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When taken by mouth: Camphor is UNSAFE. Ingesting camphor can cause severe side effects, including death.
When applied to the skin: Camphor is POSSIBLY SAFE for most adults when applied to the skin in a cream or lotion in low concentrations. Camphor can cause some minor side effects such as skin redness and irritation. Do not use undiluted camphor products or products containing more than 11% camphor. These can be irritating and unsafe. Camphor-containing products are LIKELY UNSAFE when applied to broken or injured skin. Camphor is easily absorbed through broken skin and can reach toxic levels in the body.
When inhaled: Camphor is POSSIBLY SAFE for most adults when inhaled as the vapor from rubs applied to the chest. Camphor is LIKELY UNSAFE when inhaled in large amounts. Inhaling large amounts of camphor can cause toxic effects.
Do not heat camphor-containing products (Vicks VapoRub, BenGay, Heet, many others) in the microwave. The products can explode and cause severe burns. *
