An avid Vicks VapoRub user just found out she’s been applying the ointment improperly. And the consequences of her misuse have the potential to be severe.
TikToker Lilli (@kirbysrightfoot) says she’s been putting Vicks VapoRub around her nose “every day in the morning and at night before bed.”
She appears shocked in her clip, writing, “Me after finding out you aren’t supposed to put vapor rub in your nose or under your nose because it can [kill] you??”
Her video has garnered over 62,000 views.
Viewers remain unconvinced
Viewers shared nonchalantly that they, too, have been using the ointment wrong.
“And yet, we’re all [still] here,” one viewer remarked.
“I Guess we’re all Ghosts in the comments !!!” another joked.
“Been doing this since I was a kid.. 40 now,” another said.
What does Vicks say?
“Who said you’re not supposed to put it under your nose!?” a fourth asked.
That prompted Lilli to reveal where she learned of the information. “Vapor rub, the back of the bottle,” Lilli replied.
The container does say one should not use it in several places. Those places include:
- By mouth
- In nostrils
- On wounds or damaged skin
- With tight bandages
Does Lilli still use Vicks VapoRub?
Despite her discovery, Lilli, in a follow-up, reveals that she still uses Vicks VapoRub in her nostrils, on the bridge of her nose, and underneath it.
How often can you use Vicks VapoRub?
Vicks’ website recommends not using the product more than three to four times a day on the throat, chest, and wherever one’s joint pain is. Vicks notes that the vapors can travel to the nose and mouth if one wears loose clothing.
What happens if you rub it in your nose or ingest it?
Because one of the ingredients is petrolatum, VapoRub can have negative health effects if used improperly for a prolonged period of time.
“When applied in or under the nose every day for many months or years, petrolatum can travel through nose and lodge into lung tissue, causing lipoid pneumonia,” Poison Control notes. Signs of lipoid pneumonia include shortness of breath, trouble breathing, chest pain, prolonged cough, fever, and weight loss. It also has the potential to be fatal. However, the symptoms can fade within a year if one quits using the product.
When consumed, one could experience nausea, seizures, and even death, per Poison Control.
@kirbysrightfoot ♬ Bonka – bonkas2k
The Daily Dot reached out to Lilli via Instagram direct message and TikTok comment as well as to Vicks via email.
Internet culture is chaotic—but we’ll break it down for you in one daily email. Sign up for the Daily Dot’s web_crawlr newsletter here. You’ll get the best (and worst) of the internet straight into your inbox.
