Health Tools. By Madeline R. Reviewed: August 27, Medically Reviewed. More than years later, some still swear by the product. Vicks VapoRub: Camphor Concerns The report earlier this year was not the first time that products like Vicks VapoRub that contain camphor have come under scrutiny. Yet I really do awake more refreshed.
Vicks reshapes my awareness like a kind of global climate change-denying therapy: Politically, it offends me; practically, it helps me sleep at night.
The simile ends there. As an agent of deterrence, enhancement, and change for beliefs, emotions, and environments, applied topically and correctly, Vicks changes what I think I am, and what my person is composed of, regardless of any consciousness on my part. I want to keep myself open to oxygen but impervious to germs and the sludge outside sidewalk fish markets. Or maybe I do! I can embalm or medicate myself with Vicks and be a little more dead and a little more alive—or at least feel as though I am.
Skip to content Site Navigation The Atlantic. Popular Latest. The Atlantic Crossword. Sign In Subscribe. Camphor is derived from the woood of the Cinnamomum camphora , or camphor tree. Wikimedia Commons. In fact, VapoRub catapulted to popularity during the pandemic flu of and has been a popular over-the-counter remedy for respiratory illnesses ever since. Camphor, eucalyptus oil, and menthol all have antibacterial properties, so using them to create a protective barrier between your own nose and the respiratory secretions that cause COVID may seem like a no-brainer.
Unfortunately, besides being extremely uncomfortable, using VapoRub in your nostrils puts you at risk of developing an extremely ominous-sounding illness called exogenous lipoid pneumonia ELP , which results from the aspiration or inhalation of fat-like material of animal, vegetable or mineral origin. Long story short, the petrolatum base of VapoRub, when inhaled, can travel to the lungs, where it collects and causes ground-glass opacities — a type of damage also associated with COVID According to older research , the camphor oil found in Vicks VapoRub repels certain species of mosquitoes.
Products containing menthol are also effective against mosquitoes, reports more recent research. However, while natural oils may provide some defense, if you really want to keep mosquitoes away, DEET and picaridin are still the most powerful repellents. Beauty bloggers have promoted the use of Vicks VapoRub as an overnight spot treatment to shrink pimples. Several of the ingredients in Vicks VapoRub have been found to be effective at healing blemishes, but other ingredients may actually worsen acne.
For example, dermatologists have recommended camphor essential oil as an acne treatment. But another ingredient in Vicks VapoRub — petroleum jelly — may cause breakouts. The American Academy of Dermatologists recommends against using products with petroleum jelly on acne-prone skin. If you want to take advantage of the anti-inflammatory properties of camphor, some beauty bloggers recommend mixing a few drops of camphor essential oil with a carrier oil like jojoba and dabbing it on a blemish.
Some small studies have shown that gels and ointments containing menthol have been effective at relieving headaches when applied to the base of the skull.
However, the amount of menthol in the tested products was much higher 6 percent and 10 percent than the amount of menthol in Vicks VapoRub 2. Vicks VapoRub has been a medicine cabinet staple for more than years.
And at least one study found that it works to stamp out fungal infections in toenails. Vicks VapoRub is also a popular choice for people trying to fade stretch marks, heal rough skin, treat headaches, and keep outdoor bugs away.
Some people have used the strongly scented ointment to keep pets from peeing on or scratching furniture, but be careful using this training method.
The ingredients in Vicks VapoRub can be dangerous for animals.
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