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Novel treatment of onychomycosis using over-the-counter mentholated ointment: a clinical case series.
Derby R, Rohal P, Jackson C, Beutler A, Olsen C. J Am Board Fam Med. 2011 Jan-Feb;24(1):69-74.
Quote:
BACKGROUND:
current medication treatments for onychomycosis have less than full cure-rate efficacy and have the potential for adverse side effects. Vicks VapoRub (The Proctor & Gamble Company, Cincinnati, OH) has been advocated in the lay literature as an effective treatment for onychomycosis. This pilot study tested Vicks VapoRub as a safe, cost-effective alternative for treating toenail onychomycosis.
METHODS:
eighteen participants were recruited to use Vicks VapoRub as treatment for onychomycosis. Participants were followed at intervals of 4, 8, 12, 24, 36, and 48 weeks; digital photographs were obtained during initial and follow-up visits. Primary outcome measures were mycological cure at 48 weeks and clinical cure through subjective assessment of appearance and quantifiable change in the area of affected nail by digital photography analysis. Patient satisfaction was a secondary outcome, measured using a single-item questionnaire scored by a 5-point Likert scale.
RESULTS:
fifteen of the 18 participants (83%) showed a positive treatment effect; 5 (27.8%) had a mycological and clinical cure at 48 weeks; 10 (55.6%) had partial clearance, and 3 (16.7%) showed no change. All 18 participants rated their satisfaction with the nail appearance at the end of the study as "satisfied" (n = 9) or "very satisfied" (n = 9).
CONCLUSIONS:
Vicks VapoRub seems to have a positive clinical effect in the treatment onychomycosis.
Re: Vicks VapoRub may actually work for onychomycosis
Quote:
Originally Posted by NewsBot
Vicks VapoRub seems to have a positive clinical effect in the treatment onychomycosis.
This should read:
"Vicks VapoRub seems to have a positive clinical effect in the treatment onychomycosis....but you may die waiting for it to take effect."
Thats a pretty big "maybe" for 48 months of vicks smelling toes!!! I have to question results like this and ask about natural attrition? It doesnt say they all resolved and it only says patients were satisfied with appearance, not that the nails had returned to normal appearance. Hard to double blind the smell of vicks as well I would assume!!!
Re: Vicks VapoRub may actually work for onychomycosis
Only 18 individuals? Surely that is not a result.
How did they use the Vicks chest rub? There is no reference to that.
Also there are degrees of onychomycosis. How long did the individuals have the condition?
I am waiting for more proof. In the meantime I will have a go at recommending the method.
I have also heard good reports of Listerine...
Re: Vicks VapoRub may actually work for onychomycosis
Wow!
One must love the smell of Vick's Vapour Rub to continue with this regime for an extended period of time.
Anyone else go with the tea tree oil option for their aged onychomycotic patients? The choice of TTO seems to have dropped off throughout the last few years :(
Pity - I love the smell of tea tree oil . lol
Re: Vicks VapoRub may actually work for onychomycosis
I guess i missed the new research.
Seems a bit dissapointing.. it was hammered into us whilst on some clinical placements (back in the student days), but with research , everything changes so fast.
...and this paper explains how Terpenoids, which are the active ingredients (terpinolene, ascardiol, a-terpinene, etc) in TTO, are documented as sensitizers for contact dermatitis. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/1...7.00341.x/full
I have been recommending Vicks for some years now to patients and it works well.
I heard about it from an old farmer (who was a patient) back in 2001 ..
OK, it's Friday night and maybe i shouldn't reply after 2 glasses of red... But, WT? Here we are, busting our balls to gain independant prescribing rights and recognition as a medical profession delivering evidence based medicine/ treatment...and you recommend an off label use of a decongestant because 'an old farmer' told you about it?!
...and this paper explains how Terpenoids, which are the active ingredients (terpinolene, ascardiol, a-terpinene, etc) in TTO, are documented as sensitizers for contact dermatitis. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/1...7.00341.x/full
So, yup. Useless and unsafe, IMO.
Cheers,
Bel
great find bel!
I will be changing fungal nail education from now on :)
Re: Vicks VapoRub may actually work for onychomycosis
Quote:
Originally Posted by andersonkchan
great find bel!
I will be changing fungal nail education from now on :)
Cool. Personally, I don`t believe you can completely eradicate the infection (blame those fickle antimicrobial peptides....) and recurrence rates are incredibly high. So I encourage pts with OM or TP to continue to treat their feet to a fungicide (eg Lamisil Once) 3 or 4 times a year to keep the dermatophytes under control.
Cheers,
Bel
PS I notice that Vicks have brought out an air purifier; http://www.vicks.com/products/air-pu...-air-purifier/
Dentron had better watch out, eh? What with the combination of those clever anions (that can decipher between virally infected cells and those that are not) and the`anti-fungal properties` of camphor....Still, have to admit that I`m partial to a bit of Vic, smells better than TTO
Re: Vicks VapoRub may actually work for onychomycosis
Quote:
Originally Posted by blinda
Cool. Personally, I don`t believe you can completely eradicate the infection (blame those fickle antimicrobial peptides....) and recurrence rates are incredibly high. So I encourage pts with OM or TP to continue to treat their feet to a fungicide (eg Lamisil Once) 3 or 4 times a year to keep the dermatophytes under control.
Cheers,
Bel
PS I notice that Vicks have brought out an air purifier; http://www.vicks.com/products/air-pu...-air-purifier/
Dentron had better watch out, eh? What with the combination of those clever anions (that can decipher between virally infected cells and those that are not) and the`anti-fungal properties` of camphor....Still, have to admit that I`m partial to a bit of Vic, smells better than TTO
hhaha nice!
bit off topic - but doesn't vaccuming carpets with a good vaccum cleaner which has a HEPA filter do the same trick as the hepa air purifier?
Vicks VapoRub may actually work for onychomycosis
Re: Vicks VapoRub may actually work for onychomycosis
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