keep it there. I think the combination of tree oils and turpentine is a winner. I believe all of my toes look a lot better. I wear sandals now without hesitation. I am a big believer of vics. I put it on twice a day.   Starting Vicks Tomorrow Comments By: Donna on 2008-07-06 I am going to give this a try. My toenails aren't that bad, but one one foot the nails are thick and discolored but not that bad. I hope that my toe nails don't have to fall off and grow back, I hope that they just clear up. BUT! If they have to come off to go back on beautifully....then oh well. I really hope this works I want to wear Sandals sooo bad.   I'll have to try it... Comments By: Anon on 2008-07-08 I'll have to try the Vicks remedy soon, it'd certainly be cheaper than Terbinafine or Lamisil. I took oral RX Terbinafine from Sept. - Dec. 2007 and did notice the elimination of the foot fungus/terrible athletes foot I'd suffered with for the past few years. I've also had toenail fungus since 1998, which started when I was still in college! Anyway, even though the RX worked on the skin rash on my feet and was starting on my toenails, the entire time I had abdominal pains in my right side. I'd started the Terbinafine RX a week after finishing an antibiotic RX for a UTI/kidney infection, and for whatever reason I continued to have abdominal pains the entire time I took Terbinafine/Lamisil. I got tested by my doctor and he couldn't find any abnormalties in my liver, before and during the time I took the RX, but still I don't know why I had those issues...other than a possible reaction to the RX? My toenails have pretty much stayed the same, and the skin of my feet had stayed clear...until recently I've noticed a familar rashy area appear again along the side of my left big toe. I'm tempted to take the last 8 RX pills I have left, to see if that would clear up the rash(/fungus?) before it spreads all over my foot again, or should I just use hydrocordizone creme, or may OTC Terbinafine creme (if I can find it), or Vicks (which wuld be cheapest)? I can't afford another trip to the doctor plus another round of Terbinafine/Lamisil, especially if I have side effects like the last time!   Leucatin Not Effective - It's just overpriced Tea Tree Oil! Comments By: Nikki on 2008-07-21 Several people have mentioned Leucatin. I tried it 2 years ago and used the entire bottle with very little effect. Don't waste your money on that stuff! All it is is Tea Tree Oil which you can purchase from Wal-Mart for a lot cheaper. I'm currently using the Vapo Rub and have had much more success, except my nails keep getting reinfected. I just found out about the chance of being reinfected by my shoes, so I'm going to begin spraying them down every night with Lysol. My feet sweat a lot so I'm also going to begin powdering my shoes and feet every morning.   Vicks for me! Comments By: Gigi on 2008-07-30 Both of my big toes had a very bad case of fungas. Ugly toes. It's been 5 years since I've worn a sandel. I started using Vicks about 8 months ago and have stuck to the regimen daily. After I shower, I completely dry my nails and then put a big glump of vicks on the nails. The left big toe is now clear! yea! The right toe has about 50 percent clearness. It's taking a long time, however, I'm sure the right toe will catch up. My goal is to wear flip-flops next summer. It's worth giving a try. I use the wal-mart stuff because it's only a couple of dollars per bottle. Good luck to all of you...   Vicks and Advanced Dry Skin Lotion Comments By: Al Jonson on 2008-08-03 Guess I will have to join the club. I too have started using Vicks day and night. Hope it works. My doctor suggested "Carmel" an advanced dry skin lotion. I put it on after leaving the gym, but I use the vicks at night. Something should give, i hope   Hopeful Comments By: Anon on 2008-08-04 I went to my dermatologist and was told I have a fungal infection (only on one foot) She prescribed Lamisil, but I'm afraid to take it considering the potentially harmful side effects. Then, I read online about peroxide and vapor rub. I spray peroxide on my toenails and foot after my shower every morning, then at bedtime I apply vapor rub on my entire foot and wear a sock. I've only been doing this for about a week, but my toenails are already turning dark. I hope that's a good sign. I'll try to update later on the results.   I'm Over Here Now MR FUNGUS !! Comments By: Steg Lash on 2008-08-12 I've had it on all 10 toe nails now for a coupla years, i tried the oral treatment and the lamsil and no result at all. It seems like toenail fungus is one of the most un researched problems around, i just wanted to look at one of those little fuguses under a microscope on google images and i found nothing ! i mean just to see what it is i'm actually at war with !! and i also reckon that the reason its so un researched is cuz the drug companies don't wanna just say 'yeah go and use vicks, that'll do it, its got Thymol in it' the bottom line is, they dont actually want to cure this fungus, just keep giving em the money for something (like Lamsil) that doesnt work....anyway i've been reading loads a stuff on the net about Vicks so i thought i'd give it a whirl. I got so fed up with this thing that i actually nearly took all my nails off, i got an industrial file and filed the nails down to almost nothing hoping those little bastards were screaming as i was doing it ! then i got a nail clipper and took away as much of the fungus as i could without actually causing myself to bleed, then washed my feet and simply applied vicks vapor rub with a brand new paint brush. I apply it twice a day and because i live in a very hot climate i wear flip flops whenever i can, at night i wash my feet, dry them, and apply another load, then wipe my feet with a tissue so just enough stays on and to not cover my wife in the stuff while we sleep. After 2 weeks, specially when i'm washing my feety it seems like the white fugus has stopped growing, but i think its gonna take patience for the whole nail to grow back and i reckon that the vicks also slows down the nail growth ..... so the key to this war is determination, perseverance and patience and eventually my friends.... you will see results.   Vapo Rub plus Tea Tree Oil Comments By: Harry on 2008-08-14 I've been using a combination of Vapo Rub and Tea Tree Oil with great success for two months. I apply the Tea Tree Oil with a Qtip when I have to wear shoes and socks and during the evening I take off my shoes and go with the vapo rub. The results are great. The dark color thing I think relates only dirt being picked up when the vapo rub is applied.   Vick's works for me Comments By: Jim on 2008-08-17 I've been using it for about 3 weeks now and have seen good improvements. I was freaked out about reading all the comments on the side-effects of lamisil so I figured why not give a $3.00 home remedy a try. I'm hoping I dont have to continue once the fungus is no longer among us.   adrenals and toenail fungus Comments By: Tchima on 2008-08-18 I have had athletes foot for 4 years since the birth of my second child. Tea tree oil worked once, but then it resurfaced a year later. Lately, I have tried vinegar which seemed to help but not completely. Finally I visited the dermatologist who said the athletes foot probably came from the fungus in my little toe. I had not paid much attention to this as the nail is small and only a little yellow. So, I tried econazole nitrate cream for the athletes foot. It may have helped, but after two weeks I stopped as little bumps have surfaced under the skin. I have a call into the dermatologist to see if it could be an allergic reaction. I may try the Vics for the little toe so it does not spread for the others. I can not afford to throw away all my shoes, so what works for killing the fungus in shoes? Can VIcs help athletes foot? The reason I am writing is because I have a condition called adrenal fatigue. It is due to chronic stress and over time your "adrenals" get worn out and you do not produce enough ccrtisol, your bodies natural anti-inflammatory. I finally connected my adrenal insufficiency with the athletes foot/toenail fungus. I was reading in Dr. James Wilson's "Adrenal Fatigue: 21st Century Stress Syndrome" Book that adrenal problems open you up to being suseptible to foot fungus among other health problems. So for those of you with chronic fungus problems, you may want to find a naturopath who can talk to you about adrenal fatigue and get your cortisol levels tested (a simple test) or check out the book I listed above as it will get you on the right track. There are many nutritional and supplement ways to heal your adrenals, but I have had so many setbacks in my healing process that I am leaning to try small, phyiologic doses of bioidentical cortisol. I am hoping this will help get rid of the fungus. Fungus is everywhere, and I believe that if our immune systems are tip top, we will not contract these issues. I believe the fungus is a sumptom of a larger problems with hormonal balance, immune system etc. I have had a lot of random health issues and now I know they are all under the umbrella of a larger health issue. Okay, I know this is not a mainstream medical idea, but I think that it needs to be.   Giving it a try Comments By: Courtney on 2008-09-11 I had not heard about the Vicks treatment before finding this site. I have had bad fungus for a couple of years and have tried the topical medication, prescriptions and vinegar. Today is day one for me, hopefully it will clear it up.   vics works Comments By: anon on 2008-09-17 the trick is to keep filing the thick nails down, then apply the vics. my nails did not turn brown they are greatly improved   What about Vicks with Lamisil Cream? Comments By: Brian on 2008-09-18 My doctor told me he'd read that a regimen of Vicks VapoRub at night and Lamisil cream during the day was effective in removing nail fungus. The Vicks softens up the nail to let the Lamisil soak in, and the Lamisil kills the fungus. Anyone tried this yet?   Vicks Vapor Rub Comments By: Josh on 2008-09-21 I have One bit Toenail that is a sort of purple-yellowish color, its slowly detaching itself(currenly held on by one side)I remember hitting it on a door about a month ago, and went to an amusement park about 3 weeks ago and both big toes were hurting terrible by the end of the day.I only noticed a couple of days ago that it was actually coming off, so I tood my toenail polish off and say that it was this horrible purple brown yellow color, I can see under i, I dont see any signs of fungus, or so I wasn't thinkin that it was a nail fungus, Then last night I took the polish off my Other big toe and noticed a very small black patch just at the top right side of that toe? So now Im wondering whats going on ..... any advice?   Not tried yet Comments By: chris Davies on 2008-09-21 i really hope this works coz i have tried loadz im really embarresed bout my toes that sutyms i dont even go swimming wen iv been 2 the gym or even for a shower   VICKS VAPORUB CLEARED MY TOENAILS IN A MATTER OF HOURS Comments By: DONALD I. MEYERS, MD on 2008-09-27 AFTER SUFFERING FROM TOENAIL FUNGUS FOR YEARS AND USING MOST OF THE VARIOUS NAIL FUNGICIDES SUCH AS LAMISIL AND ECONAZOLE NITRATE, ONE APPLICATION OF VICKS VAPORUB ERASED ALL EVIDENCE OF ACTIVE INFECTION. IT IS AMAZING TO ME THAT THE WORD HAS NOT GOTTEN AROUND MORE. I AM LOOKING INTO THE EVIDENCE THAT THE ACTIVE FUNGICIDAL INGREDIENT IS THYMOL.   Cheaper Comments By: Shea on 2008-09-28 I haven't tried the Vicks yet, but if my husband can stand the smell, I'll give it at least a 3-mo. shot. It's cheaper than any of the medicines that my doctor recommended and sounds just as likely to work. Btw, I agree that anything that keeps air from the toe, like plastic wrap or band-aids, logically ought to make the fungus worse. Doesn't fungus and all that kind of grunge like dampness? Wish me luck.   From a Podiatrists mouth Comments By: Brenda on 2008-10-05 I work in the OR as a surgical tech. One of our Podiatrists told me that Vicks Vapor Rub is effective for about 10% of the patients he recommends it to, but they have to use it twice daily for at least 10 months to one year. He does not recommend nail removal because the fungus returns with the new nail growth. He also does not recommend Lamisil because of the risk of liver failure. He mostly recommends Vicks or apple cider vinegar. If these don't work he recommends that we live with it.   vicks and apple cider Comments By: Lola on 2008-10-06 I just started with Vicks Vaporub and Appple cider vinegar 4 days ago. I put my feet in a tub of apple cider vinegar and i drink a tbsp of it.then i dry my foot off and add the Vicks Vaporub to all the toes. they are starting to look more yellow but i think the toenail will fall off. I hope they do. I do this 2 times a day.   very good tips to try Comments By: Juan Manuel on 2008-10-06 I have suffered from nailfungus on one of my toenails for one year and I´m thinking about staring the vic vaporub. Hope it works! PS sorry for my English, still learning   WOW VIC Worked Immediately Comments By: Bob from Surrrey UK on 2008-10-16 One rub of Vic Vapor rub on my toe nail and it cleared overnight 3 days later nothing. Thanks to this website I have saved at least £14 by not bying other treatments   vicks and apple cider works Comments By: Lola on 2008-10-22 So I been doing this for a few weeks now....found apple cider pill so you don't need to drink it. Thank God for that... still putting my feet in a tub of apple cider vinegar, and putting vicks on all toenails. i use to have 9 toenails that had fungal, but know i am down to 4 toenails. and think that its going to be a fight for these toenails.... I also started using LotriminAF in all my shoes and putting them on the toes too. I want it gone!!!!!   Good for your toes & nose Comments By: Mark Humphries on 2008-10-28 As a practising podiatrist for nearly 30 years,I have had excellent results.Topical treatments daily takes about a year with debridement of the nail to encourage treatment to work quicker.No problems to date.   Nail fungus Comments By: Patrick McHugh on 2008-11-09 Nail fungus is caused by a virus in your body. Vicks or any cheap treatments doesn't work. There is medication taken by mouth for this. It is a slow process but it works. Ask your Doctor please.   Nail fungus Comments By: Anon on 2008-11-16 I had a nail fungus under my big toe for years that spread to other toes. I had been applying an anti-fungal tincture containing a crushed lamisil tablet from my podiatrist with minimal effect. I decided to keep my nails cut as short as possible and scraped out the fungus with a file as best that I could every week. I would then apply Vick's on the whole nail and push extra under it with a q-tip. I then cut the fingers off of latex gloves to cover the toes and wore a sock over it for the night. Nothing compares to the results I got with this method. I works great and my nails are looking healthy again. You have to have patience and complete the steps above to have success.   Vicks Vapor Rub Comments By: Katie Hamlin on 2008-11-20 I've had foot fungus since probably about 2003 where i got it from the school gym. I tried every method in the books. Lamisil get me a severe sickness that I lost over 20 pounds with. I was sick for about 2 mnonths after stopping it. When i looked for other methods i found one that began to help but it took from 2 - 4 hours a day to do. And I didn't always have the time. I ended up spraining the ankle that to foot fungus was on and had to stop the treatment cuz it took me long enough to get around let alone have to put something on my foot for 2-4hrs. Needless the say the results that i saw as my nail began to grow was that it was working but started to grow back when i had to stop it. Vicks does work you just have to give it time and it will probably take close to 6months or however long ur old nail grows out. It will work   Vicks for toenails works! Comments By: Imablvr on 2008-11-22 I have had toenail fungus for a long, long, long, time! I stopped wearing sandals because I hated the way some of my nails looked. I had heard Vicks worked on the fungus but had not tried it and then forgot about it. I heard about it again on TV and decided to give it a try. I have only been using it for about 3 weeks but I have seen a dramatic difference in my feet. My nails look healthier and they are not getting thick anymore. It is not cured because it has not been long enough but I am confident it is making a difference. Try it!   If this doesn't work Comments By: Dave on 2008-11-25 I tried Vicks and it didn't work so I tried Lamisil, you can now get the generic version inexpensively. My toes are completely cleared for the first time since when I picked up the unsightly fungus in Viet Nam. I also used Vicks while I took the medication. It takes almost a year for your toe nail to grow out, you see results after about a month and a half. There were no side effects.   Vicks is my hero Comments By: pat on 2008-11-25 I started to use Vicks a day ago,I was having some discomfort from my ugly big toe fungus.You know what? I think it's staring to work! I'm exicted as I wanted a home rememdy as I want to fall pregnant and didn't want to use medications.I'm also dipping my toes in vinegar once a day to discourage the fungus growing too. I'm crossing my fingers.Healthy Nail dust to you all!   If it does not work..... Comments By: REALIST on 2008-11-29 The darkening of the nail is not the sign that it works... THE ABSENCE OF FUNGUS AFTER 8 MOS TO ONE YEAR IS THE SIGN!! Toenails take a long time to grow out!! Keep using the vicks and it will absolutely work. If it does not, it's because you don't want it to and make it fail by not washing feet, disinfecting shoes, etc to ensure the failure of something that works EVERY TIME. So give it time. Thinking anything will clear it up in a matter of days, weeks, or even a few months is simply uneducated and ignorant.   a miracle Comments By: yalady08 on 2008-12-05 I have suffered with this embarrasing problem for about 7 or 8 years now. I have so much hope now that i know that there is something out there to help me have the pretty feet that i used to have once upon a time again. I will try the vicks vapor rub first because every boby say that they have had some type of improvement in using it. I was about to spend $50 or more for a precription. But thanks to all of you who made me aware of this cure hopefully ill be on my way to prettier feet.   Change your shoes, wash your feet, clean your house Comments By: TWINKLE TOES on 2008-12-07 VICKS WORKS! My toe nails did not turn dark, with in days they showed improvement. It can take as long as 6 months for the nail to grow out so you need to keep doing it. ALSO, change your shoes frequently and allow them to dry out, my doctor suggested putting them in a bag with moth balls. little spores are spread everywhere when you have this fungus so clean your house, wash your feet, treat anyone in the family at the same time or you may get it again...   It's working... Comments By: Lashawn on 2008-12-15 Vicks is working for me. In order for it to begin working, you must kill the nail bed and my nail bed was completely affected, but now it's growing smaller. Cleaning, applying & rubbing it into the affected area daily, 2-3 times.   Anxious and Excited Comments By: Lynda on 2008-12-21 Wow, I can't even remember when my athlete's foot started but if I am correct it may have started when I was in the rowing team in 10th grade. If that is so then that means I have been suffering for over 10 years now!! Ai!! I am very anxious to get rid of it after a fair amount of on and off attempts of using Lamisil and Lotrimin. Don't get me wrong they did give some relief but did not CURE and I can't deal with the expense for just temporary relief. Thank you to many of you for your positive feedback on the use of Vicks Vapor Rub!!! I am glad that I was roaming through the net and found this site. I really really appreciate the tip and am excited to try it out. I look forward to coming back and giving my own positive feedback on its use!! Thank you so much =)   Pain & swelling Comments By: Rebecca on 2008-12-28 I have what my doctors assume is a recurrent nail fungus in one big toe. It has been treated 2 times with Lamisil but has returned and my toe is now swollen, purple and extremely painful. It hurts to walk. I have taken Sporanox for the first week with no improvement at all. Has anyone else suffered from this kind of pain, swelling and discoloration?   