22 Astounding Uses for Vicks Vaporub and Common Myths

We bet these brilliant Uses for Vicks Vaporub will surprise you! Also, learn about some common myths running wild on the Internet!

Vicks Vaporub is noted for its cold-relieving properties, which can be extended to a couple of remedies you are unaware of. Learn some astounding Uses for Vicks Vaporub and the unfounded myths you shouldn’t pay heed to!

Find out how to get rid of toenail fungus with Vicks here

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Uses for Vicks Vaporub

1. Soothes Mosquito and Bug Bites

You must have heard about Vicks Vaporub Mosquito Repellent, but you might not know its soothing properties. The camphor, mint, and eucalyptus oil in Vicks relieve itchiness and redness caused by mosquito bites instantly.

Remedy

Spread a little bit of Vicks vaporub all over your exposed body before going outdoors and on the bed.

2. Relieves Earache

You must be wondering does Vicks help with earache or is it just a myth? Although, there is no scientific resource that relates Vicks and earache. Eucalyptus oil, being one of the active ingredients in Vicks, has anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties that might be helpful for relieving earaches.

Remedy

Prepare steam for inhalation by adding a teaspoon of Vicks into the bowl filled with boiled water. Then place a towel over your head and inhale the medicated steam three times a day. It’ll relieve ear pain by draining the fluids of the Eustachian tubes through your nose.

It is the safest remedy as we are not sure does Vicks help with earache or not. Do not put a dab of Vicks vaporub in ear overnight, without expert consultation.

3. Eliminate Cold And Flu Symptoms

The topical uses for Vicks vaporub include relief from minor throat or bronchial irritations. Camphor and eucalyptus oil helps decongest nasal passage and reliefs common cold and other flu symptoms.

Remedy

Rub pea-sized ointment on the chest and neck before going to bed to reap the maximum benefits of Vicks.

4. Heals Stretch Marks

Consider using Vicks Vaporub for stretch marks due to pregnancy or weight gain. Its menthol, skin cooling, and natural oil constituents tone down the vibrancy of the stretch marks. Vicks has anti-inflammatory properties and camphor, relieving irritation and itchiness caused by striae.

Remedy

Rub a tad bit of the product on your stretch marks to help them fade. To get better results, use Vicks Vaporub for Stretch Marks twice daily.

5. Relieves Headaches

This mentholated ointment relieves headaches that are caused due to sinus infections or migraines. It has menthol, camphor, eucalyptus oil, and nutmeg oil, alleviating the constant headache, and counts as one of the top Uses for Vicks Vaporub.

Remedy

Gently rub a small amount of Vicks on your forehead and around your temples. Wait for a few minutes, and voila, the pain is gone.

6. Relief From Insect Bites

Vicks Vaporub has eucalyptus oil and menthol-like cooling agents, giving you relief from the itchiness of insect bites, even from bees. Furthermore, it has nutmeg oil and thymol, which has anti-inflammatory properties, thereby soothing your skin from post-bite infections.

Remedy

Firstly, wash the insect-bitten area with lukewarm water, then softly apply a mixture of Vicks salve and table salt (It’s an excellent cleansing agent) on it. Within 4-5 minutes, you’ll notice the benefits of Vicks.

7. Ease Achy Muscle

Vicks is an ideal remedy to get comfort from sore or tired muscles. Again it has menthol and a mixture of essential oils that ease the negative sensations by stimulating the blood circulation around the muscles. It is one of the most beneficial uses for Vicks Vaporub.

Remedy

Rub this aromatic jelly on your sore muscles for 2-3 minutes, and then cover it with a warm cloth or a towel. Repeat this process three times a day to get relief.

8. Removes Toenail Or Fingernail Fungus

There are several benefits of Vicks Vaporub on feet. If you have Onychomycosis (Toenail fungus infection), Vicks is perfect for the treatment. It has thymol and camphor, which has antibacterial, antimicrobial, and antiseptic properties, helpful in preventing fungal contamination.

Many people refrain from using this remedy, considering it a Vicks toenail fungus myth. However, a study has proven its effectiveness.

Remedy

Wash your toenail and fingernail with lukewarm water and dry them properly. Then apply this ointment to the fungi-infected area. Use this remedy repeatedly for two weeks to fully eradicate the infection.

