Allergy to Vicks VapoRub?

My wife has a serious allergy problem which has left her skin around her neck & facial area scarred. We haven't found anything that can remove the marks.This is now spreading although she hasn't used vicks vaporub in a while.... please help..

Our daughter had a similar outbreak. We put vaporub on her shirt before bed. It seeped through into her skin and the next morning her skin had broken out into hives. Following this reaction the hives went away and produced small bump-like blisters. I can't believe this isn't listed as a side effect anywhere on the bottle.

Three days ago I applied vicks to the center of my chest before going to bed. The next morning the area where I applied the vicks was red, very itchy with little bumps. What can I do to get rid of this condition?

My husband was sick about a year ago. We put that vicks baby bath in his water and then some on his body before he went to sleep. After about an hour he was shivering and had hot and cold flashes. We had to take him to the hospital. The doctor informed us that this is a not unheard of reaction to vicks.

I tried Vicks during a respiratory illness and had trouble breathing. The strong odor really sent my airways into a spasm. Will avoid it from now on.

I put Vicks on my throat and chest for severe congestion. The next morning I woke up with a large, red, raised and itchy wheal about 2 inches around over the area on my larynx. It is still there and itches. This has happened twice now. The first time, I thought maybe it was just because I used it when I had a fever and the skin couldn't breathe, but now I know I've had an allergic reaction to one of the ingredients. I guess I can't use it again!

My five year old daughter has a bad cough so last night I rubbed some Vicks on her chest. Today I noticed a rash on the same area when I went to reapply before bedtime so of course I didn't put any more on her. I have used Vicks on her a couple of times before when she had a cold and she didn't have a reaction like this. I guess she has developed an allergy and I will now be cautious before using it on her younger brother or her from now on.

I had put some vicks on my 6 year old's chest before he went to bed because he had a stuffy nose and chest cold. The next day he was itching all over and had difficulty breathing. I did't think it was related until the next night when it happened just half an hour after I applied it to his chest again.

I too have had the same reaction as many folks that have posted here. With a terrible cold, I rubbed vicks on my chest at bed time, it seemed to help, so I repeated the vicks rub the next night but when I woke up my chest was itching. After taking a shower, I found that my chest was covered in tiny red, blister like bumps, itchy, red and burning. Its awful. I am not sure why this isn't posted on their label.

my husband and our families have used Vicks for years and years; it cleared up my husband's toenail fungus; I rub it on the soles of my feet at bedtime to open up my head when I have a cold; I just bought the tube of Vick's that does not have petroleum; It is non greasy;
How long has Vick's been made in Mexico? I noticed that the tube of Vick's was made in Mexico IF the newer batches are made there, maybe their ingredients (generic/poor quality versions a la Chinese junk) might just be changed? I have nothing good to say for generics made in china; maybe some from the mexico plant was imported from china. (That might account for a sudden allergy to what used to not be....)
We adore Vick's; when I can not get it, I use Soltace. S. H., Branson, MO

I rubbed Vick's all over my neck and chest because I was congested. The next day, I woke up with a huge red rash all over my neck and chest. It seemed to lighten as the day went on, but when I woke up the next day, it was bright red again and itchy. So now not only do I have a cold, but I have a weird rash on my body. I am going to have to wear a turtleneck because the rash in on my neck too. I hope this goes away soon. If it lasts a few more days, I'm going to the doctor. I agree with everyone, it's ridiculous skin rash isn't listed as a possible side effect!

I have used vicks my entire life (I am now 59) with no problems. About a month ago, I put it on my chest and neck area as I was all stuffed up. Next day I had a red, bumpy itchy area where I had put the vicks vaporub. I discontinued using it. After 2 weeks, the rash went away. Last week I did the same thing, thinking the time before was an isolated incident. Wrong! It happened again so I called the doctors office (closing that day for 2 weeks) and was told to take benedryl.

That helped, as well as putting baby powder on the rash itself. First of all, I finally realized the container was outdated!! (please check the expiry date!!! That could have been the problem but upon searching the internet, I also found out many other people who use it had the same reaction.) You can be sure I won't try it for a 3rd time.

I've used Vicks all my life with no problem until about a year ago. I applied it to my neck and the next morning I woke up with that itchy rash in the exact area I applied it. The bottle was expired so I threw it out immediately and vowed to never use anything expired again. Last night, I was having a really hard time with a bad cough, so I put some UNEXPIRED Vicks on my chest and neck and guess what happened?

The rash appeared in the exact same spot it was last year. (Only on my neck which is the only place I applied it last year). I was told to use hydrocortizone cream to help with the itchiness, and thanks to the above poster for suggesting Benedryl. I'm never using Vicks again!!!!

I had a bad experience with Vicks Vapo-Rub about a week ago. I had received an e-mail saying that if you put Vicks on your feet and then socks it will help stop a bad cough. Well my husband and I were both sick with colds so I had my husband try it and I did not. Within an hour of him putting it on his feet I started having a terrible time with congestion in my chest that I could not clear. I ended up in the Hospital ER room because I kept choking. I told them what happened and they did not do anything about it but we immediately threw it away. People need to know what happened to me because I never felt that it would have affected me that way since I did not use it but it did. Use with caution.