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Side Effects of Camphor in Skin Products

Camphor is an active ingredient in many medications and skin products. It is also a well-established folk remedy. When applied to skin, it acts by stimulating the nerve endings for relief of pain and itching. It has a characteristic pleasant smell and is commonly used to treat problems associated with breathing and sinus pressure, as well as those related to poor blood circulation and pain in the joints. Camphor acts as a rubefacient when applied on the skin because of its cooling effect. However, there are many adverse effects associated with camphor that is normally found in various skin products.

  1. Common Side Effects

    • Exposure to camphor by absorption through skin can cause serious health implications such as respiratory problems, chest pain, skin irritation and rashes. These problems are fatal in certain situations. This happens when camphor is absorbed through the application of creams and lotions on the skin. Therefore, undiluted or concentrated skin products that contain camphor should strictly be avoided because they can cause toxicity and irritation. In addition, camphor-containing skin products should never be heated or microwaved, as this is likely to cause an explosion and lead to severe burns.

    Camphor Toxicity

    • Hepatotoxicity, a serious health condition, can be caused when camphor penetrates through the skin, the placental barrier and the mucous membranes. Hepatotoxicity inflicts damage on the liver. Laboratory tests also indicate that generalized damage of the body tissue can also occur because of camphor exposure and toxicity. Therefore, relatively lower concentrations of camphor are used in cold medications such as Vicks VapoRub to avoid camphor toxicity.

    Side Effects in Children

    • Small doses of camphor exposure in children can have serious health implications such as vomiting and nausea. The swallowing of camphor-containing skin products can lead to death in small, malnourished infants.

    Broken Skin Treatments

    • Particular care should be exercised in broken skin treatments. Any skin product that contains camphor should not be used to treat broken skin disorder. Broken skin will accelerate the process of body absorption of camphor, and therefore much more easily cause camphor toxicity.

    Side Effects During Pregnancy

    • According to WebMD, "The safety of applying camphor to the skin during pregnancy or breast-feeding is unknown." However, oral consumption of camphor is definitely unsafe for both the mother and the infant during pregnancy and when breast-feeding. WebMD therefore recommends that camphor-containing products in any form should be avoided during this period.

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