Miranel (Miconazole Nitrate 2%) vs. Vicks Comments By: John Keegan on 2008-12-31 Miranel works slowly and is expensive. Vicks works in one day and is dirt cheap.   Use plastic gloves or Shrinkrwap Comments By: mary on 2009-01-01 Seeing exellent results smother nails in vicks and wrap in plastic I use a plastic glove on my hand before you sleep   Cut the sugar, too Comments By: Ande on 2009-01-01 Like everyone here, I've been struggling with toe fungus, so I'm liking what I'm hearing about Vicks VapoRub. I'm going to give it a try. I've also read that getting as much sugar out of your diet as you can will also help. Apparently sugar encourages fungus growth. Anyway, I'm on the Vick's bandwagon for 2009!   Jumping on the bandwagon! Comments By: Onyxspirals on 2009-01-27 My primary care physician told me that she attended a seminar where the speaker told the audience about Vicks VapoRub. She suggested that I try it. I bought the Wal-Mart version, then went home to see what I could find on the internet. I stumbled on this site and am anxious to see clear toenails grow out. I am hoping that I will see some improvement by the time summer roles around.   it works. period. Comments By: MARA MAKA on 2009-02-01 I TRIED ALMOST EVERYTHING ON MY TOENAIL, EXPENSIVE ANTIGUNGALS, HYDROGEN PEROXIDE ETC..THEN I TRIED VICKS, NOT IN EXGERATION BUT IT WORKED IN JUST A WEEK OF APPLYING VICKS IN MY TOENAL. TAKE MY ADVICE, USE VICKS. IT WORKS!!! IT WORKS!! IT WORKS!!!   Avoid the nail salon Comments By: Phoebe on 2009-01-16 You guys would not have the fungus in the first place if you avoided the nail salons, a breeding ground for these fungus, and no, the salons don't do a good job of prevention. ALSO, trying on shoes is the number 2 way the fungus is spread.   Fungus Gone Comments By: Anne on 2009-01-16 I had read in Dr. Peter Gott's column in the newspaper about people who had used Vick's for toenail fungus. For the first time in my life I got toenail fungus. Within 3 days of using Vicks, it has totally disappeared. I am truly amazed.   Works! Comments By: linda on 2009-01-18 Had this about 2 years ago. Put Vicks on my big toenail & covered it with the thumb part of a disposible rubber glove & went to bed. I did this for about 2 months & no more nail problem!   white flakey nails to normal color in one day Comments By: Princl=ess of WPB on 2009-01-02 Because of the economy I gave up pedicures and noticed immediately that my big toes were flakey, white and ugly! Started Walgreens version of vicks and NO MORE FLAKES! I do notice slight purple coloration two thirds out from the cuticle, but will continue with treatment - sounds like I won't have to wait as long as some people do since the flakey part was nearer the end of the toes. South Fla. Sandal Addict   Athletes Foot and Fungus Nail Comments By: Lyn on 2009-01-14 Cured my Athletes Foot, and a nephews, by using metholated spirit, recommended by a Chinese Herbalist. Am going to try Vicks Vapour Rub on my Fungus Nail.   Vicks vapour rub Comments By: Mark on 2009-02-03 How do you apply it to the nail. In one of the postings it said to let the nail breath where as I'm putting some in a plaster and then leaving it on my finger. does anyone know the best method   toenail fungus Comments By: katzz1 on 2009-02-03 my podiatrist recommended the vicks vaporub for my toenail fungus. she told me the creme she would have prescribed my insurance would not cover, and told me the vicks will work. it kills the fungus.   ***day one Comments By: anon on 2009-02-09 strangely all my toes are infected with the exception of the first toe next to the big toe on both feet - is this common? seems odd. anyway i've been suffering with horrible nails for ages now too. i'm 23 with a boyfriend who i'm scared will notice them before too long. gonna give the vicks a go tomorrow. i'm terrible at sticking to these routines but i'll do my best and keep you all posted with my nail diary - riveting! see you on the other side!   Nurse Practitioner comment Comments By: Dawn on 2009-02-09 It is true, apply vick's vapor rub nightly and then apply a sock on the foot or a cloth glove on the hand and it will work. Some will take longer, it depends on the amount of damage to start with. Do not apply polish until it is completely healed. If the nail is very thick and hard, trim it down and file down the thick part, you may see quicker results that way. I learned it from a doctor after I had an allergic reaction to the Lamisil ... it really works. I now advise this to all my patients with nail fungus. *   Vicks and Tea Tree Oil Comments By: Anon on 2009-02-13 I mix 50/50 vicks and 100% Tea tree oil and apply this over the nail. Use a bottle with a bush applicator - like a nail polish bottle. Wear slippers/flip flops so that your nails get plenty of sun on them.   Giving it a try Comments By: Dean on 2009-02-19 I'm a doctor myself and I've tried everything but have 4 affected toes on my left foot and 2 on my right. I think I have a lower chance of reccurance owing to the fact that I follow a very intelligent diet (the Paleo Diet by Loren Cordain, PhD) which eliminates the grains and other starchy foods which feed the fungus and otherwise wreck our lives.   VICKS WORKING FOR ME Comments By: J/SEASONS on 2009-02-19 STARTED USING VINAGAR/VICKS TREATMENT 3 WEEKS. TOENAILS LOOK 95% BETTER. THANKS   Fungicidal Shoe Spray?? Comments By: Cute Summer Toes on 2009-02-19 I injured my Left Big Toe Nail last July. I ended up losing the nail completely but was very diligent about keeping it clean, it was growing in just fine until about a month ago. I noticed that it had slowed down and when I finally removed the polish a few days ago I discovered the end appears to have a fungus. I have previously heard of Vics to help cure Athletes Foot, and I will begin this regiment tonight. A few questions, does the Vics wash out of the Sock well or does it contaminate all of the laundery? Also I wear hose or go barefoot in my shoes for work, how does this effect my situation. I can't really switch to Tennnis Shoes without looking completely ridiculous. Will Lysol kill fungus in shoes, or does only kill bacteria??   nail fungus Comments By: lindainms on 2009-02-20 i had a great toe nail removed a year and a half a go by podiatrist. It took a year to grow backand it grew back deformed and thick and a FUNGUS. i have tried the listerine without sucess i am giong to try the vicks tonight .i am a diabetic .I hope it works   My journey with vicks day 1 Comments By: desperate_bride on 2009-02-27 I have had fungus on all 10 toes and 3 fingers for the past 4 years. It is an embarressing and very personal thing for me. I am getting married in octber though and absolutely want to look my best. I have tried everything and just heard about this vicks remedie. I am rubbing it into my toes 2-3 times a day and will try to keep them dry and aired out as much as possible. I plan to soak them in venigar at least 2x a week. The only thing is everything is so strong in smell. I hate going to bed smelling like vicks..lol but right now I am willing to do anything to get rid of this. I will keep you updated on my progress.   vicks for toenail fungus works! Comments By: bubbie dempsey on 2009-03-06 i read this tip in a beauty magazine a few years ago. i tried the medication but was afraid to continue due to the strict precautions and side effects. when i heard of this tip i tried it asap! the one trick i would say works best is to soak your toes in hot water, let the toenails soften as much as possible then cut them back as far as you can then completely saturate your nails and cuticles. THIS WORKS! toenail fungus runs in my family and my grandmothers refuses to beleive this will work since she has had this almost her entire life. i tried it and it works. just takes a few months for the black to grow out but once you see new growth it will be clean and no yellowing. try it.. the only problem is you will need to use it like a moisturizer for your feet to keep the bad bacteria from growing back.   Very successful so far Comments By: Bob Miller on 2009-03-06 I have had toenail fungus in my two big toes and the second toe over on both feet for three years. I tried to get into a drug test program at a nearby hospital that might have cured it if I didn't get the placebo. I was not picked because my case was too bad. My doctor told me not to take Lamisil because it could damage my liver. He said I could live to 100 with the fungus but he gave no guarantees with Lamisil. I have looked up home remedies on the Internet and tried the vinegar cure possibly not doing it too well and tea tree oil which I did pretty religiously. Nothing worked till this winter when I got a cold. I claim, my wife disputes this, that I haven't been sick since 1978 except for a minor cold four years ago or so. This cold was for real and I had trouble sleeping. The cough was real bad and my wife suggested Vicks vapor rub to help. I looked it up on the web and found something about putting in on the bottom of your feet instead of your chest so I tried that. It worked but I started putting in on my chest also. But when I was putting it on the bottom of my feet I also speared in on my four fungus infected toenails just for the hell of it. I did think that maybe it would keep oxygen from the fungus and that might help. I had NO reason to believe that this meant anything. The next day my nails looked very very much better, just healthier, so I started putting Vicks on every day after my shower and three weeks later the two smaller toes are totally cured. One big toenail is about a third grown back and no sign of fungus. The last big toe was the worst by far with literally no real nail left and it now looks to be starting a new healthy nail with no sign of fungus. I meant to Google Vicks Vapor Rub and fungus for the last few days just to see if there was anything out there about this and found this site just now. Rats I thought maybe I could patent this and get rich. It really works.   Vics Comments By: Liz on 2009-03-13 Hi, I've had nail fungus for over 10 years now. I've used lamisil drops and it worked, but came back. I tried using it again but It's now hard to find. Anyway, I went to the Dr's. and he told me about using Vics. So went and bought some. To my surprise I noticed my finger nails are now smooth. They had turned brittle and ridges had appeared to the point they would split down the middle. Ever since I've been putting Vics on my toe nails my finger nails are now smooth! I will con't to use it on my feet twice a day. If for nothing else it has helped my finger nails...and those you can't hide in shoes!   Vicks is working so far Comments By: R. Hernandez on 2009-03-14 I've applied Vick's directly to my big toenails for 2 weeks. The results are WAY better than anything else I've tried. Lamasil, sprays and creams DID NOT work for me. I've had fungus on both big toeneails for several years. After using Vick's for 2 weeks, the left toenail has completely gone back to it's natural color after the first week. Didn't turn brown. BUT the second week, the corner of the right toenail turned brown, softened and then broke off. The natural pink color is starting to return. The streaks are diminishing. And the nail is starting to regrow. You must be consistant and patient. So far so good. will post back next week.   I do not remember me having clear toe nails ever! Comments By: CeCe on 2009-03-16 With the spring season arriving, It cross my mind that how I would love to wear sandals, and goolged fungus toenails and fell across this website. That very same day I went and brought a gallon of white vinegar and a jar of vicks vapor rub. I can honestly say I do see something happening and it's only been 3 days. So I am definetly going to keep this up religiously for the next 6 months or maybe forever if it clears up my nails like everyone else says. I only wish I found out about this in the fall. I'll keep you posted.   Im 2 young Comments By: I H8 ma feet! on 2009-03-21 Im 12 n i ave toe nail fungus. I feel way 2 young 2 ave it n i get reeli jealous of ma friends hu ave normal feet. I am embarasd bout it n reeli wana 2 just wear sandles n go bare foot. I hav blistery feet n yelowy thick toe nails but im tryin vicks   Reporting a success with Vicks Comments By: Clint on 2009-03-19 Vicks worked for me on a well entrenched fungus under a big toenail. My method was to put a goodly smear of Vicks on the fungus and wrap a band-aid around it. Next night after showering, I'd take off the old dressing and apply a new one. After a few weeks, the fungus was gone. Months later, the/a fungus came back. I repeated the treatment successfully and, so far, permanently.   Day 1 Comments By: Minty Smelling Toes on 2009-03-20 My doctor's office closes at 2pm on Fridays - go figure, it's the day I diagnose myself with some early stages toenail fungus. Thanks doc. My 2 big toes have it a little bit. I slathered them with generic Vicks (just so happened to have it in the cabinet!) and put it on all my other toes just in case. With Spring and sandle weather right around the corner, I'm seriously hoping this works, it's so embarrassing. 2 questions for you guys: a) I share the home with my bf and son - what do I need to do to keep them from getting it? b) does it start to grow dark because it's making the nail fall off or it's a chemical reaction with the fungus? Can't spell fungus without "fun" right? haha trying to not be upset... :) Thanks for your help!!!   Worked for me! Comments By: Maggie on 2009-03-20 I had toe nail fungus on the two great toes for years. At one time, I took oral Lamisil (very expensive!) and it did cure the fungus, but after a few years it returned. I decided I would just have to live with it, filing the nails as smooth as possible and using polish to hide the appearance. Then I went to the podiatrist for pain in one toe (not caused by the fungus) and he told me about Vicks. He gave me a copy of an article that he had seen and told me that many of his patients were reporting good results. So I tried it! He said to use it twice a day, religiously. It has been about six months now and at least half of the nail has now grown in normally. It did turn the infected area dark (at the time it didn't matter; it was winter and I was wearing closed shoes all the time, anyway.) Now that summer is coming, I'm happy to say that I'll be wearing sandals with no embarassment. Perhaps it doesn't work for everyone or on every type of fungus, but it is certainly worth the effort to try. It isn't fast-acting, but then neither was Lamisil. If it ever looks like the fungus is returning, I'll just go back to using Vicks. What have you got to lose??!!   Both Big Toes Comments By: George on 2009-03-22 I have been the application, twice a day, for 2 weeks. One toe had 2 layers of nail & top layer was removed after a week.At first, nails turned black but one is almost normal. The 2 layered toe looks much better. Vapor Rub works so far.   Vapor Rub Really works...unless you got massive fungus, then you gotta cut your toe off like the oth Comments By: Vanessa on 2009-03-23 I used wal mart brand vapor rub and I saw results the next day. After a couple of weeks the fungus was all gone. I couldn't beleive it. I was so happy that it only cost less than 3 bucks to cure. I only had very little fungus...or so I thought. I though it was minor compared to some of the gross pictures on google, but there was actually more than I thought. On the corner edge of my toe it appeared yellow. After using the vapor rub my nail got super white. I still have to wait for it to grow out for it to be normal again, but I had more fungus than I thought because the part of my toe nail that became white was larger the the yellow part I thought was infected. Glad I got to it before my toes fell off. lol   Hopeful Comments By: hopeful2 on 2009-03-23 I hope this remedy works. I am hopeful I have had this problem for some time first in between my toes and now really bad on my toenails and I have had since I was about 12yrs old and I have tried various different types of remedies and everything was just a temporary vacation from the fungus so I am going to try this tonight and start a regiment I hope it works well for me and everyone else who is giving this a twirl. I will definitely report any results as soon as I see them.   Tipps Comments By: London on 2009-03-26 As mentioned before, it can vary whether Vapor Rub is helpful or not and to what degree. I applied it first during the night, rubbing one toe with vapor rub and then put socks on. A small part of the nail (the infected part) turned brown immediately and I continued to apply vapor rub. However, I could see no more improvement for the next 4-5 days and I tried a slightly different method: I took some kind of cotton pad and fixed it around my toe over night with some vapor rub on it. It seems that helped a lot better as the infected area has become nearly black. I would say I have a light infected, but the problem also seems to be that the infected area is where the nail grows out. So this makes things a bit more difficult but I will continue with vapor rub. I have rated it 3 as there has been some improvement but I have not yet applied it for long enough to say that it is really helpful. This will take a few more months at least.   don't expect instant results... Comments By: fungus... on 2009-04-02 If you are wanting to treat a fungus, you need to give it a LONG time... the fungus lives UNDER the nail, so it can take a long time because the nail has to grow all the way out, just be diligent to apply the Vicks every day or twice a day and file the surface of the nails down so they r as thin as possible, and keep them short so you can get rid of any fungus as it grows out... this takes a long time, ppl who say their fungus was cured after a week are ridiculous, and blatently lying... if it's a nail fungus it will take how ever long until the fungusy part of the nail grows out... just keep doing it.   works...so far Comments By: foot man on 2009-04-04 ^^they might not be lieing. certain types of fungus can be cured within a few weeks. This is mostly limited to fungus types that grow on the surface of the nail. Other times, it will just appear that they are cured when they really aren't. In those cases the fungus will return because they did not continue treatment until the nail completely replaced itself (to be safe, that's about 1.5 times as long as it takes the nail to fully grow while applying daily treatments) Make sure to slather it on good. I wore two socks per foot to keep the vicks from soaking through my socks and just sticking to the inside of my shoes. Also, old socks are bad news. If they've gotten thin with age, they will not absorb any moisture your foot naturally accumulates. Thick, or newer socks will fix that, thus leaving your foot dryer as the sock will absorb more of the moisture. Leaving the moisture on your foot encourages fungal growth.   Happy Toes April 7, 2009 Comments By: Anthony on 2009-04-06 I forgot to mention last time that my toenails have been filed down flat to allow the Vicks to work faster. I think that has sped up the process.   Happy Toes Comments By: Anthony on 2009-04-05 On the advise of an inlaw, I was using Organic Cornmeal since December 2008. It made my feet feel good but didn't help. In March 2009 I started using a generic brand of Vicks every day and now see a big improvement. I believe it's working for me.   Trying Vick's tonight Comments By: Rita on 2009-04-06 I've had fungus for 20 years, caught it from my diabetic dad. I did oral Lamisil but it came back. I'm taking pictures of my nails today and starting Vick's tonight. I want to be able to prove if it works with photographs. 