If you’re Latino, there’s no doubt that your grandma used VapoRub to clear your sinuses ever since you can remember. Whether you had a cold, a mosquito bite, or even a headache, your mother and grandmother always had the perfect cure: vaporu.
They would rub it on your chest or around your nasal and buccal area, and you always did feel a little bit better. The thing they didn’t tell you, though, is that Vick’s VapoRub is not as harmless as they both once made it out to be.
VapoRub came into existence in the 19th century to alleviate respiratory problems. Dr. Vick and his brother-in-law invented the rub and got popular worldwide following the Spanish flu in 1918. Scientific studies, however, can’t seem to find any health benefits to VapoRub.
In fact, one particular case prompted an investigation of VapoRub by the University of Salem. After an 18-month old got hospitalized with a respiratory infection, due to his grandmother putting VapoRub around her nose, the University of Salem concluded that the product is unsafe for children under the age of two.
The scientists experimented on animals and reported that the product could cause bronchial inflammation and mucus secretion in infants. Using VapoRub on a baby could lead them to stop breathing, and the label on VapoRub warns users about this.
Although experts know the downside to VapoRub, they still say it is useful in small amounts, especially for toenail fungus, muscle pain, and nasal congestion. They all agree that it’s not a remedy for acne and that it could dry and irritate the skin even more.
Speaking with POPSUGAR, a professor at Weill Cornell Medicine in New York City, Keith Roach, MD, said, “Vicks VapoRub is a mentholatum ointment, which actually does open up the nasal cavities,” she explained. “VapoRub contains eucalyptus and menthol, two essential ingredients in the treatment of joint or muscle aches and pains.”
“Eucalyptus is a natural pain reliever and anti-inflammatory, and menthol has a numbing effect and increases blood flow to an area of injury or irritation.” – Keith Roach
It is important to emphasize not to use too much VapoRub and to avoid applying it inside the nose. The rub should never come into contact with broken skin, open wounds, and must never get ingested or inhaled by a child, or an adult.
Store the VapoRub somewhere away from the reach of children, and never allow for them to apply it themselves. If your child is having difficulty breathing after using VapoRub, take him or her to the emergency room as soon as possible.
Article inspired by POPSUGAR/Uh-Oh! VapoRub Is Not Actually the Cure-All Your Abuela Thinks It Is