What are good otc treatments for onychomycosis (toe fungus)?

Look elsewhere: I know the internet is overflowing with otc and home remedies for toenail fungus. Unfortunately all of these medications and treatments lack the horsepower to kill fungus. They might work on the skin but they do not contain fungicidal (fungus killing) ingredients. I often tell patients that if vick's vapo-rub really worked, the vick's company would be marketing vick's nail care ointment.

No topical is great: It is very hard to resolve toe fungus with a topical. The more thickened the fungal nails, the less likely they will work. To have a chance of this working you have to be aggressive. Thin the toenails as much as possible, remove all the loose nail debris and use the topical per instruction. If you not do all of this, you are wasting your time. I would try a topical that contains terbinafine. Drl.

Vicks VapoRub: You can try application of Vicks VapoRub applied to the nails twice daily. I have had some success with this method with my patients. It is not a true antifungal but can wick away at the nail sometimes quicker than the fungus can grow. That being said, it takes a long time to work (months to over a year) and may not work at all. You have to be patient with it. It is certainly worth a try, though.