4/6/2009   STILL GOING!!! Comments By: R. Hernandez on 2009-04-06 It's been more than a week since I've written. But I'm happy to say, my toenails are still responding to the vick's treatment. However I must admit, from reading other testimonials from this site, I had to try other remedies. Such as Listerine as well as the horribly smelling tea tree oil. I figure it's best to not stick to just one kind of treatment. I am determined to get rid of this fungus once and for all!!! My toenails are healing. And the right toenail that broke off as I stated earlier, continues to grow. My only regret is not taking before and after pictures to share. In conclusion, I alternate treatments. Vicks vapor rub. Listerine, and the horribly smelling tea tree oil. It's worth it!!!!!   Don't cut it off! Comments By: Cheryl on 2009-04-07 I went to the DR today for nail fungus and she told me to use the Vick's vapo rub everynight, eventually the nail will disinigrate and fall off. I asked why not just cut it off and she told me that you risk the nail not adhering to the nail bed when it grows back.   Don't miss a day Comments By: UGLY-TOE on 2009-04-09 This really works. I've had fungus on my toe for over 10 years. I was afraid to take the pills that could cause liver damage. Finally about a week ago I started using the Vicks. My toe is already thin and looks completely different. TIP: You have to use it every day - if you miss even one day, the fungus regenerates and you have to start all over. I read this in an article in the newspaper from a doctor on home remedies.   vic's works great Comments By: Holly on 2009-04-19 vic's works great, but be advised... my doc told me i will always have to apply vics... not just till iot looks better.... this is a life long regimine.   Impressed with so many positive hits about Vicks Comments By: HNH on 2009-04-20 Got athlete's foot in the 50s, while in the army. I kept it under control with reasonable good foot care, and tinactin, but never cured. Developed nail fungus about 5 yrs ago, and getting worse. Starting the vinegar/Vicks regimen tonight. Hopeful of good results.   Now what question.. Comments By: Nathalie on 2009-04-21 So I have had fungus for about ten years on all ten toes... I have tried many and until now I was taking a sixteen week medication called fluconazole. I am already done with the sixteenth pill and omg my nails are beautiful except the tip of my big toes.. What do I do now that my pills are done so I can get full clean nails??   Vick's Vaporub worked for me!! :0) Comments By: Eric Soti on 2009-04-23 I have had fungus on my small toe for many many years - Lamisil tablets or ointment did not work. It looked more like a claw than a nail. It was very embarassing. After reading about Vick's Vaporub on the net, I gave it a go. The nail did discolour. I kept cutting the dead nail off. My nail is back to normal. THANK YOU VICK'S VAPORUB!!   Patience Comments By: spikeofsavinhill on 2009-04-28 My one toe had this huge fungus on it. I was shocked since it seemed to come from nowhere. My doctor suggested I use Vicks after saying he did not like the prescription remedies side effects. It took a year for my nail to clear, I did not use it every day but off and on. But I should note, for the first several months nothing happened. Then I went on line and saw that other people seemed to add vinegar with it. I would use the Vicks, soak the vinegar on a small piece torn from a cotton ball, but a bandage over it. I'd do it several days and forget and pick up again. One day I looked down and saw the new toe nail was emerging and pushing the cruddy one to the side. I kept at it. I figured I'd never get rid of the cruddy part but it fell off the other day. I think if you are the type who can do it twice a day, you'll see better progress. I'd do the Vick's first, then the vinegar, but as some one said maybe the vinegar is enough itself. I don't know but right now I can again walk around in sandals.   At last Comments By: Jackie on 2009-05-03 I injured my big toe nail many years ago and have tried everything to get rid of it. I was so fed up,it was never embedded to my foot. I have done lots of research and found the vicks remedy. I thought I would give it a go. Well,at last I have found a cure. I soak my foot in listerine and white vinegar for about half an hour,dry and file down the nail. Then I apply vicks with a cotton bud and wrap it with a finger bandage and tape. I have been doing this twice a day and I am seeing results already. I am going away this summer and want to wear my flip flops,I am gonna cross my fingers   Toenail already gone Comments By: Anon on 2009-05-11 My toenail has already fallen off. I want to do the vicks vapo, should I rub it down under the cuticle?Should I rub it into the nail bed too? Should I also put a band aid or something over it?   "cOOK" SHOES AND SOCKS TO PREVENT FUNGAL RE-INFECTION? Comments By: quantumcat on 2009-05-14 After curative treatments like Vapor-Rub,Listerine,hydrogen peroxide,tea tree and pure oregano oil have done their part to get rid of the fungus,perhaps one could try "nuking" shoes and socks in the microwave or putting them on low heat in the stove to let the heat destroy any spores that might continue or spread the infection. Sheets,clothing,etc. could,perhaps withstand strong detergents,bleaches, Lysol,ultra-hot water and very hot dryers but those could be too drastic for shoes and too damaging if used frequently. Does anyone know if spraying Lysol in shoes,wearing them no more than every other day and putting footwear without metal in the microwave for a few seconds (about the length of time to warm a hot beverage) would eradicate the fungus without harming the shoes and socks? I'd think one would also need to make sure there were no bad reactions from foot powders,sprays,orthotic inserts and the like.   Going Still!!!! Comments By: R. Hernandez on 2009-05-14 Ok. So it's been a few weeks since I've written and I continue to have success with Vicks and tea tree oil. The corner of the right toenail has completely grown back. I'm so pleased and more importantly, thankful for coming across this website. Just want to say thanks to the great people who voiced their opinions and experiences. Without you??? I would have continued to suffer. I am a success story. This summer I plan on wearing $200 black, leather sandals......woohoo!!!   Vicks - why it works Comments By: Footz on 2009-05-20 It contains thymol an antifungal. Nuf said.   Years & Years Comments By: theresa on 2009-05-21 I have had this toe fungus 4 probably 15 yrs. Probably got it when I was in the Navy. I have tried everything, including the vinegar someone mentioned. I soaked my feet in vinegar twice a day for a month. Nothing. The pharmacist told me that whatever treatment u use u need 2 use it 4 a long time. She said dont b fooled into thinking that it is gone just cause it looks great. Keep using the product that works 4 U cause everyone is different 4 a long time after things seem better or it will come back full force & just discourage u. I decided that I would no longer use those drugs that have all the nasty side effects. I got sick & tired of painting the nails. Did that 4 a year. Nothing. I have not tried Vicks yet. Tonight is the night. If I see results as my doctor says I will keep going. My doc told me 6 months with a smile & then told me 6 wks. If I C results I will keep going 4 6 months so as not 2 take any chances. It is worth a try everyone. What have u got 2 lose. A bunch of Walmart brand mentholatum ointments.   Vick didnt work! Comments By: p .shanna on 2009-05-23 Ok I gave the Vick's thing a try but it didnt work also tried coconut oil,oregano oil,t.tree oil then as I had recently started brewng my own beer a thought came into my head.You use pottassium sorbate or wine stabiliser aftertr fermentation to kill yeast.!! so I soaked my foot in a bowl of warm water with half a tsp of pottas sorbate added within TWO days my nail went from green to clear also had tests done at docs and NO YEAST INFECTION there!! AS it is a food additive used in many products it is completely safe. Google pottassium sorbate!.   just started Comments By: Bigtwist on 2009-05-24 My mom just told me about this whole vicks thing. I am crossing my fingers in hopes that this will work. She said that it worked for her, but might not work for everyone. Will keep you posted on the results.   toe nail fungus-yuk! VICKS *** Comments By: G on 2009-05-24 I have had toenail problems now 4 years, have tried the tea tree oil, but it didn't help. not even a bit. my toenails have got thick, and hurt, I was thinking I had ingrown toenails along with the fungus... but they hurt so bad I couldn't even cut them. well about 3/4 weeks ago I got some new running shoes- and couldn't even ware them due to the pain I felt in my toes... so I got really desperate, got online to try and find remedy again, or I was just most ready to call the DR...... came across an article about the Vicks... Ok I'll give it a try. went to the dollar store (they only carry the dollar store brand) so I bought it, came home and put it on all my toes., the next morning.... to my BIG surprise.. the pain I have had was no longer there!!!! I wore my running shoes that night! it has been 3/4 weeks now, I use the Vapor rub in the morning, and at night b4 I go to bed, and well my toenails do look a little better, but what is even better they don't hurt anymore! that means the world to me! since they don't hurt anymore I can now cut/ trim them and file them a bit to make them thinner/smoother, and after I use the Vapor rub I put on clean white cotton footies. I don't know if it is going to clear up my fugus, but I do know it has completely stopped all my toe pain. for that I am so happy. PS- I love the way the Vapor rub smells, so that is a plus for me! good luck to everyone.   Question? Comments By: Theresa on 2009-05-27 Someone else mentioned this. What do u do after u put this vicks on? I don't want it 2 get all over the place yet I want it 2 stay on my toes. Someone said something about putting socks on. Would the vicks stay on the toes that way? Would it come rite thru the sock & still get on the sheets? Sorry Im used 2 using a little txt message talking when I talk 2 my kids. They think it is so funny that mom is cool.   How to make your nails grow faster Comments By: Dan on 2009-05-29 Since you need to make your nails grow for vicks to work, you can make them grow faster by drinking lots of milk. I drink 2 litres a day and my nail grow about twice as fast as they used to.   Guess it must work then?? Comments By: Ali L on 2009-06-02 Have had nail fungus for several years now, just started vicks vapour rub yesturday, hope it works!   Faster Nail growth Comments By: paulyn on 2009-06-03 I use unflavored gelatin to make my nails grow faster. You can buy it at any grocery store, next to the regular jello. I add 2 packets of unflavored gelatin to one 3 oz box of regular gelatin. It doesn't alter the taste, and works great.   Vicks works! Comments By: trackie on 2009-06-04 I usually always have my toenails painted which is probably how I developed the fungus in the first place. I finally took my nailpolish off and saw the extent of the yellowing and roughing of my nails. My mom told me to put vick's vapor rub on them with a q-tip. Within a week I noticed results and I still am. I have been doing this for probably about three weeks and I have seen a lot of improvement. Much cheaper than going to get a prescription.   Nail polish? Comments By: Blanche Franks on 2009-06-06 Can you have on nail polish when you put on the vicks or will that prevent it from working? TipKing says: It is one or the other   more info please Comments By: NeedToeCure on 2009-06-08 ok, I am desperate and need advice about this. I want to start the Vicks treatment but will have to wait for end of summer due to the fact I love my nails painted and wear sandals and flip flops all summer. Don't want black toes you know.. So when I start, do I use it twice daily? Do I wrap it or use socks after. For those of you who have seen positive results.. Do you still have clean looking NORMAL nails for your toes? I have two BIG toes that have had this for year and I will try anything if it works. I would LOVE to have a PEDICURE But so embarrassed at my toes won't and I am tired of explaining to folks what it is when they notice. I am humiliated when they see it ;0(   LOVE More advice Comments By: NeedFungusCure on 2009-06-08 I love this idea of Vicks Vapor Rub for Toenail fungus. But have questions. How many times per day do you use it? Do you wrap it or use socks? And for those of you who have said you have clear nails now.. Are they still clear? Are they normal shaped etc... I want to start using this but will wait till fall because in the summer I wear sandals and flip flops and don't want to be embarrassed by black toe nails. I want to go get a pretty pedicure but so embarrassed by my toes. I HATE it when someone points it out too like my daughter's friends. One was like What is wrong with your toes? Do you have that fungus.. I was so humiliated. HELP ME PLEASE everyone with positive outcomes please respond.   It does have its Benifits Comments By: Jane on 2009-06-14 I have had a big problem with some sort of nail fungus. I would get rid of it and get it back and nothing seemed to help. Vick's is the one thing that really helped. Twice day and a big improvement in a few weeks. Twice a day. I said forget just the toes and use it like cream on the whole foot. I am not kidding it worked like a charm. I got rid of all old shoes and socks and spray my shoes specially tennis shoes. But its great to have feet that look good again. Its not perfect but 90percent improvement. I have not wore flip flops in about 15 yrs I am tonight.   Here here here we go Comments By: The #1 finger has fungus on 2009-06-15 I am giving this a 5 star rating. I have just recently got a fungus under one finger nail, my favorite one on the right hand. I am giving the Vicks a go at it.   Painful toenail fungus -- Need advice ASAP!! Comments By: Anon on 2009-06-18 I have had toenail fungus on one of my big toes for about 4 years now!! It started as a slight discoloration and has gotten worse over time. Now my toe is swollen and hurts when I walk as it rubs up against the inside of shoes! What can I do at this point? Will Vick's help even though it has spread to the inner part of my toe?!   three months later Comments By: jennifer on 2009-06-24 I was infected with fungus both on my toes and fingers a year ago, not sure how and do not know where. I tried everything, beer, vinegar...you name it. Now I only use vicks. love the ease, love the smell. I made it a routine applying before I go to bed. it has some kinda throbbing sensation applying on my freshly cut my nails, feeling better than sex. but i am having difficulty explaining this to my boyfriend.   Does the nail HAVE to come off? Comments By: LawnmowerMan on 2009-07-19 Hey~ sure I want the fungi to go away, but does my nail have to go with it? It sounds like most people using Vicks loses their nail? Really?   Vicks Vapo Rub really works Comments By: RiAnon on 2009-08-05 I read about the Vapo Rub & nail fungus, so I used it (generic brand actually) on my toe nail that had had a fungus for several years. I applied it to the top of the nail twice a day (when I remembered) and within 2 weeks the fungus had cleared up completely. It's still gone 6 months later. My wife tried it too with similar good results. This stuff truly works.   VICkS with polish Comments By: Anon on 2009-08-04 I have been using Vicks for a couple of days now and am staying very positive that it will help as I have tried cream after cream over the years. My question if anyone knows is can I still wear polish on my toenails while applying the Vicks????? Please help?? TipKing says: No! The polish will not allow the vicks to get to the nail   DOT Comments By: DOT on 2009-07-21 HI TRY VICKIS FOR TOE FUNGAS AND MY NAIL IS GETTING DARK TAKE A LONG TIME TO WORK   Trying Vicks Comments By: Sad Toes on 2009-07-27 I started the vicks treatment tonight. I hope it works. I am sooo tried of wearing shoes. I look forward to showing my toes. They are so thick and ugly. I'm using a white vinegar (1 part vinegar to 2 part water). Then after my feet are in the water for 30 minute, I let them dry then put Vicks vapor rub on then. I wear a pair of white socks to bed. I hope this works. I will keep you posted.   Vick's and Listernine combine work great! Comments By: Gigi on 2009-07-28 I have had nail fungus for a very long time in 3 of my little toes on my right foot. Dr. told me to start using Listerine for 30 minutes everyday and my fungus will be gone in 6 months! I also heard about Vick's and I am doing both together and I have noticed the difference! One of my nails fell off already and it's comnig back healed! You just need to be consistent about it! And I rub the vick's and put socks on and sleep with them at night and day! I use it twice a day.   Possible side effect? Comments By: DJ on 2009-07-29 I have been using a generic (K Mart) brand of Vicks for about 6 months. I have definately seen a difference in my nails, but have developed neuropathy where my arms and legs are numb and tingly. I am not sure this is related, and do not want to stop the Vicks as it is working. I have had blood work, all normal, and am scheduled for an EMG next month. If I stop the Vicks for a day or two it seems to subside a little. I will deal with it as long as I am not causing permanent damage to my nerves. Has anyone had this side effect?   Vick's for fungus Comments By: Dee on 2009-08-03 My Doctor told me to use 1 part bleach to 3 parts water and soak my toes every day for about 10 minutes. Wash off toes and put vick's with socks at night. After 3 days I see a little improvement. Do this for about 3 weeks.   Vicks works but be patient Comments By: Tina on 2009-07-30 I have fungus on 3 of toes on each foot. I use to have it on my big toe but i used the vicks and it went away. I have a normal toe nail! I used it on the other ones but nothing happened. so i used a polish i got from a doctor, for 4 months. still nothing so i'm starting with the vick again.   toe nail fungus Comments By: Kalu on 2009-08-03 A week ago I hit my toe on my bed post... my nail turned dark brown and then fell off... I thought this was the end and allowed it to grow back then two nails on my right toe began to do the same thing... I went to the doctor and was told I had athlets food and was given a generic foot cream... I took it a step forward since im an internet geek and found this comment section about using vicks vapor rub and its great effects... I decided to pair it with the cream... that night I tried it with out wearing socks.... and not putting covers on me just wearing sweats to bed... to get air to my feet and keep them dry... I have to say the next day my toe nails with the infection turned a cloudy white and all the dark brown color went away... I wear thick socks with my shoes while im at work or the gym... I wash my feet with a seperate wash cloth and use an anti-bacterial soap just because I want too... its been a week and thus far everything is looking great... I kind of have OCD.... lol and I apply moring and night consistantly and keep my hands very clean after every application... so thanks to all for letting me know about this crazy treatment... my off brand Mentholatum as comparied to Vics has just been sitting in my medicine cabinat and least I know im getting some great use out of it... lol   I got you...it works. Next topic please Comments By: Green Willams on 2009-08-09 How many ways do you need to say it works? There are other topics you can explore.   Here I Go! Comments By: Dave J. on 2009-08-12 OK your comments has won me! Today is Wednesday, August 12, 2009 and I have a toe nail fungus. I will try my first application of Vick Rub tonight and post my progress daily! Happy rubbing! :-)   Toe fungus for 5 years, will try vicks vapor rub (August 20 2009) Comments By: NZToe Fungy on 2009-08-19 Hi. Ive had toe fungus for about 5 years now. Started with 1 nail for 1-2 years and slowly started affecting pretty much all my toes. I have tried vicks before but only for a few weeks and not every day. I will be more persistant and try it for minimum 3 months twice per day. I will let you know if it works for me.   