Here’s How to Use Vivaporú to Fix Anything in Life

It’s been a long-running joke that Latinos use Vivaporú, aka Vicks Vaporub, to cure everything. So when the Internet discovered you can get rid of a cough by applying the ointment to your feet and covering them with socks overnight, we were like, yeah, duh. While some were skeptical, there were plenty of others who defended Vaporú by sharing their own real-life experiences with the vaporizing ointment.

So many people weighed in, that the vaporub tip became a trending topic on Facebook. And it inspired medical professionals to give their expert opinions. Dr. Lynne Jordan told MailOnline, “One theory could be that it helps reduce stress. By concentrating on something else, i.e. the process of putting Vicks on with the socks, you are reducing your stress levels.” Nah, don’t think so.

And Procter and Gamble – the company behind our beloved Vivaporú – said “It is not in line with what the product is for so we would not endorse it being used in this way.” We have a feeling that P&G wouldn’t co-sign most of our uses, like putting it inside our noses, heating it up, using it to get rid of stretch marks, or eating it (as Vivala‘s Araceli Cruz’s uncle does).

 And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Check out nine posts that show the full extent of our relationship with vaporú: