What Else Can I Use Vicks VapoRub For?

Vicks VapoRub is intended to relieve coughs and minor throat irritation, as well as minor muscle and joint pain. Vicks is also used off-label to treat several other conditions, like toenail fungus, dry skin, and headaches.

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Conditions Vicks VapoRub Is Intended to Treat

Coughs: Vicks VapoRub is intended to treat coughs due to minor throat and bronchial irritation. The petroleum-based product is rubbed on the chest and/or throat to ease cold symptoms. The ingredients—camphor, eucalyptus, and menthol—produce multifaceted cough suppressant actions.

Sore Muscles and Joints: Vicks VapoRub is also formulated to help relieve minor discomfort associated with sore muscles or joints. It does this because the camphor and menthol in VapoRub are considered counterirritants (they overwhelm your cells’ pain receptors so they no longer notice your pain). Studies have shown that counterirritants are effective in relieving many kinds of pain.

Vicks VapoRub and Toenail Fungus

One study has found that Vicks VapoRub may help treat toenail fungus because of the antifungal properties of some ingredients.

A 2015 study tested how well the Vicks could reduce symptoms of toenail fungus in a small sample group of 20 people with HIV. The researchers found that the treatment helped resolve the fungus after six months of use in 83% of participants, and that it was safe to use. However, more research is needed.

Vicks VapoRub Uses Not Backed By Research

People have found a wide range of uses for Vicks VapoRub, but not all of them are backed by research.

• Headaches: A couple of small studies showed that a topical treatment containing menthol, one of the ingredients in Vicks VapoRub, helped reduce migraine symptoms when applied to the forehead, temples, base of the skull, and neck. However, the concentrations of menthol were much higher in the studies (6% and 10%) than in Vicks VapoRub, which contains only 2.6% menthol.
• Acne: Vicks VapoRub has been touted as a way to clear up acne because camphor oil may be an effective acne treatment. However, there is no evidence that Vicks VapoRub itself helps fight acne and, because it contains petroleum jelly, might make breakouts worse in some cases.
• Rough skin: Because petroleum jelly can effectively relieve roughness and flaking, some people rub Vicks VapoRub on dry skin, particularly on feet. However, there is no evidence to show that using Vicks as a moisturizer has any advantages over using petroleum jelly alone.
• Bug repellent: Some people use Vicks as a bug repellent because camphor oil has been shown to ward off certain types of mosquitoes. However, no research has been conducted to test how well Vicks may work as an insect repellent.

Cautions and Contraindications

Vicks VapoRub is considered safe for older children and most adults. However, ask your healthcare provider before using it if you:

• Are pregnant or breastfeeding
• Have a chronic cough caused by emphysema, or asthma
• Have ever had an allergic reaction to any of its ingredients

When using Vicks VapoRub:

• Don’t ingest it
• Do not use more than directed on the product label.
• Don’t put it on broken skin, wounds, burns, or rashes.
• Do not use under tight bandages.
• Don’t put in or under your nostrils (inhaling petrolatum-based products can cause pneumonia in rare cases).
• Do not apply to your face (especially around the eyes) or ears.

Young Children Shouldn’t Use Vicks VapoRub

The manufacturer’s website says Vicks VapoRub is “appropriate for ages 2 and up.”

However, there have been reports of babies and children up to age 3 exposed to camphor, one of the ingredients in Vicks VapoRub, experiencing:

• Seizures
• Severe high white blood cell count called leukocytosis
• High blood sugar, called hyperglycemia

Because of this conflicting information, be sure to check with your child’s healthcare provider before using Vicks VapoRub on a child younger than 3 years old.

• Vicks VapoRub is a popular over-the-counter remedy for treating cold symptoms and muscle aches. It may also make you feel less congested, which could aid sleep for those with a cold.
• Vicks VapoRub has not been definitively proven as safe or effective for any other purposes, such as to treat headaches or as a bug repellent.
• Vicks VapoRub should not be used by children under 2, those who are pregnant/breastfeeding, or those with emphysema. Use with caution in children between 2 and 3. Vicks VapoRub should never be applied under the nostrils or ingested.