Allergic Comments By: Lisa on 2009-08-23 I tried using the vapor rub trick but ended up with a rash on the tops of my feet. I stopped using it and the rash went away but still have the darn black toe nails. :(   TRIED EVERYTHING Comments By: TOMMYCAI on 2009-08-24 I AM TRYING VICK'S TONIGHT. I HAVE TRIED EVERYTHING UNDER THE SUN EVEN LAMISIL..NOTHING HAS WORKED YET! HAD THIS TOENAIL PROBLEM FOR 30 YEARS. NOTHING TO LOOSE.   Not sure but good advice here! Comments By: Theresa on 2009-08-25 My doctor told me to use Vicks as well. She told me try for 6 weeks. All she told me was twice a day. So I didnt know. I though the more the better and since I am a homemaker and dont have to go out I figured I could just make sure I have a generous amount of this good juice on those nasty toe nails all day long. And since I had been told before that it takes a very long time to get rid of even though she said 6 weeks I was going to have no problem using this 6 months if I had to. U see I have had this fungus on my toenails for some 25+ years now. My son is 19 and I had these wonder toes alot longer than he has been alive. But now here I read that someone said you need to have your toes breathe. So since I have been doing this now for almost 3 months and I only saw a small reaction when I first started and several of my toenails turned a dark color. They did look good at the very beginning. Huh and to think I was just getting ready to give up again. So I shall start over rubbing in twice a day. Should I use generous amount or what?   Thick skin on toes and heels too! Comments By: Theresa on 2009-08-25 While using this for my toenails I learned a good thing. I didn't do the greatest job on getting on just toenails so I would get on socks and the Vicks from socks would soak into my cracked heel at night (and the sheets too!). My heels started looking nicer and nicer. I found that I could clear those thick skins anywhere on my feet. Then I went and read the directions. VIcks is very healing scraped and cuts. My hubby uses it on his hands now as work calluses his hands to the point of cracking. It works!!   Toe Fungus Comments By: Anon on 2009-08-27 searching online ive seen that using vapo rub helps cure toe fungus so i started using it on the first day of august and the results ive seen is that 1 nail is black and 1 isnt i have toe fungus on the small toes of both feet.Before i started using the vapo rub i cut those nails enough so that it wasnt very noticeable i dont know if i should have done that or not but i did and i have a few questions though: 1:how long does toe fungus take to cure? 2:how does the nail regrow? 3: does the toe fungus affect any other part of the foot?   I hope this works! Comments By: DellaBaby on 2009-09-02 I have had toe nail fungus on my bit toe. Half on my toe nail has been yellow and is disconnected from the nail bed. I have been using tea tree oil for one week and it is still the same. I just read this website about using Vicks Vapor Rub. I have decided that I am going to go tomorrow and buy me some so that I can try this out. Sounds like it really works. I will keep everyone updated day by day. Thanks for all the tips!   vicks v. vinegar v. hydrogen peroxide Comments By: Matt on 2009-09-08 I used distilled white vinegar for a year on my toenail fungus (soak twice a day) - not only was it not effective in eradicating the fungus, but it also was ineffective in preventing the spread of the fungus to other nails. Next i tried hydrogen peroxide, and found it to be similarly ineffective. I started using Vicks three months ago, and am seeing results - new nail growth is pink and fungus-free, and my infected nails are about 1/3 grown out. I'm a little embarrased by the menthol smell that's constantly in my office, but curing the fungus will be worth it.   Didn't Work Comments By: j on 2009-09-10 I had fungus on my toenails for years, have tried prescribed creams, otc creams, tea tree oil, vics, bleach, vinegar, my husband just got insurance and was prescribed lamisil..... 3 months later, my toes have started to clear and now as the new nail comes in, it's nice and healthy.   Note of Caution Comments By: Rachel on 2009-09-19 I am a Podiatrist and have just treated someone who has caused ulcers on 6 of his 10 toes from using this remedy. Using substances for anything other than they are recommended and tested, is extremely dangerous. Please don't try it.   Vicks Is SOOOOO Working! Comments By: So Excited! on 2009-09-21 I started using Vicks on my two big toes about 3 days ago. And I couldn't believe me eyes! I was talking to my Aunt the other day and she told me to do it. I thought she was crazy at first, but I figured it wouldn't hurt to try. My toes are starting to clear up! I don't think it was a fungis as much as it was discoloration due to NEVER taking my polish off and lack of oxygen to the nail itself, but sure enough... The ugly yellow and brown are slowing fading away! For as long as I can remeber I've had to wear dark colored polish.... Hopefully in a few more weeks I can go have my nails painted and not have to worry about what the little lady is saying about me to everyone without me knowing! :) If you're thinking about doing it... It wouldn't hurt to try. You might be surpried by the turn out. Also... My nails didn't turn black... I'm actually glad they didn't... That's kinda scary! But I know for a fact that it is working!   Be patient, it works!! Comments By: jremr on 2009-10-15 My husband of 30 years had toenail fungus for the entire time I knew him. His Podiatrist told him to use the Vicks Vapo Rub, working it under the nails twice a day and to wear clean white socks after each application. For once in over 30 years and MANY different remedies he finally had beautiful clear toenails. Be sure to throw out any old shoes and slippers that may be harboring the fungus and reinfecting your toes! It may take a good 6 months to see perfect toenails but its worth the wait!!   Not Always a Fungus Comments By: Anon on 2009-10-26 I always thought I had nail fungus and nothing seemed to work. Finally broke down and went to a podiatrist. They tested it and found out it was a bacteria not a fungus. Now I use neosporin on it.   Tea tree oil is said to be more effective than Vicks. Comments By: TT on 2009-10-31 Vicks reportedly takes a long time (6 to 8 months or more) until the nail completely grows out. Tea tree oil reportedly will attack and eliminate the fungus. According to one source, Vicks will stop the spread but doesn't reduce it.   It really works! Comments By: Crystal on 2009-11-05 It may not work on everyone because there are so many types of fungus BUT I went to my podiatrist 4 months ago for a broken toe and while I was there I asked hom about my toenail problem. He told me he could prescribe an oral medication OR I could just use Vicks...I was shocked when he told me this, but he said it is a trade secret that really works. He told me it takes about three months to really work, but so does the oral perscription. This is so easy to do and MUCH CHEAPER! My toes are 100% cleared!!!   IT DOES WORK Comments By: jj on 2009-11-11 It gave me more relief from chronic "bar-rot" than anything I've tried in over a year. It may not prevent it from coming back, but it provides great relief when it flares up.   Vicks treatment giinie pig Comments By: Denizio on 2009-11-20 Today is Novemeber 20, 2009. 1:18pm. I will start the Vicks treatmenton my toenails that have a little fongus on the tips. I will also start it on my son who got it from me. I will post the results in two weeks. Wish us luck poeple.   freeze shoes and slippers Comments By: Welsh woman on 2009-11-24 All fungi are killed by freezing. So instead of throwing out your shoes or slippers, or spraying them, you can seal them in a plastic bag and put them in the freezer for 24 hours. They cannot then reinfect you. Freezing may damage leather shoes, but if you were going to throw them out anyway, what's the harm? Freezing is fine for canvas or cloth.   Psoriasis Comments By: Hil on 2009-12-01 Can anyone tell me if this would work on psoriasis? I have this under all my toenails...   I'm going to try this tonight! Comments By: kate on 2009-12-09 I've suffered from Athlete's foot for as long as I cn remember (I'm not 55!). Both big toenails are horrific - have got steadily worse. My DR prescribed Terbinifine (Lamisil) and the right toenail got worse - took the med for 4-5 months - but still the right toenail got worse - it kind of curled up. Now it's really painful. The chiropodist clips it every few months but if Vick doesn't get a result the anil will have to come off and the nailbed ablated so that the nail will never grown back. I'm desperate for the Vick's to work.   I'm going to try this tonight! Comments By: kate on 2009-12-09 I've suffered from Athlete's foot for as long as I cn remember (I'm now 55!). Both big toenails are horrific - have got steadily worse. My DR prescribed Terbinifine (Lamisil) and the right toenail got worse - took the med for 4-5 months - but still the right toenail got worse - it kind of curled up. Now it's really painful. The chiropodist clips it every few months but if Vick doesn't get a result the anil will have to come off and the nailbed ablated so that the nail will never grown back. I'm desperate for the Vick's to work.   Gonna Try It!!! Comments By: Aqueelah on 2009-12-11 I played sports in high school and have had dark toenails for about atleast 6years. Im willing to try just about anything that is not too expensive. This is the first time I've heard of using Vick's. But if it works for me, I will recommend it to my family and friends.   4/10 Comments By: Californiadancer on 2009-12-13 I hope Vics works. 4 toes on my left foot have had fungus for about a year and 3 months. My doctor told me that nothing worked andthe best I could do is wash my feet and wear clean socks. I'm going to buy some vis tonight. I also hope that all of these comments are from real people representing their true experience. Gah! I this goes away I'm going to dance barefoot and be happy :) Wish me luck!   Starting vics Comments By: Mike francis on 2009-12-14 Starting vics tonight, I have had it on all ten toes for years, sure hope it works.   toenail fungus gone w/ Vicks Comments By: Michele on 2009-12-21 Literally disappeared overnight but I'm continuing to use for 7 days to be sure it's gone! One of my friends had horrible fungus for years that dr's couldn't clear up and it worked for her. My husband's athletes foot cleared up w/ it as well!   Will try it Comments By: Annabelle on 2009-12-28 I have had it for many years. Will start using Vicks tomorrow night. Do I need to cut my nails back first? And does the Walmart brand work just as well?   Work in Progress Comments By: hopeful on 2009-12-31 My podiatrist suggested using vicks twice a day for 1 year!!! Will see how it works.   making a diffrence Comments By: ann on 2010-01-09 I had heard of vicks also was told Stidex Pads.. what you use for acne worked/ Then I read that the same organism that causes nail fungus also caused thick callouses on heals/ for the past 3 weeks I throughly clean and dry my feet, then use the Stridex Pads on my nails and then another one on the bottoms and on heels, then apply the vicks, and rub in..The texture and appearance of all my toe nails have changed.. Before my big toes were the worst..they would be discolored, seperate from the nail bed and fall off, but even my other toe nails were thick, chalky, and have these wierd ridges, that has changed.. Only my big toes have darkened, but even with that they look much healthier.. and the callouses on my heals are totally gone/ just nice soft heals. I do this in the morning after my shower, and again at bedtime.. then put a clean pair of white socks on... I would not have believed it, but I DO think it is working !!!   Wow...Can't believe this works but it has Comments By: Tracy on 2010-01-10 7 years of toenail fungus on both big toes deep yellow in color, and then one toe started going black...been using vicks vapor rub now twice a day for three months and Wow...can't believe it....one toe nail completely clear other nail was so bad it turned black, fell off and now is growing in clear. This is worth a try and better alternative to side effect medications. This should be put on grocery store shelves with fungus treatment.   2 applications of vicks and my toenail is black!! Comments By: Lola on 2010-01-13 So far so good. My toe nail has been rotten for about 6 years!!! 2 applications in 24 hours!!! Heres hoping to rots OFF for good!   over 50 years of fingernail fungus Comments By: Georgia on 2010-01-16 I have tried everything, the pills even for 6mos which i had reaction to so Dr. discontinued it. I am now having great results using white vinegar soak twice a day for past 9 months. I recently heard of Vicks and am adding that to putting on at night. My nails were awful, brittle,skin cracking badly in winter & a couple looked like hoofs rather than nails. My nails now are looking wonderful. I say why not try both. I no longer hide my nails and am even using clear nail polish. Before if put on polish my nails opened up in couple days all way to the base. I had never seen anyone with a case like mine in 6 fingers out of 10 by the time I was 21.   Vicks Comments By: Lulu on 2010-01-18 I am on day two after applying Vicks to my big toenails. I really cannot believe how good they look already. I would advise putting a bad aid on so you can seal it in. I had also tried tea tree oil/lavender oil and anti fungals like Nailtek but nothing helped as much as this. Try it and stick with it.   thrifty Comments By: Anon on 2010-01-19 If you receive a daily paper in a plastic newspaper bag, cut 3" of the closed end off and use that, then a sock instead of saran wrap as a way to recycle.   Re; Vicks didn't work for me by Disheartened Comments By: Lynette on 2010-01-21 Sorry that it isn't curing it completely. Have you considered that you may be re-infecting your toes by wearing the same shoes/socks. If the fungus spores are in the shoes, surely as soon as you stop with the vicks it will re-imerge and flourish. You could try treating your shoes regularly with something like the distilled white vinegar or even vicks (don't know how that would pan out though but may make the shoes supple!). Or maybe when you are sure the nail is all new and gorgeous, start afresh by buying one or more new pairs and stick to just those, keeping up the vicks a while longer and give it the shoes a good go for a while then without the vicks and see if the fungus comes back. I wish you luck, you have been persistent with it before but maybe you had a chink in your armour with spores biding their time in the shoes.   RE. Psoriasis Comments By: Kitten on 2010-01-25 "Psoriasis Comments By: Hil Can anyone tell me if this would work on psoriasis? I have this under all my toenails..." I'm no doctor but I do have psoriasis. I would assume it wouldn't hurt it unless you happen to be allergic to it or something. I would think if anything it would moisturize... which you prolly know when you have P you moisturizemoisturizemoisturize. The reason I came across this forum is because I think I may be getting nail psoriasis, but is also possible it is a fungus. I think since I have pitting it's prolly psoriasis, but just looking to see what all is out there to try... I am gonna try it either way - if it is P I assume it won't hurt, and if it is fungus, then maybe it'll clear it up. *shrug*   vicks vapor rub Comments By: Solo on 2010-01-27 I have tried pills and topicals for my toenail fungus. I have been using vicks for 2 weeks and my nails look 80% better. The tips of my toenails have a little bit of fungus, the rest of the nail looks normal. I rub it over the whole nail in the morning and put my socks on(once day).   Need some help... Comments By: Amanda on 2010-02-02 Okay well i have a type of fungus on my big toe on my right foot and a toe on my left foot, its not that serious bc i either cut them soooo short and file the crap outta them.. but im going to give the vicks a try but i need to know do i take my nailpolish off before starting it?? and how often do i trim the nail to get rid of the fungus?   maybe it's... Comments By: anon on 2010-01-31 maybe the darkening effect is the fungus dying, or losing oxygen or a necessary ingredient to continue thriving. hope every gets positive results   Fungus is not caused by bacteria Comments By: Jan on 2010-02-05 Someone wrote that fungus is caused by bacteria in the comments and I just wanted to clear that up. Fungus is a plant-like organism that is either a yeast, mold or mushroom. It is not caused by bacteria. It is it's own entity!   ready to have my toes removed completely! Comments By: Monica on 2010-02-08 I have had a toenail fungus for many years after a traumatizing injury. My doctor has removed it twice, and put me on lamisil to no avail. I don't see the risks of these medications being worth having pretty feet. One day several weeks ago, I filed them down, and found that I could hardly walk the next day. I immediately began an Epsom salt bath regimen, and found the pain almost unbearable. I kept it up, though in the mornings I could hardly walk. Shortly after this started, my other big toe has gotten just as painful. I started the Vick's this morning, and the pain is excruciating. Is anyone else finding these treatments this painful? I will continue the treatments if it is supposed to be this way, but the pain has me wondering if I am causing more harm than good. The cute sandals are fun, but I am ready to give them up forever to have my nails permanently removed. Any thoughts?   Then what??? Comments By: Mike on 2010-02-08 So after you apply the VapoRub do you put a sock on or nothing ?   Fungus is not bacteria Comments By: Fred on 2010-02-10 Athletes foot is a fungus. As mentioned before, it can infect the toenails. Soaking the toes in distilled vinegar, or a 20% bleach solution should kill most toenail fungus infections. The Vicks is great too, because it softens and penetrates the nail down to the nail bed also. Vicks will continue to soften and penetrate for long periods of time between applications. Wrap the infected toe with gauze or tissue with tape after applying Vicks.   what???????? Comments By: yolie bouvier on 2010-02-12 the first comment here,what????;you cut your toe off why didn't you just take your toe nail off.?   Bye Bye Fungus Comments By: Sue Wonk on 2010-02-13 I've been using the Vick's for about a week and there has been a major improvement in my nails. Thank God they haven't turned dark, but they look a heck of a lot better!   It works! Comments By: natalie on 2010-02-14 my boyfriend had a kind of browny fungus on the bottom of his feet so we tried some of the vics vapo rub on it for 1 week every day and now the fungus has gone!!! I done a little research on the ingredients and it seems that its the thymol that is killing the fungus!! I never write reviews about stuff but i felt like i needed to this time because its a cheap remedy!!! go for it guys!! ciaooooooooo   ?? Comments By: vanessa on 2010-02-26 How long does it take for the nail to be cleared of fungus? B/C I have 10weeks until my prom   Not totally "cured", but satisfied with results so far. Comments By: hnh on 2010-03-01 Started using Vicks afew months ago, and made an entry at that time. My results were reasonably good. They don't look brand new, but there is at least an 80% improvement. After I shower, I scrap out under the nails with a metal nail file, and apply the Vicks. Also, the nails should be trimed regularly.   Vicks Comments By: MLW on 2010-03-06 I was watching Dr Oz and he said they have had good results with Vicks but are not sure why it works. He stated that it does seem to work for many people. I have decided to try it since I have had a toenail fungus for about three years now. Will let you know if I see any results.   