Kerasal Nail Repair is an over-the-counter topical treatment designed to improve the appearance of nails affected by conditions like nail fungus or psoriasis. If you’re considering using Kerasal, you probably want to know what’s in it and how those ingredients work.
This article will break down the key kerasal nail repair ingredients and explain their roles in improving nail health. Understanding these ingredients is essential for making informed decisions about your nail care and whether this product is right for you.
What’s in Kerasal Nail Repair?
Kerasal Nail Repair is a topical treatment designed to improve the appearance of nails damaged by nail fungus (onychomycosis) or psoriasis. Here’s a quick rundown of the active ingredients and what they do:
- Propylene Glycol: This is a humectant, meaning it helps to retain moisture.
- Glycerin: Another humectant that helps keep the nail hydrated.
- Lactic Acid: An exfoliant that helps to gently remove damaged nail tissue.
- Water: A solvent for the other ingredients.
- Sodium Hydroxide: Used to control the pH level of the product.
- Disodium EDTA: A chelating agent that helps to stabilize the formula.
- Urea: Helps to soften and dissolve damaged nail tissue.
It’s the combination of these ingredients that makes Kerasal Nail Repair effective. The way they interact with each other helps each ingredient do its job.
What’s in Kerasal Nail Repair?
The ingredients in Kerasal Nail Repair are pretty simple. But each one plays a key role in helping the product do what it promises.
Urea
Urea is a “skin-identical ingredient,” meaning it’s already found in your skin. It’s a key part of the skin’s natural moisturizing factor (NMF), making up about 7% of it.
Urea works as a moisturizer, but it’s also a keratolytic agent. That means it can help to soften and break down keratin, the protein that makes up your nails. In high concentrations (10-40%), urea is effective at treating dry skin conditions. Urea is also important for healthy skin barrier function.
Lactic acid
Lactic acid is an alpha-hydroxy acid (AHA) that exfoliates and moisturizes. It’s also used as a buffering agent in skin care products. Lactic acid is the second most researched AHA after glycolic acid.
It’s important to note that when you use AHAs, you should also use sunscreen because AHAs can make your skin more sensitive to the sun.
Propylene glycol and glycerin
Propylene glycol is a humectant and solvent, which means it helps to draw moisture into the skin and dissolve other ingredients. Glycerin is another skin-identical ingredient. It’s a powerful moisturizer and humectant. High-glycerin moisturizers are often used to treat severely dry skin.
Other ingredients in Kerasal Nail Repair
In addition to the ingredients that directly affect nail health, Kerasal also contains some ingredients that affect the formula itself.
Water and sodium hydroxide
Water is a solvent, and it’s the main ingredient in Kerasal. Sodium hydroxide is present in very small amounts (around 0.1% or less) to adjust the pH of the product.
Disodium EDTA
Disodium EDTA is a chelating agent. That means it’s added to bind metal ions to maintain the stability of the product.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you use Kerasal everyday?
Yes, Kerasal Nail Repair is typically designed for daily use. However, it’s always best to follow the specific instructions provided on the product packaging or as directed by your doctor. Consistent daily application is usually key to seeing results.
Why does Vicks VapoRub work on nail fungus?
While not a proven treatment, some people find Vicks VapoRub helps with nail fungus due to ingredients like camphor, eucalyptus oil, and menthol, although understanding Fungicure spray ingredients is also important when considering topical treatments. These may have some antifungal properties and can create an environment less favorable for fungal growth, but clinical evidence is limited.
Can you scrape out toenail fungus?
Scraping out toenail fungus isn’t recommended as it can damage the nail bed and potentially lead to infection. It’s better to focus on topical or oral antifungal treatments prescribed by a doctor to address the underlying infection.
What are the side effects of Kerasal Nail Repair?
Common side effects of Kerasal Nail Repair are generally mild and may include temporary skin irritation, redness, or itching around the treated nail. If you experience severe or persistent irritation, discontinue use and consult a healthcare professional.
What is the active constituent of Kerasal?
The key ingredients in Kerasal Nail Repair are often urea and lactic acid. Urea helps soften and loosen the damaged nail, while lactic acid aids in exfoliation, allowing the product to penetrate the nail and treat the underlying problem.
Key Takeaways
Kerasal Nail Repair uses ingredients like urea, lactic acid, propylene glycol, and sodium hydroxide to soften, loosen, and hydrate damaged nails.
When you understand what the ingredients in a product do, such as in Dr. Scholl’s Fungal Nail Revitalizer Refill, you can make better choices about your nail care routine.
Always read and follow the instructions for any product you use. And if you think you have a fungal infection, see a doctor for treatment, or research alternative treatments and Funginix ingredients.