HWN Suggests

Evidence for Vicks VapoRub?

The study on Vicks VapoRub surprised me. Previously when parents asked me about VapoRub I would say something like, “There’s no data to say Vicks does any good and it may be dangerous to young children under age 2. Yet besides unlikely irritation to the skin in older kids, it’s safe to use I believe it gives the experience of easier breathing because kids can feel the air moving in your nostrils. So go ahead and use it on their chest at night if you feel it helps.” And although that sensation of easier breathing may really be the mechanism that vapor rub works, a new study found that when compared to using Vaseline or nothing at all, Vick’s stood tall. It helped children and their families…

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Featured

 Many People Swear by Vicks VapoRub. Is the Love Justified?

The use of the salve among Hispanic families for respiratory illnesses and pain runs deep. Here’s how this age-old product works.

Articles of Interest

Is Vicks VapoRub safe?

Vicks VapoRub has been used for many years as a cough and cold remedy. While this product is relatively safe to use when applied to the skin as directed on the package label, it should not be consumed or applied to the insides of the eyes, ears, or nose. To reduce the risk of burns and serious tissue damage, Vicks VapoRub should never be heated in a microwave.

There’s the rub: Vicks might make kids sicker

Vicks VapoRub, the menthol salve used to soothe generations of congested kids, may actually make some little ones worse, a new study suggests. The strong-smelling ointment often dabbed under noses or rubbed on the soles of feet can be an irritant, increasing the production of mucus and decreasing how fast it’s cleared, potentially causing dangerous breathing problems in infants and very young children.

Doctors Disagree About Putting Petroleum Jelly in Nose

People get very excited about warnings regarding Vicks VapoRub or petroleum jelly in the nose. Even doctors disagree about the practice. What's the story?

Don’t Put Vicks VapoRub In Your Vagina, This Shouldn’t Even Have To Be Said

Have you ever looked at a jar of Vicks VapoRub and thought, If it can clear my sinuses, get rid of my cough, and create an icy, burning sensation on my chest and throat, I wonder what it would do if I smeared it on my vagina? No, you haven’t. But apparently, there a bunch of women out there who have because we are now being asked by doctors to please, please not put Vicks VapoRub on or in our vaginas.

Exogenous lipid pneumonia related to long-term use of Vicks VapoRub® by an adult patient: a case report

Use of petroleum-based over the counter remedies such as Vicks VapoRub to alleviate symptoms of rhinitis is common and can be effective, but carries under-appreciated risks of adverse side effects.

Keep Vicks VapoRub out of the nose

Not long ago, we stirred up a lot of controversy when we cautioned readers not to put Vicks in their noses. The label warns that this ointment is for external use only. We got an explanation for this from a lung specialist: "As a pulmonary physician, I can explain why there is a warning against putting Vicks VapoRub in the nostrils./sPetroleum jelly or mineral oil can cause a chronic form of pneumonia when aspirated into the lungs.

Our Story

Vicks has always been a family of brands for your entire family. Originally named “Vicks Family Remedies” our most sought after product was Croup & Pneumonia Salve. Later named VapoRub, it was created by Lunsford Richardson out of love and concern for his sick son.

The Story of Vicks VapoRub

We know it for its smell. We know it for its healing powers. Vicks VapoRub has been a household staple for a century, but the man who made it famous is still a mystery.

Vicks VapoRub and Me

How the nostril-stinging salve helps me overcome chronic olfactory sensitivity, an Object Lesson

What is Vicks VapoRub?

Vicks VapoRub has been flying off chemists’ shelves for over 125 years – and it’s all thanks to a 19th century croup.