awesome Comments By: Anon on 2010-03-08 i used TESCO vapour rub on my my infected toenail and the white appearence went away THE NEXT DAY. i had tried a proper over the counter drug previously and this did not work, but vapour rub did! i think i should continue using it to make sure the infection has gone! but no more ugly toe! give it a go, its a cheap solution!   wow Comments By: kristen on 2010-03-10 I have had this nasty big toe since I can even remember! I used to get made fun of for it in middle school so I'm really self conscious. It has fallen off a couple times and just grows right back the same way so I thought it was something genetic (my dad has it on both big toes, I only have it on one) I'm going to try using vicks. I hope it works!!   Toenail fungus - fungisil doens't work Comments By: Judy on 2010-03-17 A little less than half the nail on my big toe has toenail fungus on it. I have been battling this for years! I spent about $80 on fungisil and have used it for over a year. It has not worked for me. I am so disappointed. My husband says I have pretty feet, but I hate wearing sandals and don't paint my nails anymore for fear that it will make the fungus worse. I have never tried the Vicks, but I am willing to try just about anything - accept the pills. I hope the Vicks will work for me like it seems to have worked for so many others!   Toenail fungus AND callouses! Comments By: Sammie on 2010-03-18 Approved by the diabetes doctor too! Darkening is the fungus dying and is NORMAL!   Vaporub worked wonders!!! Comments By: Kristen on 2010-03-21 The Vaporub (generic brand) worked GREAT for both my husband and I. We would put it on our toenails every morning. Then at night file the nails. And put more Vaporub on. When we woke up we would file the nails and add more Vaporub. This became a daily routine. And within 2 weeks we both had new healthy toenails. I would totally recommend this to anyone!! Thanks for the tip!   A miracle! Comments By: Lucy on 2010-03-23 I've had a toenail fungus for over 15 years. I've tried everything to try and eradicate it. I have spent most of the last 5 years using tea tree oil and clipping the nail right off... it didn't work. After finding this website I tried Vicks, mainly because I always keep it in the cupboard and I was at my wits end with the horrible yellow crumbly toenail! 4 days later and strange things have started to happen. First, it went a dark colour. Then a day later the fungal crud started to slough off. Today the entire fungal part of the nail came right off, leaving a much healthier skin underneath. I'm continuing to use the vicks until the nail has grown back completely. I'm so amazed that I'm doing a day-by-day photo report of the progress!   Excellent cure for toenail fungus!!! Comments By: Ed from Levittown on 2010-04-01 My wife uses it after each shower. It completely cured her nail fungus issue. She continues to use it to maintain her nail free of fungus. Myself? I had two large toe nails that were thick with growth between the toe and the nail. I first filed down the surface as much as I felt comfortable doing and then applied the Vicks. Applying it daily and yes, the nails did turn black, but yes, a healthy nail is growing too. Should have normal looking nails real soon. Great cure. Don't know why any Podiatrist would be ignorant of this cure.   Science... Comments By: Fungalicious on 2010-04-12 I've had ever so slight crusting on the outer edges of my toes nails on both feet. Its very little, but to me it looks horrid. Its not yellowish as most cases, its more of a grey-ish layered crusting, with ridges maybe? I used some vicks last night, but hasn't reali made any diff as of yet- and i am out of vicks!!! Neway, i came across some interesting science behind the vicks theory, thymol,the ingredient we think is the key, was used by the egyptians to preserve theiremummies from fungi and as an antiseptic. It has also been used o kill mould, and fungal spores(baby fungi in a sense). so theoretically it should do the trick, and as many have claimed, it seems to be working! Hope mine is cured too, cant wait to go for a pedicure once its over!!!   IT REALLY WORKED!! Comments By: Anon on 2010-04-16 I have been using VICKS every night before bed, and im happy to say it is working. I use the vicks and as the toe nail grows I keep cutting. It looks so much better. TRY IT!! Its a cheap effective way to get rid of the fungus without having to pay for medication that may have harmful side effects. Id recommend it to anyone.   IT WORKS!! Comments By: Cured of Funky Feet on 2010-04-29 I have athletes foot fungus and tonail fungus and I started applying the Vicks about 3 weeks ago and my feet are almost cured and my nails look so much better. I can wear sandles now and not be ashamed of the thick scaly skin on my feet.   Toe nail fungus Comments By: bonnie on 2010-04-29 Haven't ever tried the Vicks but taking Olive Leaf extract capsules will also work. It stops the fungus, then you just have to wait for the nail to grow out.   Working so far. Comments By: Jon on 2010-05-02 After reading success stories with Vicks I decided to try it myself. After about a week my nail started to turn a dark redish brown color. Soon the top layer of the nail literally pealed off and there was fresh nail underneath.   WOW!!!! ITs really effective!!! Comments By: lito on 2010-05-07 I'd been suffering toe nail fungus for 8 years and used the most prescribed antifungal treatment which are expensive. In desperation i gave up treating it but just clean it regularly. One day when the fungus seems to attack wildly,,i can feel the pain n the edges of my two big toes,as if a sharp pin tip is striking at it underneath. I was lucky to see this forum and tried the vicks miracle and believe me,,within minutes the tickling pain disappears instantly!!!!!!!!! I will continue the treatment,,thanks to everybody here for sharing this wonderful ideas from a very common drugs available anywhere.   A cure at last? Comments By: beth on 2010-05-08 I am astounded that Vicks could actually work. I have suffered from this infection for years now and have three nails infected. It really is embarrassing and if this works my life will be normal again, sandals, swimming, etc.   It worked for me. Comments By: Anon on 2010-05-17 I've had toenail fungus on both my big toes for a few years. I read about the Vicks and tried it. They are both growing out clear and already look much better, not so thick. I've been using it about a month now, no polish, and wear sandals as often as possible even though my toes have to show. I expect it all to be gone in about another month. Better than spending money on a doc's visit and medicine that will make you sick.   For those desperate people for whom nothing works Comments By: Michelle on 2010-05-18 I found out about a laser treatment for foot fungus. It's about $950 (at least where I live, in South Florida) but may be worth it. It's called Pin pointe Foot Laser. Apparently it's a 40 minute, painless procedure. No drugs, no pain. They do it on all ten toes to make sure they get anything else not visible to the eye.   Grisactin Comments By: sandra on 2010-05-19 I better the vicks, oral medication called generic grisactin works better.You can find more details on this at http://www.internationaldrugmart.com/grisactin.html   also works great when your congested ...seriously Comments By: Magpie on 2010-05-22 I've done the Vick's route for nail fungus. Works great! Be patient though. This could take 3-6 months to allow nails to grow out clear. Also if you are suffering from a cold. massage on bottoms of your feet, put on socks, and enjoy a congestion-free nights sleep. Don't know what the secret is here, but it works! 1001 uses!!!   One year, no change Comments By: E on 2010-05-27 I've been using Vicks on my toe nail for a year. No change but I'm hopeful one day it will work   THYMOL in VICS and LISTERINE WORKS Comments By: Hypnogal on 2010-05-30 From WIKIPEDIA THYMOL < look it up! There is also evidence supporting the belief that thymol when applied two to three times daily, can eliminate certain kinds of fungal infections that affect finger nails and toe nails in humans.[citation needed] Regular application to the affected nail over periods approximating three months has been shown to eliminate the affliction by effectively preventing further progress;[citation needed] by simply cutting the nail as one normally would, all infected material is eventually eliminated.   WORKED FOR ME!! I LOVE IT Comments By: Blessed on 2010-06-01 I googled home remedies for foot fungus about 5 months ago after i was diagnosed with foot fungus. I bought the generic brand and used everyday!! The new nails are growing again with no fungus and I am slowly cutting away the infected Areas.This was a blessing and I hope it is a help to others who do not have hundreds of dollars to spend on high cost medicine!!   Update after use Comments By: felicia on 2010-06-01 I see alot of unanswered questions on here and wanted to share my experience. my nails never turned dark and my nails were thick and chalkie like under the beds. I have used the vapor rub for about 5 months now everyday and at 1st it did not look like it was doing anything, but as the nails started to grow, they are clear of any fungus!! I am slowly cutting away the part with the old fungus and looking forward to having beautiful toenails again!! Dont stop if you think its not working it is wait till you see you new growth nails in a few months you will be very excited!!   Vicks may be the trick Comments By: Judo on 2010-06-08 I have had a fungus and have used clorox, 2 tablespoons to 2 cups water. That is taking forever. I will try the vicks. Thanks for all the tips. Judo   Vicks Vaporub UK Comments By: JustinPGF on 2010-06-06 Hi, I have been desperately searching for an affordable cure to a toenail fungus condition. My two big toes are yellowish on the top halfs, and a few of my smaller toes had a yellowish appearance. I have ben using Vicks for about a month now, and jst applying twice a day (morning and evening) with a cuetip. To be fair, and taking into account that toe nails take at least a year to fully grow out, I can say that the smaller toe nails after one month seem to have show some slight improvement. The fungu is certainly not at the stage where nails are crumbling yet, but in sunlight, you can see the upper nailbed of the two big toes look slightly detatched from the nailbed. It's difficult to say of Vicks is relly working, and my main worry is that because my toenails are not totally horrid to look at yet, depsite the yellowish appearance, do I continue with Vicks in the hope it works, but with the risk of further fungal damage, or do i go for a more expensive option like fungisil....that's my dilemna. Any thoughts anyone???   VICKS VAPOR RUB WORKS FOR TOE NAIL FUNGUS Comments By: Marilyn on 2010-06-15 I have been using the generic Vicks Vapor Rub from Walmart on my big toe for over a week. I purchased the brand name of Band Aide brand of Band Aides made especially for FINGERTIPS. I apply Vicks all over my big toe nail. Then I coat the bandage portion of the Band Aide with Vicks. I wipe off the sking areas around the toe nail and then apply the fingertip Band Aide which completely covers the toe nail. I then put on my socks. I change the Band Aide every night before bed time and apply more Vicks and a new Band Aide. Already, my toe nail has turned very black and it has softened considerly. Before too long, the nail will fall off and a new perfect nail will grow back without the fungus! It is working for me. One has to be serious and persistent though.   It's Vicks Vap-O Rub Comments By: Rocco on 2010-06-16 I've tried Sporanox and Lamisil, and gotten sick from both. They're expensive, they damage your liver, and doctors love to prescribe them. I also use oil of oregano capsules orally for six months, and cured myself for a while for $30. I'm using Vicks now, and I suspect it won't work. Those of you who think it works in weeks are fooling yourselves. It takes six months for a toenail to completely grow out, and only the new nail can be cured. And what the hell is "Vicks Vapor Rub???" Meh...   Filing down the nail Comments By: Tim on 2010-06-22 Come on Guys does this stuff really work that fast? I don't think its a scam since Vic's Vapor rub is actually used for treating stuffy noses but I have tried everything and the only success I say that does not work but looks good is filing the toenail down to a thin layer and keeping the cuticles cut very low. This looks good enough for me to wear sandals and not be embarassed of my toe nails. I've been using Vic's for about a week now but no change....I'll stick with it for at least a year twice a day since it feels moist and smells clean. People with my severity of the condition condition have to do a pedicure daily.   Vicks does not work Comments By: Long time looking on 2010-06-22 I tried it and it doesn't work at all. What I finally did was get a prescription from the Doctor for Lamisil the unbranded same drug is now available in NZ for $3.It is covered by Pharmac.   Laser works but the downside is... Comments By: DJC on 2010-06-26 The stupid fungus keeps coming back every 3- 4 months and they have charge me $400 each additional visit and lecture me on spores that jump on my feet from the floor and how I MUST have the steri shoe sterilizer and basically how I can never be barefoot etc etc...now I must say significant imporvement but how effective is it really if it does not kill the fungus permanantly? My laser Dr is so frustrated that his "precious laser" may not be as effective as they think??? I am a perfect guinea pig I guess, but anyway I would serious continue to pay whatever to spare the embarrasment of people asking me why is San Diego do I alway wear close toed shoes? Yes, petty work friends are always on my case about not showing my feet, and the beach? Forget it. So finally my nails were at least flat again I was excited enough to wear polish and actually show my feet for the 1st time in 6 years and then I got a check up at the laser center and he hacked my nails downs so far to get at the fungus that now my nails are all torn up and hideous and I got to wait another 4+ months to look remotely normal again. I am now trying Vick's and hoping in conjuction with the $1000 laser treatment something gotta give...   Laser works but the downside is... Comments By: anon on 2010-06-26 The stupid fungus keeps coming back every 3- 4 months and they have charge me $400 each additional visit and lecture me on spores that jump on my feet from the floor and how I MUST have the steri shoe sterilizer and basically how I can never be barefoot etc etc...now I must say significant imporvement but how effective is it really if it does not kill the fungus permanantly? My laser Dr is so frustrated that his "precious laser" may not be as effective as they think??? I am a perfect guinea pig I guess, but anyway I would serious continue to pay whatever to spare the embarrasment of people asking me why in San Diego do I alway wear closed toed shoes? Yes, petty work friends are always on my case about not showing my feet, and the beach? Forget it. So finally my nails were at least flat again I was excited enough to wear polish and actually show my feet for the 1st time in 6 years and then I got a check up at the laser center and he hacked my nails downs so far to get at the fungus that now my nails are all torn up and hideous and I got to wait another 4+ months to look remotely normal again. I am now trying Vick's and hoping in conjuction with the $1000 laser treatment something gotta give...   EAT Jello!!! help your nails GROW Comments By: debbie on 2010-06-27 Ok I have had foot fungi for a long time now.I was told by my Grandma, IF I want my nails to grow I should eat Jello I have been eating jello at least 1 time a day for about 2 months and my toe/hand nails are growing pretty quick. It almost looks like my infection is growing out with the growth.I have only been using polyspornin. Soaking, sanding... been to the doctors and pills but they didnt work for my mom so... So I will try this with jello!   Give it time - it really works Comments By: Sweetfeet on 2010-06-27 I am on my third bottle of Vicks and all toes(yes all toes were affected with fungus)are looking so much healthier. I found that it took a good month to even start making a difference, but now almost every toe has cleared up. You really just need to give it a chance to work.   Vicks worked then i stopped using bad idea............. Comments By: anon on 2010-06-27 I got nail fungus on my finger nails from having tips & acrylic on. It started with one nail & quickly spread to more. I've tried all the popular remedies. Once I used vicks, clipped the nails very short it was all gone. My problem is that I thought since it was gone I could stop using the vicks. Now its back so this time I will keep using it even when it seems to be gone. My advice is to use baking soda as a paste in beween vicks treatment. Baking soda kills the spores. I then use vicks all night & even during the day. Keep clipping nails. Hope this works for you too. Above all be patient.   why does your nail turn black witg vicks? Comments By: pintsize on 2010-07-05 Ok so I started the vicks (generic ) ..I read on some of the comments that while using it , the nail turns black or dark. Why does the nail turn black?? Doesn't the nail going from yellow and brittle to dark/black a bad thing??   Try a Dremmel hand-held grinder for Appearance Comments By: Anon on 2010-07-20 On a visit to podiatrist years ago she used a small grinder to shape the overgrown big toenail. So I bought a small battery-powered Dremmel grinder myself and keep the nails under control and looking at least "sandal friendly". Just started Vicks a few weeks ago and the fungus seems to be fading... I think grinding the nail down closer (be careful not to go too far) may help the Vicks get closer to the stuff. Caution: When using the grinder, go in small bursts so the friction won't heat your nail -- hurts! -- & also stay away from the skin obviously. Use the lowest setting. Good luck   nail fungus Comments By: Gene on 2010-07-19 Dr. Isadore Rosenfeld on Fox news said he heard people using Vics Vapror rub. I have tried Lamisil for 3 months with no luck. I have lived with this nusance for many many years. I'll try it and we shall see. the only thing I have to loose is my ugly toe nails. today is day 2 I slept with it on last night. today I went out with it on my toes and had no problems so far. If this dont work, a pharmacist friend of mine once said he could make something up that will work. think I may try that if this is unsuccessful   Hoping against Hope ! Comments By: anon on 2010-07-24 Started the Vicks treament today first time. I know that you will all think I'm crazy but, I showered cleaned my nails and dried everything up really well. Then I lathered on the Vicks...over my whole foot and put on clean white socks.Three hours later....I had to look. The white chalky substance (fungus?) that lives under the tips of my toenails actually has changed color. Black ?...no but it is definately darker than the rest of the nail. ...I'll keep you updated been fighting this 20 years now !   Day One Comments By: Tired of embarrasing fungus on 2010-07-25 Twenty four hours ago I started to use the Vicks Vapor Rub on my big toe. I will give honest assessments once a week or so to show any progress. Till then....   Vicks vapor rub helps Comments By: Lucy from Pa. on 2010-07-27 I have had a fungus toenail for more years than I care to remember. My daughter told me about using Vicks on her toe and said it worked. Although I was skeptical I decided to try it. In three days the biggest part of my nail had come loose. I trimmed that part off and continued the treatment. Now I have just a small piece of nail left and it looks almost normal in color. I will continue to use the vicks in the hope that it grows back without the fungus returning. Rather a band aid on the toe than the ugly thing I had before.   