Factually inaccurate: Vicks VapoRub is intended only for external use to relieve cough and mild muscle and joint pain. Swallowing or applying this product inside the eyes, nose, and other soft tissues can result in potentially serious toxicity.
FULL CLAIM: Applying Vicks VapoRub to the vagina “stops bladder leaks”, removes parasites
REVIEW
Several Facebook posts published in October 2024 claimed that applying Vicks VapoRub into the vagina provides multiple health benefits. Specifically, the posts recommended this practice to “stop bladder leaks” and remove parasites. These posts were shared almost 200,000 times.
These claims appear to revive a trend that the British tabloid The Sun reported on in 2017. At that time, blogs and online forums encouraged women to apply Vicks VapoRub into their vaginas for sexual stimulation and as a way to cleanse the vagina, eliminate odor, relieve itching, and protect against yeast infections.
However, these claims are unfounded and dangerous.
For starters, the idea that the vagina needs regular cleaning is a common misconception. Gynecologists and public health agencies explain that the vagina cleans itself naturally by making mucus. The only hygiene that the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) recommends is cleaning the vulva with plain water while showering.
There is no scientific evidence that supports vaginal use of Vicks VapoRub. As a matter of fact, Vicks VapoRub is intended for external use only, as using it internally can cause toxicity. We explain in detail below.
What is Vicks VapoRub?
Vicks VapoRub is an over-the-counter ointment widely used as a cough remedy. Its three active ingredients, camphor, eucalyptus oil, and menthol, are cough suppressants and have a mild pain-relieving (analgesic) effect on the skin. In addition, Vicks VapoRub contains several inactive ingredients, including cedar leaf oil, nutmeg oil, petroleum jelly (petrolatum), thymol, and turpentine oil.
Research shows that, when rubbed on the chest and throat, Vicks VapoRub causes a cooling sensation that temporarily relieves nasal congestion and airway irritation due to common colds[1]. Its analgesic property also makes it helpful for relieving minor muscle and joint pain.
These are currently the only intended uses of Vicks VapoRub, although other potential uses such as fighting toenail fungus have been investigated with positive preliminary results[2,3].
Using Vicks VapoRub internally can cause toxicity
When used as intended, Vicks VapoRub is relatively safe for people over two years old. However, this product is only intended for external use on the skin to relieve cough and muscle and joint pain. This is because its active ingredients are toxic when used internally.
Contrary to advice on social media, the product’s label clearly warns that Vicks VapoRub shouldn’t be swallowed or applied to the eyes and the insides of the ears, nose, wounds, or damaged skin.
If swallowed, camphor, eucalyptus oil, and menthol can cause severe toxicity to the kidneys and the nervous system, particularly in children due to their relatively lower body weight. These ingredients can also damage the cornea of the eye and reach toxic levels if applied inside of the nose and to other mucous membranes—like the one lining the vagina—where they are rapidly absorbed.
The severity of the symptoms from Vicks VapoRub poisoning will depend on the route of exposure and the dose, ranging from a burning sensation in the mouth, stomach ache, nausea, and vomiting to life-threatening seizures.
No evidence that applying Vicks VapoRub vaginally has any health benefits
We found no scientific evidence that supports the use of Vicks VapoRub for the purposes mentioned in the Facebook posts.
Urinary incontinence is a loss of bladder control that usually results from the weakening of the pelvic floor muscles and the urethral sphincter that control urination. The vagina has no involvement either in the cause or the solution of this problem. Maintaining a balanced diet and a healthy weight, not smoking, and training your bladder muscles are the best ways to reduce leaking.
The most common vaginal parasite is Trichomonas vaginalis, a protozoan that causes the sexually transmitted infection trichomoniasis[4]. Trichomoniasis can be effectively treated with an oral antibiotic.
To evaluate whether the vaginal use of Vicks VapoRub in general is supported by scientific evidence, we searched PubMed, a repository of published scientific studies hosted by the U.S. National Institutes of Health#. The query yielded only two relevant results. Both studies reported antimicrobial activity of menthol against the bacteria Staphylococcus aureus and the yeast Candida in laboratory experiments but not in people[5].
We found no additional clinical study supporting the intravaginal use of Vicks VapoRub or any of its active ingredients.
Symptoms such as itching, burning, a bad odor, or a large amount of discharge might be signs of infection and a reason to visit the gynecologist for an evaluation. Contrary to online myths, vaginal “cleansing” practices are unnecessary and can disrupt the vaginal flora.
The vaginal flora or vaginal microbiome is the collection of different microorganisms that are present in the vagina in a delicate balance. A healthy vaginal flora is key for preventing infections as it maintains an acidic environment that prevents the growth of harmful microorganisms[6].
In other words, trying to relieve vaginal symptoms by applying Vicks VapoRub inside the vagina will likely worsen the problem by further damaging its natural flora, thus increasing the risk of infection.
Conclusion
In summary, given the lack of proven benefits and the potential toxicity of applying Vicks VapoRub intravaginally, it’s clear that this product doesn’t belong anywhere near the vagina. At best, it might cause irritation and damage the natural vaginal flora. At worst, the product’s active ingredients can be absorbed through the vaginal mucous membrane in amounts sufficient to cause toxicity and damage organs.
# PubMed search query: (“camphor cedar leaf oil eucalyptus oil menthol myristica oil terebinth oil thymol drug combination”[Supplementary Concept] OR “camphor cedar leaf oil eucalyptus oil menthol myristica oil terebinth oil thymol drug combination”[All Fields] OR “vaporub”[All Fields] OR (“camphor”[MeSH Terms] OR “camphor”[All Fields] OR “camphors”[All Fields]) OR (“menthol”[MeSH Terms] OR “menthol”[All Fields] OR “menthol s”[All Fields] OR “mentholated”[All Fields] OR “mentholation”[All Fields] OR “menthols”[All Fields]) OR “eucaliptus”[All Fields]) AND (“vagina”[MeSH Terms] OR “vagina”[All Fields] OR “vaginas”[All Fields] OR “vagina s”[All Fields] OR “vaginae”[All Fields])
REFERENCES
- 1 – Paul et al. (2010) Vapor Rub, Petrolatum, and No Treatment for Children With Nocturnal Cough and Cold Symptoms. Pediatrics.
- 2 – Snell et al. (2016) A Novel Treatment for Onychomycosis in People Living With HIV Infection: Vicks VapoRubTM is Effective and Safe. Journal of the Association of Nurses in AIDS care.
- 3 – Derby et al. (2011) Novel Treatment of Onychomycosis using Over-the-Counter Mentholated Ointment: A Clinical Case Series. The Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine.
- 4 – Sutton et al. (2007) The Prevalence of Trichomonas vaginalis Infection among Reproductive-Age Women in the United States, 2001–2004. Clinical Infectious Diseases.
- 5 – McNamara et al. (2009) Surfactants, Aromatic and Isoprenoid Compounds, and Fatty Acid Biosynthesis Inhibitors Suppress Staphylococcus aureus Production of Toxic Shock Syndrome Toxin 1. Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy.
- 6 – Han et al. (2021) Role of Vaginal Microbiota Dysbiosis in Gynecological Diseases and the Potential Interventions. Frontiers in Microbiology.
