There is a small contingent of people who recommend using Vicks vapor rub for nail fungus infections. If you apply the ointment to the nail on a daily basis, these reports claim that the infection will eventually resolve. Other testimonials claim that they have used this home remedy without success, and there is, apparently no medical research to back up claims that this treatment works.
Whatever we think of nail fungus and vaporub cures, it's true that there is a growing body of evidence that plant extracts can be very effective at killing fungus. Herbal extracts such as oil of oregano, neem oil, tea tree oil and the extracts of other less familiar plants have been used and some have scientific backing. Though there is no information on the effect of using mint extract on fungus, using Vicks vapor rub for nail fungus would be exposing the fungus to menthol on a daily basis. Provided the extract was contacting the fungus, this might work in a similar way to other essential oil preparations.
Some supporters of Vicks vapor rub for nail infections caution that the treatment works best on thin nails, particularly children's nails, a statement that supports the idea that the ointment is capable of penetrating the nail to some extent. Another caution is that the ointment results in a yellowish discoloration of the nail. This should be a temporary discoloration however, and might not discourage one too much: it seems that nail fungus and vaporub both cause a yellow hue in infected nails. When the fungus is gone and the nail grows out, the yellow color should be gone.
Treatment with Vicks vapor rub for nail fungus has the advantage of being relatively cheap compared to other preparations, and it is certainly safer than taking a systemic drug as long as all safety precautions on the product are observed; however, given Vick's patchy record of success, it might be prudent to choose a different home remedy. First, you should get a professional opinion about your abnormal nail. There are a number of different nail abnormalities that can mimic a fungal nail infection and only a physician can differentiate between them or order the appropriate diagnostic tests.
Ultimately, if you have a diagnosis of nail fungus infection, or onychomycosis, and you want a home or natural remedy, you will have to choose from a variety of traditional home remedies and a similar range of alternative natural products. There are lots of topical preparations for treating nail fungus and vaporub is just one of them.