treatment for toenail fungus Comments By: prasad on 2010-07-28 I used zeta clear from http://www.toenailfungusonline.com . Now i am really happy with this. My toenail fungus is purely cured.   working for me! Comments By: T on 2010-07-29 Have had nail fungus on all ten toes for years..tried all of the dr recommended treatments...no luck. Started vicks a few weeks ago...amazing...clearing up nicely...give it a try!   trying it today Comments By: Jay on 2010-07-31 Never heard of Vick's working.. But i will be trying it today... just hope im not buy for no reason. Will give update in a week.. be back in a week yall   trying and see results Comments By: dee on 2010-08-08 so i applied vapor rub last night and today morning i saw my nail seem dark and change was happening i heard this remedeefrom my god mother it help my godfather so i hope it works on me i hate not showing my toes   It Really does work (And I'm a born skeptic so if I say so...its true) Comments By: In Sandals Again on 2010-08-11 The longer you have had the toenail fungus the more patient you have to be until its gone. Also there are different types of fungus that cause your toenails to get infected so you might have to investigate a little and try a few remedies to find what works for you. I tried four different costly topical fungal treatments including the one that comes with a sublingual spray. It did nothing for me. Then I tried the vicks figuring , "What's there to lose". The next day I noticed a darkening of the infected area and in another day it was black. Jet Black. Not just the area of the nail I knew about, but down the sides as well. I kept putting the vicks on each night and after about two or three days my nails were clear. I will keep using the vicks till long after my toenails have grown out just to make sure. The vicks company has no comment and says it's ointment is NOT for toenail fungus but mark my words, the powers that be want us to spend money on "approved" fungal medications that may or may not work. Vicks is taking a huge bite out of their profits and they will see to it that in the not too distant future that THYMOL will be removed from the Vicks formulation. Im stocking up.   it does the trick Comments By: Mike on 2010-08-13 I HAVE FUNGAL NAIL INFECTION ON MY FINGERS AND HAVE BEEN RUBBING VICK ON THEM NIGHTLY.ITS NOT GOING TO BE A FIVE MINUTE CURE BUT I CAN SEE THE DIFFERENCE AFTER A FORTNIGHT.   Tried Vicks but ZetaClear worked better Comments By: Simon on 2010-08-22 I have read many comments that vicks works well on nail fungus. It's cheap, readily available ... but many would not know how many other chemical ingredients there are in Vicks. I am not disputing Vicks but ZetaClear worked quicker for me and I knew from the ingredients there was no possible side effects. If you have any doubts about vicks vaporub would like to know more about the ingredients http://nail-fungus-cures-that-work.com/nail/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=58   Vics Vapor Fungal Nail Treatment Comments By: Joyce on 2010-08-22 I am amazed and so pleased with the results so far with Vics for my fungal toe nails on both my large toes. I have used various treatments but NONE have worked as fast nor as effective as Vics. I didn't remove my nail polish but rubbed it under the nail and around the nailbed. My nails aren't near as thick and less tenderness and roughness. Even if I have to use it forever to prevent the return I am willing to do it. Hooray   Vicks works for toe nail fungus Comments By: dolphinofthesea on 2010-08-23 A friend told me about using Vicks Vapor Rub to cure toe nail fungus and I tried it. It worked beautifully, so I told my Mom, her nails cleared up. My brother is now using it and having great success. The most amazing result is my uncle. He was a shrimper and spent a lifetime wearing boots with wet feet. His toe nails were horrible. After using Vicks, his toe nails actually FELL OFF and revealed new healthy toe nail growing in. Amazing results   it worked on a fungus with rubrem in its name(cant remember the fist word) Comments By: chris on 2010-08-23 i had this fungus problem for 4 years and i was told to take these tablets, recently i went to the doctors and he told me that 1 more set of these tablets would be dangeroues so i came home and found this on the internet. i tried it i rubbed it on my toenails trice a day and soon they went dark yellow but after a month or so it went completely clear ^^ when it goes clear i suggest you still rub it on your toenails incase it hasn't completely dissapeared^^   easy way for those who dont have time to soak Comments By: mo-ray on 2010-08-27 This is what i do, i got a jar and put cotton balls n the jar with vinger. i would place the vinger soaked cotton ball on my two big toes for about 10mins twice a day, then i would apply the vick vapor rub on my two big toes with paper tape and cotton balls like a band-aid the cotton ball dry with in a few hours that way your not helping the fungus grow and the mentol is still present you'll feel it thou the day, do this twice a day i would do this and its clearing up pretty fast its easy fast and u dont have to soak for 30mins for those who dont like to sit there just waiting.:0) good luck   nail lacquer Comments By: Anon on 2010-08-29 Hi, i have had a nail infection for about 4 years. I tried the nail lacquer (ointment) for 2 years with no improvement (expect that it seemed to have stopped it from getting worse). I stopped treatment for a while and now the nail has become very brittle and is falling off. My doctor and chiropodist recommended taking terbenifine tablets but i am worried about getting liver problems from prolonged use. I have started using the nail laquer again as a gelling agent to stop the nail falling off but I want to give the vicks remedy a go. Do you think that i stop using the lacquer so that the vicks has better access to the nail? I would really appreciate a response. thanks!   nail lacquer Comments By: Anon on 2010-08-29 Hi, i have had a nail infection for about 4 years. I tried the nail lacquer (ointment) for 2 years with no improvement (except that it seemed to have stopped it from getting worse). I stopped treatment for a while and now the nail has become very brittle and is falling off. My doctor and chiropodist recommended taking terbenifine tablets but i am worried about getting liver problems from prolonged use. I have started using the nail laquer again as a gelling agent to stop the nail falling off but I want to give the vicks remedy a go. Do you think that i should stop using the lacquer so that the vicks has better access to the nail? I would really appreciate a response. thanks!   Dco recommended this method also. Comments By: Seth R. on 2010-08-29 My doctor recommended vicks vapor rub also. I havent tried it yet because I have to wait to buy new shoes and work boots. I've gotten rid of it before with shaving my nails down to bare skin with a dremel and then applying "tea tree oil". It came back because I was putting my feet in the same old shoes filled with my old fungus. So those of you who want to try this method or any method. Get rid of the fungus first and secondly get new shoes. Also. It takes almost 9 months for your nail to grow all the way out from cuticle to the tip. Trust me I've been through this before.   Lost Comments By: Paris on 2010-09-02 Hi everyone, I was very happy with all the positive comments here, so I decide to shared the vicks idea with my doctor and he went crazy. He said if it was as simple as rubbing a cream on a toe, why would he make me take medication for over 8 months and have my nails cut and cared for by a doctor twice a month ? He said the fungus not only affects my nail but other parts of my body including my blood. I dont know... My nails looked horrible a year ago, and now they are perfect, and before I went to see him I tried everything from bleach to vinegar, baking soda, lemon, coffe,nothing worked, well, good luck to you all.   question Comments By: Ebony on 2010-09-03 Can i try the baby vicks instead? plz someone tell me @ mizzchula10@gmail.com   Better than ''Off'' Comments By: bob on 2010-09-08 Vick's makes a fantastic fly and mosquito repellant   Husband said it worked Comments By: Anon on 2010-09-10 My husband tried it after trying a commercial over-the-counter product. He also tried vaseline, Hydrogen Peroxide, etc. Nothing worked for a few years. Then he tried Vicks; it took a few months but there is no visible evidence of fungus under his toenails (two toenails were infected). It's been several weeks since he stopped and so far, it doesn't seem to be back.   Thank you Comments By: Blondemama on 2010-09-12 Hi all, This site is brilliant - both my partner and I suffer with fungal nail so will definitely be trying the Vick method.Will post a note or the results at a later date. Thanks once again   never tried it befor ! Comments By: jenny on 2010-09-19 i noticed a few monthes ago i had a dark spot on my big toe nail a few weeks after going to a nail salon in hollywood florida..... a few weeks latter i woak up one morning and my toe was hurting really bad so i delt with it and gave it no mind.... a few more weeks latter it happend again and again i paid it no mined....stupid me... lol well i just came back from the water park with my kids and noticed my toe nail was yellow and lookes like it is coming off at the base of my nail and toe... am not sure what to do or what kind of fungus i have but am willing to try any thing thatw ill save my nail or atleast help... so with reading all the cxoments i think vick's its going to be!!!!! hope it work will post in a few weeeks and let every1 kno how its working wish me luck   I use lamisil cream (or the generic version) Comments By: ts on 2010-09-24 I have mild toenail fungus, that sometimes bothers me (painful) after running. I've tried vicks and sally's nail treatment, listerine, thymol... these kind of just seemed to kill the the fungus at the tips of my nails. But the lamisil is really killing all of it. I just push the cream under my nails with a q-tip and have been doing so for almost 3 months, at least every other day. of all the things i've tried, this has worked the best for me. it seems like if i keep doing this, it may eventually clear up at some point (i never had that feeling with the other products)   can diabetics use this procedure Comments By: Jackie on 2010-09-26 I am a diabetic and need to know if it is safe for me to use this Vicks on my infected toe? and also exactly what do I do ?   Can someone answer my question please? Comments By: Help! on 2010-09-27 I just noticed today that I had fungus on my 2 big toenails. My right toenail is more severe and it's almost falling off! My left one is not that severe. I don't want it to fall off, I never even knew what fungus was. This is the first time this is happening to me. If I put VaporRub will it remove the fungus and not make the nail fall off? or does it have to fall?   Different Causes; Different Cures Comments By: Kevin Hogan on 2010-09-29 Vicks Vaporub solved my toenail fungus problem. Twice a day, keep your feet dry and clean, takes about four months. It costs nothing but effort. My Theory: the fungus is a response to pH level in the body. Different diets, medications and metabolisms indicate different cures due to the acid/alkaline balance of your body chemistry. A question: do you think the folks who make and market Lamisil and the other VERY expensive treatments want you to know this? What other common knowledge is suppressed? It's not a conspiracy theory, it's marketing.   Vicks vapor rub fingernail fungus Comments By: Kim on 2010-09-30 I am currently using the Vicks remedy and as stated, 90+% effective. I must be within the 90+ ratio because it is most definitely working. My nail is growing back very nicely...   new treatment Comments By: ron on 2010-10-11 there is a new treatment where a heat laser is used to kill the fungus, a podiatrist does the procedure and it's 100% effective. I will be trying this there no need to take oral medicine that will damage the liver.   Seems to be working for me Comments By: Anon on 2010-10-18 I have had nail infection on all 10 toes for approx 20 years. Thought I'd try Vicks as tried lots and lots of other remedies which didn't work. Used Vicks just twice with nail varnish still on so couldn't see any effects, took nail varnish off and was shocked at the change!!! All nails look much better pinky white as oppose to yellow except big toe nails which show pinky white approx 1/2 cm. So brilliant start will definitely keep going with this..!! Let you know how it goes..!!   It helped somewhat Comments By: Bobby on 2010-10-24 I applied a small glob (about half the size of a pea) Vicks Vapor Rub daily; then put two bandaids over the Vicks for six weeks. I quit the above and started using Listerene. The nail is starting to turn dark at the base... After reading all of the above, will return to the Vicks.   Vicks Vapor rub Comments By: Luce on 2010-10-25 My doctor tolled me I have toe nail infection. I tryd Vicks but my nail didn't turn dark , why is that?   Going to try Vicks Vapo=rub Comments By: Rich on 2010-11-08 I used tea tree oil for 3 Months every day with no change on 3 nails My doctor said Lamasil causes terrible liver damage. He recommended Vicks rub and trim nail way back to expose the fungus,apply it at nite so the air and vicks can work overnite   Inpressed as a cough surpressant Comments By: Steve on 2010-11-14 My Co-worked suggested that I put Vick on my feet. Then put my sock on and try to go to sleep. I have a very nasty cough with a cold right now. I can not lay down to sleep. I have been forced to sleep sitting up in bed and still not getting a full nights rest. Well I found this web site while investigateing his claims, I have to tell you all I was able to sleep all nigh. Its my first good night sleep since I came down with this cold 6 days ago. I am so amazed that Vicks on the feet kept me from coughing. I woke up 9 hours later with the cough. WOW 9hrs it work, that awesome. I'll be using that remedy for the rest of my life. I too have a toenail fungus that has been there for years and years. I tryed a product called "Nonyx" it is expensive and had zero results. I can not wait to see if the Vicks cures my toes too.   Used it for 9 months Comments By: Susan on 2010-11-19 And my cat died. Cat used to sleep at the foot of my bed. She was 9 years old but healthy. Nails look good. Line of infections gone. Wouldn't have traded the cat going into this to side step a little toe discoloration. Oh well   My 5 left toes which are all infected Comments By: Lager on 2010-12-19 My 5 left toes which are all infected just seem to have softened with the Vicks, Thymol, TeaTree treatment. Two toes on my right foot which were becoming infected have all but cleared up. So severity seems to be an issue here. The left toes I keep cleaning daily, removing as much debris and glunk as I can then applying the treatment. Only time will tell.   Vicks works: but just under control Comments By: RB on 2010-11-23 Vicks will control my toenail fungus but doesnt seem to kill it. So far I have the appearance of a cure with regular use, if I back off on use my nails become 'nicotine stained'   Vicks Does NOT work ~ used it for 6 months Comments By: Marilyn on 2010-11-28 I was very optimistic at first and I was very determined not to give up. It looked good in the beginning. My big toe nail with the fungus turned black and fell off within the first month. I spent quite a lot of money on knuckle bandaides, not to mention covering my toe nail with Vicks every night. I also applied Vicks to the bandaide and in 6 months, I didn't miss changing the bandaide and Vicks application every night and left it on for 24 hrs. It looked as if most of the toe nail was growing out nice and clean, but after around 4 months, the nail started growing out with the fungus again. I couldn't stop it no matter how hard I worked with it. My conclusion is this ~ that the toe nail becomes resistant to Vicks after several months. In other words, the Vicks Vapor Rub won't help later down the road and the fungus will come back full force after 6 months of trying. Please believe me ~ I really gave it my best and was determined, but now I'm out almost 2 jars of Vicks and 7 boxes of fingertip bandaides that wrapped around my toe perfectly. I am just sparing you the time and effort of using this method that will disappoint you in the end.   Sand Nails paper thin before application Comments By: Big Green Ogre Man on 2010-12-05 My doc told me to take a file and file the nail paper thin before applying vicks so it will absorb more readily. My nails are SO thick, especially the big toes, that I literally had to haul out my orbital wood sander to do the job. I know the picture you have in your mind's eye, "Big ogre needed a wood sander to manage his toe nails." Weird at first, but it did the job and now I'm slathering vicks on and covering with a bandaid daily so it will stay in place and do the job. Already noticed exceptional results and will remain focused for the long haul. I'm encouraged.   Vicks and Thymol Comments By: lagertowen on 2010-12-04 The New York Times posted this blurb about the ingredient Thymol which is in Vicks Vaporub and the treatment of nail fungus. Thought I would share: In one study, scientists tested the antifungal effects of the ingredients in a generic medicated chest rub. Of the seven ingredients, thymol was among the most effective at inhibiting the growth of dermatophytes that cause nail fungus. Other studies in animals have also shown thymol oil to be effective against dermatophytes. And studies have also shown that thymol oil destroys another cause of nail fungus, Candida, by disrupting its cell membranes and metabolism. I'm using both, the Thymol, one drop on each toe, then covering it with Vicks. Will keep posted.   I hate nail fungus Comments By: lagger on 2010-12-05 My story is that I developed nail fungus in my mid teens at around 16. How, I'll never know but I have a ton of theories. The doctor back then told me there wasn't much to be done for it. This was before Lamisil came along so I just suffered with it and kept my nails trimmed back and the gunk out of the crevices. By the time I was 21 all 10 toenails were destroyed and crumbly and cakey and would fall or easily peel off with no pain but would continue to grow thick and discolored. I was working for a medical school then and asked a physician about it and he prescribed Lamisil. I was worried about the effects of Lamisil so I only took the first 30 day supply and never refilled the prescription. I think I was to use it for 60 or 90 days, I'm not sure. Anyway, my nail fungus was completely eliminated and stayed that way for several years. It slowly crept back 5 or 6 years later on one toe and before long all 5 toes on one foot were infected again. I'm now 34 and still have all 5 toes on my left foot and my "ring toe" on my right foot is also beginning to show signs. I have tried the vinegar treatments, the salt water treatments, all of the over the counter bottled treatments which don't penetrate the nail,the Clorox bleach pen, Tilex bathroom cleaner, idoine tincture, tea tree oil, Hibiclens, and even kerosene. I did all of these persistently for weeks and months at a time to no avail. At one time got a prescription for Lamisil from a new doctor but never filled it and was scared to considering I was a pretty heavy drinker. That was about 3 years ago. So here I am again hunting for a cure. I'm on day 2 of the Vicks Vaporub treatment and I don't expect any miracles but hey what the hell right? I also ordered some of the Thymol liquid. When it arrives I plan to drop it onto the toes (nailbeds) then cake on the Vicks and cover with socks. I've also heard of using a magnifying glass with sunlight on the nail beds and might as well give that a try too. The problem is penetrating the nails or getting under them. I have them cut back or pulled completely off, depending on which toe. I know it sounds gross but those of you that understand what I'm talking about won't be grossed out by it. The laser treatment sounds promising but I want to get more information on it before I shell out $1000. No one else in my family has suffered from this nor caught it from me. I think some of us are just more susceptible to it than others. I do know, even as a child, my left foot was always very dry and cracked if I was barefoot whereas my right foot always stayed normal. But it also sweats profusely if I have on socks and shoes. It's weird that only one foot does this. I think that foot is susceptible to the fungus and eventually spreads it to my other foot. Unlike some others, my toenails grow pretty fast and I have to trim them weekly. If I could ever nip this thing in the bud they would grow out in no time flat.   