Toenail and Foot Conditions Archives

Toenail Fungus - Vinegar & Vicks

Questions for Dr. Stoll:

I have been applying vinegar to my infected toe nails twice a day for three months, but can not be sure it is helping. Here are some questions if Dr. Stoll can answer them:

1) Yesterday, on the “HealthBoards.com” message board I read that the vinegar applications should not take place more than 14 hours apart. That is the first time I have seen a reference to how far apart the treatments should be in terms of hours. There have been times I’ve applied the vinegar at 6:30 or 7am, then again around midnight when going to bed. Would applying the evening treatment more than 14 hours after the morning one be ineffective & negate all the treatments up to that point?

2) A couple of my infected toe nails are arched up, so when I put the vinegar drops on them the vinegar contacts them but rolls off. Usually I put on 6 drops or so to try to get the toes well covered. If most of the vinegar rolls off the toe nail, is the treatment worthless?

3) From 5 to 10 minutes after the morning vinegar treatment, at a point when the toe nails appear dry, I put Desenex anti-fungal powder on my toes, then put my shoes & socks on. Would the foot powder counter the vinegar application in any way?

I have infected toe nails on both feet. I am considering starting to use Vicks on the toes on one foot & continuing the vinegar on the other foot, to compare the two treatments. Some questions about Vicks:

1) Would Vicks greaseless cream suffice or would I need to do the regular, oily Vicks, which would probably stay on the toe nails better with socks on.

2) I read on “HealthBoard.com” to cut off the “finger” of a rubber glove & put it over a toe you treat with Vicks, followed by socks, in the morning, to keep the Vicks from being absorbed into the sock instead of staying on the toe nail. Would this be necessary?

My doctor recommended cleaning the shower with chlorox periodically, although I am prone to use hydrogen pyroxide; also washing the bathmat regulary, so others who take showers are not infected. Also, putting anti-fungal foot powder in the shoes over night. She also recommended using a hairdryer to dry my toes after my morning shower before applying vinegar or Vicks, and putting foot powder on the toes afterwards.

I talked with a naturopathic doctor recently who recommended using about 30% tea trea oil & 70% vinegar. He felt an even better substance was something called Roberts Oil, but I do not know how to obtain it. His approach was very different from that of others: he has patients cut off the dead part of the toe nail (all the way down to the part that appears healthy) & apply the vinegar at the top of the remaining nail, instead of at the base of t he nail. Apparently he has good results, but says it takes about a year. Given all the positive testamonies on Dr. Stoll’s website from people who put the vinegar at the base of the toe nail, it would seem that the naturopathic doctor’s approach would be less effective. Any thoughts on this?

Thanks for any assistance.

Bill Drake

Re: Toenail Fungus - Vinegar & Vicks (More questions.) Archive.

Re: Toenail Fungus - Vinegar & Vicks

Re: Toenail Fungus - Vinegar & Vicks