9. Heals Cracked Heels

One of the most prominent benefits of Vicks Vaporub on feet includes softening cracked heels. It has petrolatum (Petroleum Jelly) that works as a barrier to retain moisture in the skin, thereby healing the cracked heels.

Remedy

To make the most of the Uses for Vicks Vaporub, clean your feet with slightly warm water. Then spread a sufficient amount of Vicks on the cracked heels and put on your cotton socks.

Leave it overnight and wash your feet the next morning, and use a brush or a cloth to peel the dead cells. You’ll be surprised to see the benefits of Vicks Vaporub on feet.

10. Prevents Warts

A wart looks like a red blister with a rough texture and happens due to the ‘Human Papillomavirus’ infection. Vicks Vaporub has anti-viral ingredients, like menthol, thymol, eucalyptus oil, and turpentine oil, that help eradicate the wart-causing virus from the body.

Remedy

Wash the wart-affected area with lukewarm water. Then take a considerable amount of Vicks gel and apply it all over the affected skin. To treat warts, repeat this process regularly for a few days. It is one of the best cost-effective uses for Vicks Vaporub.

11. Decongests Chest

One of the most common uses for Vicks Vaporub is to treat chest and nasal congestion and chronic bronchitis as well. It’s possible due to the strong fragrance from its active ingredients.

Remedy

To decongest your chest, throat, and nasal congestion, lightly apply this amazing ointment on your chest, throat, and over your nose before going to bed. The next morning, you’ll see its healing effects.

12. Keeps Racehorses Focused

Vicks Vaporub, rubbed below the nostrils of racehorses on race day, helps them focus on their race without any distraction. It’s also used to treat ‘Reactive airway’ disease in horses, which happens due to excessive mucus production in their lungs. Applying Vicks will ease the mucus, thereby helping the horses to breathe freely.

Remedy

It must be done under expert supervision to avoid any adverse effects. It is one of the unique uses for Vicks Vaporub.

13. Helps In Fake Cry

This intense fragrance gel is mostly used by movies and tv actors to shed fake tears. You can use Vicks vaporub under eyes acting remedy carefully to emit tears for a photo shoot, or a school or a college play.

Remedy

Rub a little Vicks under eyes to induce tears. Make sure the ointment doesn’t get inside your eyes.

14. Treats Bruises

When the blood gets trapped under your skin due to injury, then it’s called bruises. You must be wondering does Vicks vaporub Vaporub help bruises; but it is an effective solution to heal bruises. Thanks to its active ingredient – menthol, which soothes the bruises, by its cooling sensation.

Remedy

Make a mixture of Vicks with a pinch of table salt in it. This combination helps to distribute the blood underneath the bruises evenly. For this, gently rub this mixture on your bruises. Apply it daily until it heals.

15. Treats Athlete’s Feet

Of the many benefits of Vicks Vaporub on feet, one is treating athlete’s feet. The athlete’s feet is a fungal infection between the toes. Most people use this petroleum jelly as a home remedy to treat this infection. It has anti-fungal and antibacterial properties, giving you relief from this problem.

Remedy

Apply this ointment over the infected area and use it twice a day to make the most of the medicinal uses for Vicks Vaporub.

16. Helps In Tennis Elbow/Lateral Epicondylitis

Tennis elbow is also known as ‘Lateral Epicondylitis.’ It’s an inflammation of tendons and overuse syndrome of an elbow. Vicks is a rich source of essential oils, menthol, camphor, and petrolatum that prevents tennis elbow because of its anti-inflammatory and soothing properties. One of the best Uses for Vicks Vaporub that you must try!

Remedy

Apply a considerable amount of Vicks gel on the affected elbow and repeat until it’s healed.

17. Remove Skin Wrinkles

Noticing wrinkles on your face? Don’t worry. Vicks Vaporub for wrinkles is a quick fix that you need right away. It has elements like camphor and menthol, which tightens your skin and aids in blood circulation.

Furthermore, it’s a rich source of cedar leaf oil, petrolatum, camphor, and turpentine oil, helping you soften the wrinkles by locking the moisture into the skin. Vicks for wrinkles is a surprising remedy not many know about.

Remedy

Massage a generous amount of Vicks Vaporub on the face for wrinkles with clean fingers. Do it for 3-4 minutes twice for two weeks.

