6 Medicinal Uses for Vaseline that You'll Want to Know
Vaseline, also known as Petroleum Jelly, is a highly versatile product that can be really useful at home for both beauty and natural medicine. In this article, you’ll learn about six medicinal uses for vaseline.
Vaseline is a colorless ointment with an oily texture that’s recommended as a natural moisturizer, which traps moisture without causing unwanted effects to the skin.
It contains anti-oxidant substances, vitamins, and minerals which, when applied externally, help to treat certain skin problems and injuries.
The best of all is that it’s easily combined with other ingredients to make other cheap, 100% natural home remedies.
Do you know the medicinal uses for vaseline? We share the best six below!
1. The medicinal uses for vaseline in treating rheumatism
Applying vaseline externally can help with massages to soothe pains caused by rheumatism. In this case, you can combine it with elm bark, which has analgesic effects.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons of vaseline (60 g)
- 3 tablespoons of ground elm bark (45 g)
Preparation
- Put the vaseline in a heatproof dish and melt it in using a Bain-Marie.
- When it’s melted, add the elm bark and mix well.
- Leave the mixture to rest at room temperature until it solidifies.
How to use it
- Take the required amount and gently spread and massage it over the area affected.
- Use it twice a day.
2. Vaseline remedy for dermatitis
The fatty acids in vaseline help to moisturize the skin and soften hard scabs that form as a result of dermatitis.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons of vaseline (40 g)
- 1 tablespoon of almond oil (15 g)
Preparation
- Mix the vaseline with almond oil until you get a smooth cream.
How to use it
- Take a little of the ointment with the tips of your fingers and spread it over your dermatitis.
- Leave it to absorb into the skin without rinsing it and repeat this twice a day.
3. Vaseline remedy for hemorrhoids
Vaseline is a smooth product that doesn’t irritate the skin. For this reason, you can mix it with other medicinal ingredients to soothe the irritation and pain caused by hemorrhoids.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon of vaseline (20 g)
- 2 tablespoons of barley flour (30 g)
- 1 tablespoon of honey (25 g)
- 1 egg white
Preparation
- Melt the vaseline in a Bain-Marie.
- When it’s melted, add the barley flour, the honey, and the egg white.
- Mix it all until the mixture is of a consistent texture.
How to use it
- Spread the remedy over the affected area when you feel pain or irritation.
- Keep it in a hermetic glass jar in the refrigerator.
Read also: 5 Homemade Treatments to Reduce Acne Scars
4. Vaseline remedy for sprains
With Vaseline as a base, you can make an anti-inflammatory ointment to accelerate the recovery from twists and sprains. The medicinal uses for vaseline are really worth trying.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons of vaseline (40 g)
- 1/2 tablespoon of ground cayenne pepper (2 g)
Preparation
- Melt the vaseline in a Bain-Marie and mix it with the cayenne pepper.
- Leave it to rest at room temperature and put it in a hermetic jar.
How to use it
- Apply the ointment over the affected area and massage for 5 minutes.
- Leave it to act for 2 or 3 hours more, and rinse.
- Repeat this every day.
5. Vaseline remedy for bruises
This vaseline remedy helps to improve blood circulation to accelerate recovery from bruises or other contusions.
It contains comfrey leaves, an ingredient with anti-inflammatory properties which is ideal for treating bruises.
Ingredients
- 5 tablespoons of vaseline (100 g)
- 2 tablespoons of picked comfrey leaves (30 g)
Preparation
- Put the vaseline in a heat-resistant dish and melt it in a Bain-Marie.
- Then, add the comfrey leaves, lower the heat, and mix for 10 minutes.
- Remove the mixture from the heat and leave it to sit for 5 to 10 minutes.
- Lastly, filter it with a cotton cloth and keep it in a glass jar.
How to use it
- Spread the ointment over the affected area and massage for 5 minutes until it’s well absorbed.
- If you think it necessary, repeat this twice a day.
6. Vaseline remedy for sunburn
If you mix the properties of vaseline with a little olive oil you can get a moisturizing cream to regenerate the skin after a sunburn.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons of vaseline (40 g)
- 1 tablespoon of olive oil (16 g)
Preparation
- Put the vaseline in a bowl and mix it with the olive oil.
How to use it
- Three or four days after suffering sunburn, apply this vaseline cream over the affected area.
- Use it until you notice an improvement.
Note: Do not use immediately after suffering sunburn.
Did you know about these medicinal uses for vaseline? As you can see, it’s a product with many uses to solve various problems. Try it out for yourself!
All cited sources were thoroughly reviewed by our team to ensure their quality, reliability, currency, and validity. The bibliography of this article was considered reliable and of academic or scientific accuracy.
- Araújo, Natalúcia Matos, and Sonia Maria Junqueira Vasconcellos de Oliveira. “The use of liquid petroleum jelly in the prevention of perineal lacerations during birth.” Revista latino-americana de enfermagem 16.3 (2008): 375-381.
- Fuertes, Alejandro Villa. “Verrugas plantares: tratamiento con ácido monocloroacético y vaselina salicílica.” El Peu 27.2 (2007): 107-112.
- Grabois, Florencia S., et al. “Tratamiento con vaselina estéril para lesión por extravasación en un prematuro.” Archivos argentinos de pediatría 106.6 (2008): 533-535.