Vicks Treatment Comments By: Anon: on 2010-12-04 The Vicks will work but you must treat the insides of your shoes. To do this, put any of your shoes you have worn since you were infected with the fungus, in a plastic bag and keep in the freezer for 48 hours. Both works so dont give up. This may sound dirty but after treatment, wash you hands well and put shoes in a clean plastic bag and close well before putting in the freezer. No battled is won if you're not persistant so hang in there. You may want to wear clean white socks after applying the Vicks and before going to bed. Also, to insure not getting finger nails infected, I would use rubber gloves which can be found at most Dollar Stores, Walmart, Sams and many other stores. Good luck.   Pro Vick's VapoRub Comments By: Joyce on 2010-12-11 The nail on my big toe on the right foot was about 1/4" thick, dark and ugly. It stuck up so high it prevented me from wearing closed toe shoes. The doctor wanted to give me oral medication but when I found out how it could damage the liver, I told her I'd rather have an ugly toenail than an ugly liver. I had read about Vicks and thought I'd give it a try. I first soaked the toe in very warm water to soften it and then cut it as short as possible and filed the top layer off. I applied the Vicks, rubbing it in well and put on a white sock before going to bed. The next morning I reapplied the Vicks and wrapped a bandage around it before going to work. Within two days, the nail had turned dark but in about three weeks, I noticed new growth at the bed and it was WHITE!!! I continued the Vicks and trimming the nail every two weeks. In about 6 months I had a beautiful toenail and got my very first pedicure. That was 6 years ago and I still have a beautiful nail.   Been using Vicks for less than a week Comments By: Lager on 2010-12-09 I've been using Thymol, Tea Tree, and Vicks for less than a week and wanted to share my experience so far. I've had nail fungus since I was about 16. I took Lamisil at around age 22 when all 10 toenails were affected and it cleared up in a few months. A few years later it came back and I'm now 34 and not willing to take Lamisil again. The Tea Tree, Thymol, and Vicks have soften my toenails considerably. My big toe on my left foot is infected from the tip of the nail 1/2 way to the cuticle. I've clipped it back that far, cleaned it as thoroughly as I could and have been applying a drop of Tea Tree, a drop of Thymol and coating the Vicks on thickly. The other four nails on the same foot are completely torn off so I am starting from scratch with them. Hopefully they will grow in normally this time. Only time will tell. As others have said persistence is the key with this type of a treatment. I've tried all of the other over-the-counter remedies over the years from nail fungus drops, to Clorox bleach pen, to salt water and vinegar, to Hibiclens, to iodine, to even Tylex and kerosene. If I have to apply this for 6 months twice a day or more I am determined to beat it this time. I will be posting pictures of my progress online as time goes by if anyone is interested. I will follow up with a link once I get some pictures taken and uploaded.   surprising remedy that appears to be working Comments By: geoff on 2010-12-16 I have suffered the problem for an extended period 2 years and nothing seemed to work asked the doc and was advised about pills for 3months etc . Read your tips and tried good old Vicks and hey presto it rally seems to b working in quite a short time...great . I would say if you have the problem give it a go youve nothing to loose!!!   Just started trying this on toenails, fingernails, feet Comments By: Robbin on 2010-12-20 As an added precaution--When applying to my feet, I use a clean finger each time I need to dip into the Vicks. Then wash my hands and dry before doing fingernails. Also, I read somewhere that as the nails grow out you should be clipping them. Also, as an added precaution each time I use the clippers I put them in a solution of disinfectant or sanitizer.   This works. Almost like magic. Comments By: Anon on 2010-12-21 I've been fighting a nail infection which I was lucky to catch fairly early on, caused by wearing stockings and heels day in/day as part of my professional dress. I've been doing some home care in the hopes of avoiding prescriptions that might harm me in a more significant way in the future, and while I understand that I will very likely have to take some prescription meds to eradicate the problem completely, I am having some very good luck with home remedies. For me, the magic combination has been distilled white vinegar and Vicks Baby Rub. I apply both with a Q-tip, painting them on like I would fingernail polish. I start with the vinegar, which I do not dilute further than the 5% concentration straight from the bottle. I paint the vinegar on the nails for several minutes, taking great care and making sure to get the vinegar up under the edge of my nails. I allow the vinegar to air dry, then I move on to the Baby Rub. I apply the baby rub in the same manner--with a Q-tip--painting on a thin coat, and taking care to get the baby rub up under the edge of the nails. I'm not saying this has worked like a magic potion, but it's something akin to that! After only two days, I can see a marked difference in my nails. The nail of my left big toe looks almost normal. On both feet, the thickening has been considerably reduced and the color of my nails is improving (I was fortunate to have caught this infection before any blackening of the nail, etc.) I can only imagine the improvements that will come with continued, regular care. I can understand people's skepticism of this attempt at treatment, but the vinegar and the Vicks Baby Rub really have helped me. If you're on the fence, I recommend giving the combination a try. What have you got to lose?   Yahoo! 1 is for awesome! Comments By: janet on 2010-12-27 I had toenail fungus for years and tried everything from perscription drugs(that can harm your liver) to over the counter ointments. Non of them worked!!! My cosmotologist told me about vicks vapor rub and to be patiant. WOW! In 6 months it really worked! I am a true believer in vicks. Even though my nails are a beautiful white now I still use the vicks every other day to keep them white.   Yahoo! 1 is for awesome! Comments By: janet on 2010-12-27 I had toenail fungus for years and tried everything from perscription drugs(that can harm your liver) to over the counter ointments. Non of them worked!!! My cosmotologist told me about vicks vapor rub and to be patiant. WOW! In 6 months it really worked! I am a true believer in vicks. Even though my nails are a beautiful white now I still use the vicks every other day to keep them white.   Thanks Everyone! Comments By: Linda on 2010-12-26 Came here 4 wks ago. Tried vapo rub. It's working.   Worked for me as well Comments By: jackie on 2010-12-29 Yes, it does work to my surprise. No need for taking dangerous meds anymore.   It's Working Comments By: kris faux on 2010-12-30 Try it! I've been putting up with the fungus, for three years, I've been using the vapor rub 3 day and it's alredy improved so much I can't believe it! I'm so excited not trip to the doctors, and no script to fill!   nail fungus both on her fingers Comments By: DonnaNavarro on 2010-12-30 My 4 year-old daughter has nail fungus both on her fingers and on her toes. I think she got it from her father who has a history of this fungal infection. I was in panic until I got on this website recommending Vicks and distilled white vinegar. I will try both after I get off from work. Hope it will work for her..   OVERNIGHT PART1 .. Comments By: ATOMIC on 2011-01-05 SO I READ ALMOST EVERY POST YESTERDAY DECIDED TO TRY IT LAST NIGHT .... WOKE UP THIS MORNING AND MY TOE NAIL WAS BLACK SO IM GUESSING ITS WORKING I APPLIED IT AGAIN THIS MORNING BEFORE WORK SO LETS SEE IF I KEEP THE CYCLE GOING AND I SEE SOME RESULTS THANKS EVERY ONE FOR THE POST/STORY'S..   Vicks vapor rub Comments By: Bonnie wants pretty Toe Nails on 2011-01-05 Been dealing with Nail Fungus. Took the pills with no results. Had to trim my toe nails tonight. A friend told me about Vicks vapor Rub a year ago. Well I made the decision tonight to start it. After reading all the comments. I feel I don't have any thing to lose. I must say I trimmed my toe nails and applied Vicks and put a pair of white socks on. My toe nails started to feel hmmmmmm how can I put this. Like a war zone going on. Maybe its working. I will post on this site as the time goes on. Sure hope this works for me. Going to start to use something in my shoes. Make sense that you reinfect them wearing them daily. Wish me luck.   Unbelievable Comments By: Hinky on 2011-01-12 I got an email with tips about Vicks vapor rub. Whatit was good for...outside of a rub for your chest when you had a cold. I remembered something about toenail fungus,so when I got one I came to research it ... Found this site and read all the posts..Thought well OK lets try it...I did about 6 days ago.. Tonight I took my slipper off and looked down..I couldn't believe my eyes! My toenail had lost that black color.. it was almost normal color again..I was estatic. Called my daughter-in-law to see it (she was waiting to see if it helped me) she said Oh my Gosh!!! Then came in my room and rubbed it on her toenail..So we will see if it helps her too.. Hey it's for real...it has taken mine away..Be diligent and rub it on at least 2 times a day. I also filed the top of the nail a little before rubbing it on too. Just to rough it up some so it could soak in. Good Luck!   VICS Comments By: BJ on 2011-01-20 IT WORKS. I'VE HAD THIS PROBLEM FOR A LONG TIME. I'VE BEEN USING VICS FOR ABOUT 3 MONTHS (EVERY DAY AFTER A SHOWER, AND ON WITH THE SOCK.   So far, so good Comments By: Anon on 2011-01-20 I've had a relatively mild nail fungus for about 2 years. It only seemed to affect 2 toes. I tried OTC treatments with no luck. Read about Vicks and, like so many other posters, felt I had nothing to lose. I applied Vicks for the first time last week and I'm already noticing a difference. Color looks better and no flakiness. If I've had this response in just a week, I think I'll stick with it.   working slowly Comments By: Jim on 2011-01-25 I've been using Vicks for about 6 months. I try to use it everyday but sometimes it's every other. I had thick yellow nails that had some minor cracking for years. The vicks has definety improved the way my nails look and the cracking and thickness have definetly improved. I never had my nails turn dark or black from using the Vicks but one thing I have to keep telling myself is that my nails have to completly which takes months. I slather the vicks on and rub it all over the nail and cuticle and put socks on. It does work if you make it part of your daily routine. I've tried all the nail laquers and they don't work. The vicks seems to melt into the nail, all the nail laquers sit on top which is why they don't work. I also think because the vicks melts into the nail, the nail itself becomes antifungal which is major when your trying to kill something so invasive. The vicks is also absorbed by the surrounding skin which can also spread the fungus. This has been the only thing that has worked for me and for less the 6 bucks you can't beat the price. I'm just finishing my first jar. Be patient and you'll see results.   The Vicks method Comments By: Texas gent on 2011-01-31 I have had toenail fungus on eight of my ten toes for a period of over 40 years. It varies from black and thin to yellow thick and crumbly. It started in Vietnam, wearing wet boots for long periods of time. It has got worse over the years and it was time to do something about it. I have tried the over the counter products with no luck so now I am trying a short bleach soak then the Vicks Vapor rub. Too soon to tell but what confuses me is the second toe of each foot have no issues and are in great shape. There has been no cross contamination. I will repost as time goes on because I am determined to get rid of this disgusting stuff.   The Vicks method Comments By: Texas gent on 2011-01-31 I have had toenail fungus on eight of my ten toes for a period of over 40 years. It varies from black and thin to yellow thick and crumbly. It started in Vietnam, wearing wet boots for long periods of time. It has got worse over the years and it was time to do something about it. I have tried the over the counter products with no luck so now I am trying a short bleach soak then the Vicks Vapor rub. Too soon to tell but what confuses me is the second toe of each foot have no issues and are in great shape. There has been no cross contamination. I will repost as time goes on because I am determined to get rid of this disgusting stuff.   First timer Comments By: charz on 2011-02-01 Because of so many problems, toenails is really the big mistakes of my life. But just today I've read a lot of comments and suggestions about vicks. I think I,ll gonna start using right now. I hope it'll gonna work. Pls. tell me if vicks vaporub here in Phil. is still the same ingredients with vicks vaporub in USA? Thank u.   Black toenail back to normal Comments By: Anon on 2011-02-02 I had a totally black nail on my big toe. I used a combination of natural remedies I found on the Internet. In the morning, I used Tea Tree Oil on cotton with a band-aid. At night I used Vicks under a band-aid. When watching TV, I soaked it in vinagar for 15 to 30 minutes. In about 30 to 45 days, the nail went from dark black to light gray and the new nail growing out is natural color.   GREAT TIP Comments By: Sherrie C. on 2011-02-10 I have been using vicks on both my big toes for 3 months now. One is completely healed the other is almost done. This is a GREAT TIP! I have told everyone I know about it and not to spend money on expensive medicine.   Seems to be working Comments By: Joe on 2011-02-12 After finding this post a couple of days ago I went and but the Walgreen's version of Vics Vapor Rub and have been putting it on my big left toe with a band aid over it, when I go to sleep. During the day I do nothing. It seems to be working as the toe nail is turning dark, as mentioned.   Perseverance is key Comments By: Awesome Durbanite on 2011-02-17 I have been using a combination of Vicks and Tea Tree Oil since the beginning of January and it seems to be working. Have been using tea Tree oil in the morning and another dab during the day. After taking a shower in the evening I put a drop of tea tree oil, give it half an hour to absorb and put a blob of vicks afterwards. I have seen some amazing results as all the thickness is almost gone and the nail looks clearer.   THICK TOENAILS - FUNGUS or GENETIC?? Comments By: Thelma Gaughan on 2011-02-27 Thanks to the person who suggested Vicks. I have asked my podiatrist and he said it's genetic. I am elated to have another way to try to get rid of this!   Vicks works for some! Comments By: Anon on 2011-03-03 I have two infected toenails... one has cleared completely with the use of Vicks. One is much improved. My husbands' diabetes doctor says it works for about 80% of his patients. Even if I have to always use the Vicks, it is better than dealing with the fungus as it was. My husband has also been using it and his are improved, but he did not have as good results as what I had. Side note: I read about a new laser treatment approved by the FDA in October. I haven't tried it yet because it is about $1000 per treatment.   Another remedy that works Comments By: B Wagner on 2011-03-05 I have had athletics feet for 10 years.I remembered a treatment that my grandmother (who was Indian)did to me when I was little and had ring worm. So I tried it on my feet because ring worm and athletics feet are almost the same virus..She took copper pennies dipped them in vinegar then placed raw bacon on top wrapped it up. Did that for two nights and it was completly gone. Well I did the same thing on my feet and IT IS GONE FOR GOOD..trust me it works only takes 2 days it really severe do it a few extra days...I suffered so long with my feet and tryed everything even lamisel that has serious side effects ...that only took it away for about 6 months and it was back ...now its gone completely   Watkins Salve worked for me Comments By: Jody on 2011-03-24 I had yellowish, white spots on my toenail & used Watkins Salve on it. In 2 days, it has cleared up & I can barely notice that anything was wrong! Thank goodness my grandmother made us keep Watkins Salve in the house at all times!!!   What is the best way to keep VicsVapRub on toes a.m/p.m. Comments By: Steph on 2011-03-08 Hello, I have read the majority of comments. I have five toes with thick toenails infected. I started filing them down. First how often should I file them? Should I soak first in vinegar, let dry then apply VVR? AND what is the best way to keep VVR on toes during the day and night? Look forward to you replies. Thanks so much.   Vicks VapoRub Does Work Comments By: Aaimee on 2011-03-08 I had one nail on the big toe that was half black. The nail on the other big toe was mostly a yellowish color. I put the VapoRub on twice a day for about 5 months. Both nails look great. I can now wear sandals without feeling self-conscious. I now put it on once a day to maintain the healthy nails. I have also been putting it on all the toenails and they are looking healthier. It's worth a try.   The smell? Comments By: BobSr on 2011-03-09 I am ready to give this a try, but am concerned about walking around every day smelling like Vapor Rub. Any suggustions?   Results! Comments By: anon on 2011-03-09 Reserving total judgement until 7 months is up but have been using the vicks for a month and a half and already have new nail from the base. I have been through pills, lacquer, and removing the nails with no results. Atleast with this is cheap and seems to be working.   Vicks seems to be working:) Comments By: Anon on 2011-03-12 I have had nail fungus on my big toe for years. I always painted my nails so you could not notice it. Until recently it started to get worse and my nail started lifting. I'm trying to Concieve and was worried about harmful medications. Whilst looking for a gentle way to cure it I came across people suggesting vicks. I gave it ago three days ago and it looks much better already. So I can't imagine how it's going to be in months time. Hopefully fungus free.   is it actually working? Comments By: Scooby on 2011-03-14 i have been using vicks vapour rub now on my big toe everyday once a day for 3 weeks and im hardly seeing any results. The first time i applied the lotion i felt a burning sensation-a very strong burning sensation which made me think i needed to go the hospital, nevertheless i didnt and have continued to use the formula. Nothing seems to be happening tho.   It works, and works really well Comments By: Fitness Fanatic on 2011-03-15 Had a nail with some fungus, not much, about less than a third. Tried some other liquid that did not help. Read about Vick's, and used it. It started to work immediately...within 2 days I saw changes, and now it's gone. Save your money, and use Vick's. It's amazing.   