18. Helpful In Joint Pain

Vicks Vaporub is an effective home remedy to prevent the symptoms of joint pain. This ointment is a rich source of nutmeg oil with anti-inflammatory properties, making it useful in joint inflammation.

Remedy

With the help of your fingertips, thoroughly apply a considerable amount of Vicks gel on your joints, and leave it overnight. Repeat the application 3-4 times a day.

19. Silence Squeaky Doors

If you get irritated due to the squealing noise of the doors or windows, you can benefit from the many uses for Vicks Vaporub. This will happen mostly on rainy days; when the door hinges become rusty.

Remedy

Rub a small amount of Vicks on the hinges of doors or windows. As Vaporub is a petroleum gel, it’ll work as a greasy agent & stop the squeaky sound.

20. Keep Your Pets Away

Sometimes it becomes difficult to prevent your pets from peeing on your carpets or scratching your expensive furniture or doors. In this situation, Vicks is a handy and cheap home remedy. Thanks to its strong odor that is not appreciated by the pets.

Remedy

Just dab the Vicks on your doors or carpets or those areas where you want to prevent your pets from entering; it will keep them away. One of the easiest and most helpful uses for Vicks Vaporub, you must try.

Note: Do not apply Vicks on your pet’s skin.

21. Soothe Sunburns

The cooling agent of the aromatic ointments soothes sun-damaged skin. Also, camphor has bleaching properties that help with minimal sun tan and uneasiness. It is one of the lesser-known uses of Vicks Vaporub, which you must give a try at.

Remedy

Apply a generous amount of Vicks on the sunburnt spot for an instant cooling sensation.

22. Repel Bugs

Vicks is an excellent mosquito and insect repellent thanks to the strong fragrance of its camphor, thymol, and eucalyptus oil ingredients that the insects can’t resist.

Remedy

Apply a layer of Vicks on the exposed parts of the body and make the most of this Vicks Vaporub Mosquito Repellent.

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Myths of Vicks Vaporub

Apart from the super beneficial Uses for Vicks Vaporub, there are certain myths that can have adverse effects if followed!

1. Treatment Of Psoriasis

Vicks is not helpful in the treatment of psoriasis. There is much fuss about how this ointment cures psoriasis, but all the claims are false. Even if you apply it on cracked skin, this cream will give you frequent irritation and a burning sensation.

2. Make Lips Soft

Vicks Vaporub cannot soften your lips. Doctors strictly recommended avoiding vicks vapor rub on lips because it has thymol that can cause ‘Chemical Leukoderma’(Skin depigmentation).

3. Reduces Belly Fat

This is the biggest myth that we’ve come across. But in reality, Vicks Vaporub does not help reduce belly fat. To burn that extra fat, you must take a proper diet and exercise regularly.

4. Uses In Humidifiers

Don’t ever use Vicks Vaporub in your Humidifiers because it has petrolatum that could damage your product. Instead of doing this, you can use Vicks humidifiers, only made for this purpose.

5. Dry Skin Moisturiser

Vicks has camphor, and its usage can cause skin irritation and a burning sensation when applied to damaged, dry skin.

6. Fights Acne

Does Vicks help pimples? No! Uses for Vicks vaporub have side effects in the long run. Its risks surpass the ointment’s possible benefits. Frequent use of Vicks on your skin can clog the pores and cause more acne.

7. Improves Hair Growth

There’s no evidence or research on using Vicks Vaporub to enhance hair growth. Even this application will make your hair greasy and more challenging to wash. If you’ve any cut or wound on your head, then strictly avoid using this ointment. It’ll sensitize your skin.

8. Treats Eczema

Don’t ever fall on this claim. Vicks is not suitable for Eczema, just as it isn’t for psoriasis. This salve has camphor, and its ingestion in any form in the body can cause frequent skin irritation, burning sensation, or dermatitis.

9. Soothes Minor Skin Burn

Vicks Vaporub doesn’t relieve your skin burn. Even it’ll make your skin burn more severely because of its camphor and eucalyptus oil.

10. Heals Minor Cuts

This is also a well-known myth. If you apply this ointment on your cuts and scrapes, it can cause you irritation, itching, and redness. These problems happen due to camphor, nutmeg oil, and eucalyptus oil.