Differences Comments By: Andrea on 2011-03-16 There are many different toenail fungus. If you have used the vapor rub and it didn't work it might be because you have a different kind of nail fungus. My advise to anyone who is using this remedy is to first wash your feet and make sure your toes are completely dry. Get a q-tip and alcohol and go underneath the toe nail to dry up the water. Massage the vapor rub into the toenail and underneath the toenail. The menthol in the vapor rub will smother the fungus so it can't grow and spread. Just make sure you dry the water out from underneath the toenail or the fungus will keep growing because fungus likes moisture and that is how it survives.   Awesome Comments By: Sky on 2011-03-19 I read about using the Vick's rub in a magazine, and starting using it and it has worked like magic. My toe nail was black and if I wanted to wear sandals I had to use a very dark nail polish. Now I can wear the light shades because my toe nail is clear. This really does work   Vicks Comments By: Linda on 2011-03-22 I've had a toenail fungus for 20 years. Got it working at a pool. Tried the Vicks and my nail didn't turn black, but got very soft and started peeling away.I have something hard, like a nail bed on the toe, but I'm continuing to use the Vicks. I will til summer and then I'll try to polish the bed area.   Not sure if Vick's will work for me... Comments By: mamamoomoo on 2011-03-24 I have had toenail fungus on my right big toe for as long as I can remember. I have no idea how I even got it. But my toenail is brownish, thick, and detached from my nail bed. It also has a smelly gunk under the nail. My foot has been swollen for the last 2 years...causing my to wear shoes that are different sizes, or not able to wear my shoes anymore period. Within the past few months, the bottom of my foot has begin to look infected with something, obviously the fungus, causing bumps and sores and severe peeling. The top of my foot is flaky, and I noticed yesterday that now my shin skin is starting to become discolored, almost eczema looking. Its a really ugly rash growing up my leg. I have read the comments, after hearing about Vicks a while ago. I am hopeful that it works for me.... i really am not a pill taker. any suggestions or has anyone heard of these symptoms???   still not to sure if its working Comments By: scooby on 2011-03-28 recently i posted about this idea of using vicks on my toe. its been another few weeks now since my last comment. Before i used vicks my nail was dry looking and yellow..but after applying the vicks its looking moisturised and not as bad as what it was. I dont feel comfortable in walking around in flip flops yet but i must say the nail does look abit better and tougher. iv been doing this for nearly 8 weeks now- hardly seeing a drastic change to be honest but i will continue. makes me wonder how it will look in a few weeks.   Vicks and Tea Tree Oil Comments By: Jacqueline Arnold on 2011-03-29 I cleared my nail fungus by using Vicks at night and putting Tea Tree Oil on every morning. It took about two weeks to clear up.   Professional With Open Mind Comments By: Ben Sibley on 2011-03-29 Im a practising Podiatrist in Australia and have found this topic to be of interest. I have never tried Vick Vapour rub as a treatment. One suggestion that I suggest that may speed up recovery. Have the affected/ diseased nail trimmed off or filed back. Then the remaining nail may respond more quickly and more effectively. Im definately going to give this remedy a trial in clinic.   Dark why? Comments By: E- on 2011-03-31 I have heard the one of the first signs that you have fungus in your nail is that it turns darker prior to growing thick and really looking terrible. So, maybe, it gets dark again when using vick's as a way of going backwards in the process. Not, sure, but that is my hypothesis.   Wish I would've tried this 2 years ago when I 1st saw it... Comments By: Kimby on 2011-04-01 Started using Vicks todayas I began reading the thread (cuz summer is coming, and I really love shoes) Haven't been able to wear sandles/ heels for most of my 50 ys. I might miss THIS season, I started the Vicks hours ago at the beginning of this thread. I'm still suffering thinking of throwing away all my shoes (they all have toes of course, so maybe I'll get over it when my shoe wardrobe are all w/out toes), BUT I'm taking no chances. Freezing, lysol...I'm confused on this issue BUT Thx for the inpiration comrades. Feel like I have a new lease on life.   Laser Comments By: Rone on 2011-04-03 Laser done 2 weeks ago toe nails are thinning out and starting to grow rapidly also using nailesse 2x a day fir 1st month, then 1x day for remaining 7 mos. when I go to 1x day I will start adding Vick at night... Only thing is the base of my nail beds are turning white. I think it's important to wash all socks in bleach. I will post results.   excellent and it works ! Comments By: Ade on 2011-04-05 I had a yellow line down my big toenail which I thought was a split but soon realised it wasnt - it was some kind of fungus which I tracked down on google images ! Put Vick on last night and withing 12 hours the yellow had turned black - had a nice bath tonight and soaked the toe - then removed the crappy stuff from under the nail - it definately works ....Im going to continue until the nail grows out   I'll be damned! Comments By: The piggy that went to market on 2011-04-05 I've been using the Vicks for about three weeks. The fungus turned black and now the black part is growing out. Big toes definitely starting to clear up. This is actually working!   This really does freaking WORK!!! Comments By: Anon on 2011-04-08 I have had fungus toenails for about 9-10 years. I'm 24. My fault tho because I never did anything about it. I was too embarrassed to even bring it up. I'm a female. Were suppose to have beautiful feet. Well I had both pinky toes and one big toe with fungus and I came across that VICKS helps get rid of it so I tried it and honestly I saw results within 2 days. I was mainly worried about the big toe but I'm surprised how much it's been clearing up. The 2 pinky toes are taking a bit longer, they are thick yellow and dark but im seeing improvement. What I do tho is I take a cotton ball, soak it in peroxide and clean each toenail after it's dried I apply vicks to each toenail, even inside the nail. I do wear socks. It really works. I've been doing this for a little over a month now. I wish I would of known this years ago.   IT REALLY DOES WORK Comments By: Amelia on 2011-04-10 My poor 77-year old mother had her toes so bad, they were just so ugly she felt ashamed. I hear about using Vicks for foot fungus and thought, "WHY NOT TRY IT". I told her about it and she was at the point she would try anything. IT REALLY REALLY WORKED. The toe nail did turn BLACK, but she said underneath the black toe nail, she had a new nail growing. One foot down, and one to go. I am so happy for her.   REPLACE YOUR SOCKS & SHOES Comments By: Amelia on 2011-04-10 You definetly need to replace all your shoes and all your socks....and while under this treatment, keep replacing socks and shoes in stages, until it is all cleared. This will help make sure the fungus goes away. Fungus is one of those things that can hang on and come back. You have to be diligent about cleanliness if you want to get better.   meanwhile... Comments By: The piggy that went to market on 2011-04-18 Checking back in and this will probably gross a lot of you out but here goes... Last night I was filing on the infected nail and getting ready to do the Vicks. I hadn't even realized how much the nail had softened, but it simply came off- the fungal part that had turned dark. It didn't hurt. And (gross) the fungal gunk underneath also came off. It was all spongy and soft- yeecchh! I have a little corner of exposed nailbed at the top of my toe, and that doesn't hurt either. The thing that freaked me out was wondering if the Vicks was merely softening my toenails and maybe they were going to come off altogether bc of it. I haven't over-filed. Just enough to thin the nail thickness to normal and allow the vicks to penetrate. But the healthy nail remaining seems as hard as a rock. So good news everybody! In my case this appears to be working like a charm and I don't have to resort to putting my liver and my bank acct. at risk with the oral meds. Yay!   I'll try again Comments By: Emmanuel on 2011-04-19 I've trying to get rid of my fungus on my right toenail. I soacked my toe all night long in vinegar during two months. Then I tried to alternate with Vicks Vapor Rub. At first you think it works because the nail becomes lighter, but even by continuing the treatment, this bloody fungus comes back. More recently, I removed the nail with a special treatment "Onychoset". This takes three weeks to remove the nail completely and then I applied some polish "Loceryl" during the growth of the nail. The nail started to grow nice and clean but after two month, the fungus was back (still doing the treatment. Because there are so many testimonial on this forum, I will try again Vicks Vapor Rub twice a day during but I'm very sceptical. I'll keep you posted.   Don't bother Comments By: Anon on 2011-05-11 I've tried this for 6 months due to breastfeeding which means I can't try most things including tea tree oil. It has not made any improvement but I continued using it as I can't use anything else at the minute. I don't know if it has stopped the infection from spreading but it has certainly not cured it. 6 months is a long time of faffing on with no visible result. Unless you're desperate I wouldn't waste my time!   filing the excess toe nail Comments By: Olle on 2011-05-11 I have had the fungus for more than 30 years. It has gone from my big toe where it started and spread to all. I haven't tried Vicks yet but have kept the nails thin by using my Drimmel Tool to sand off the excess. Now I will try Vicks after I file off the excess and see if it penatrates to the nail bed.   Might as well Comments By: mike on 2011-05-01 I've had these weird toenails for a few years and nothing has worked. It is embarrasing to go anywhere without socks. Having these SUCKS ASS! I started using the vapour rub today and I'm hoping for the best...   Response to Sccoby post on 3-14-2011 Comments By: "C" on 2011-05-05 Try using Vicks VapoRub "ointment" instead instead of the cream. Before bed, completely cover toenail and surrounding cuticle area with ointment. Then, place breathable band-aids over the toenail and cuticle to keep ointment in place. Perhaps this will provide better and faster results.   Vicks Vapor rub works! Comments By: Anon on 2011-05-20 Dear All, I had a fungal toe nail for 3 years (since my final year at university). The nail lacquer did not help except to stop it getting much worse which I realised when I got frustrated & stopped using it! The nail then started to go black & most of it had fallen off. Therefore, I thought I have nothing to lose and read about Vicks on these forums. I first used it in Sept 2010 & by May 2011 the nail looks healthy and has completely grown back. I rubbed Vicks into the toe nail every morning after my shower & this seems to have been enough. I will continue the treatment for another few months to try & ensure it is completely gone. Good luck & hope this helps other people!   A Concern Comments By: Carol on 2011-05-28 I have an old jar of Vicks Vapo Rub and it lists thymol as an inactive ingredient. New bottles do not list thymol! Anyone know if they have changed the formula? Anyone buying straight thymol and having it work..if so..how and where? (I am just starting the Vicks application for 'athlete's foot of the toenail').   Vicks Works For Me! Comments By: Anon on 2011-05-31 I don't do a lot of posting on these things but I am compelled to do so here. Vicks Vapor Rub (or the generic brand that I have been using) is working beautifully. Both big toes especially the left one had gotten really bad. It looked plain nasty and ugly and I was so embarrassed to show my feet. It had been getting progressively worse for over 6 months and off and on for years. I've been really frustrated because I've tried over the counter topical anti-fungals and nothing was working. And I'm not looking for liver damage so I never considered Lamisil. Nearly 3 months ago, I started using tea tree oil with some success but I wasn't sure since progress was so slow. It could have been that I was giving my toes more attention and it was stopping it from getting worse, but still not making it much better. Toes still look very thick, discolored and raised/detaching. My feet in general remained fairly dry and cracked. I was still very unhappy. I then switched it up and started with the Vicks treatment of applying a glob to each toe after a shower. Periodically, I would file the top of the nail to thin it and increase penetration. I also would make sure I got it in under the nail and clipped away as much "bad" nail as I could without it hurting or bleeding. The result has been astounding. In maybe 2 months, I have significant new, healthy nail growth. Yes, the nail turned dark at first and stayed that way for weeks but I could also see clear nail growing at the base and working its way out. I currently have a well attached, mostly clear nail on both big toes and my other toes are just pretty and healthy as they can be. I'm sticking with my routine until my jar runs out and evaluate then but doubt I'll discontinue my usage anytime soon. I'm an athlete and this treatment has been a godsend because I also don't get the itching from athletes foot anymore. Hope this helps anyone who is suffering from toe fungus. It sucks and I am so much happier now. Broke out the new feet at the pool yesterday! Yeah baby!   2nd application Comments By: Dana on 2011-06-08 My mother just told me about the vicks rub so I deciede to try it. After having it my toes for a few hour for the second time I did notice that my nails look darker and really dirty. I was able to scrape alot of crusty stuff from around my nails.. Dont really know if it will cure it, but it seems to be doing something.   I love vicks!!!!! Comments By: Tatertot4me on 2011-06-14 I tried this method and it worked great! I'm so self conscience that I never wear sandals well this summer sandals here I come!!   Vicks and toe infection & fungus Comments By: Pat Liberato on 2011-06-15 Has anybody ever had a red infected toe with the fungus.? My Dr. has prescribed Lamsil, but because of the side effects I am hesitant about taking it.   Giving it a go Comments By: Anon on 2011-06-17 I'm 33 years old and have had darker than normal toenails since I was a kid. Possibly from spending my summers in SC constantly running around barefoot with my cousins. Played high-school and college basketball plus tons of tournaments which I don't assume helped. My big toe on my left foot is brown and thick (the worst). The rest are thicker than they should be and partially brown (except 4 big toe on right foot). Basically my toenails are ugly which sucks cause the overall structure of my feet are great plus I work hard 2 stay in shape and it sucks going 2 the beach with water shoes on (moved from NY 2 FL a few months ago). My girlfriend found this site and I decided 2 try a combination of tea tree oil and Vicks twice a day. Only started about 5 days ago but my middle toe on my left foot has lightened slightly. I know it's gonna take some time so I'm gonna practice patience. My girl's tired of me scratching her ankles lol   Almost Done!!!! Comments By: the piggy that went to market on 2011-06-30 If you have been following my progress, you may have seen my last post about the yecchy nail that came loose when the Vicks finally softened it. Once that grew out a little bit, I even started putting on nail polish and continued to make sure to penetrate the Vicks every night on the cuticle and under the nail edge. Well amazing news. The fungus is almost completely gone. I started doing this in February and now it is almost July. At the start I had fungus with a huge raised ridge and the nailbeds starting to lift on the outside corner of both big toes. Its practically gone! I realize that there are different types of nail fungus and this may not work for everyone- but here is my advice if you want it: 1. Remove nail polish for the time being... 2. Periodically file the top of the nail to thin it and let the vicks penetrate. Once a week is enough. 3. Every night glob the vicks on to your affected toes and put on clean socks. 4. Wear sandals whenever you can get away with it. Yes your toes are ugly. Get over it. They need to breathe if you can manage it. 5. If the toenail turns dark brown that is a very good thing. You killed the fungus! Vicks will work for you. 6. At some point, the fungal part of the nail will be really soft and possibly 'flake' or 'crumb' off when you do your weekly filing. Don't freak out (like I did) even if it exposes some nailbed. Keep putting on the Vicks 7. Don't be impatient. Put it on everynight for 6 months and then forget about it until tomorrow night. Toenails grow slowly. 8. Once you have enough healthy nail growing, nail polish is ok- but keep doing the vicks at night! 9. Finally once you have clear healthy nails keep putting on the vicks at night anyway. Think of it as preventative hygiene. It only takes a minute to do... Good luck! I'm wearing sandals now and my nails were lifting and looked awful last February. I am probably less than one month from having it completely gone. Remember- if it turns your nail dark in an area after one or two treatments then it will kill the type of fungus you have.   Watching result one month after starting Comments By: Estelle on 2011-07-01 My left big toenai, injured years ago, grew out deformed, and lately came off after hooking on something. The right big toenail developed fungus after having nailpolish on for too long, and escaped detection until it was too late. The podiatrist clipped it and filed the tops of both nails. The left nail is very slowly growing a new good toenail, but the right one is not, after more than a month of Vick's, recently prescribed by a new doctor. He told me to use it every night for three months, but there's no guarantee. I think there's an improvement though, and will persevere. He wasn't explicit about infection spreading to all nails etc. I have never used the socks, or gotten rid of shoes etc, but am wondering about it now, I will freeze my shoes for 48 hours before tossing them. A tip for filing the tops of nails: use pieces of fine sandpaper. It works like a charm. I just read my Vick's label. It does not contain Thymol. I'm wondering whether they have indeed removed it, and in doing so, reduced efficacy. Anyone have the answer? Your site is wonderful, and extremely informative, thanks to all the posters.   Fungus for 3 Years!!!! Comments By: Eric on 2011-07-13 I have been struggling for the past 3 years with a very stubborn fungus on my toenails. I have had prescriptions from my doctor and nothing has worked. I began using Vicks Vapor Rub about 5 days ago and it is working amazingly!!!!!   It works Comments By: Laura on 2011-07-20 yellow thickening nail on large toe - heard about Vick @ Dr Gott - applied it everynite with Q-tip - rub it in - and under nail - keep it thick - loose bandaid over it so the sheets won't rub it all off - 4 days later - the big yellow patch is gone - replaced by a tiny dark pink area - cannot believe how fast its working!   All the way from sweden Comments By: betty on 2011-08-01 I have had fungal infection for several years. I have tried lamisil, sporonox and even traditional herbs from africa. The herbs worked but unfortunately they got finished and the nails became reinffected. I read your posts and I bought Vicks today. I have fungal inffection all over my feet and all nails. There is a new fungal infection treatment in sweden called nalox. I have used it since february. When I first used, new nails grew after two months after some time I was invited to a party and I applied nail polish. When I removed the polish my nails were back to square one. Does any one know if it is safe to use vicks and nalox? I applied nalox in the morning and after one hour i applied vicks. We'll se if vicks will work. I have nothing to loose if it will not work. Â