In de literatuur wordt inderdaad beschreven dat kamferspiritus rechtstreeks op de huid gebruikt kan worden. Kamferspiritus zou de huid droger en steviger maken (bv. ter bescherming van wintertenen of -handen, om doorligwonden te voorkomen, om de voeten voor te bereiden op lange wandelingen,…). Kamfer(spiritus) kan ook verlichting bieden bij spierpijn.
De Martindale beschrijft het volgende gebruik voor kamfer:
“Applied externally, camphor acts as a rubefacient and mild analgesic (see p.5) and is used in liniments as a counter-irritant in fibrositis, neuralgia, and similar conditions. It is also an ingredient of many inhaled nasal decongestant preparations but it is of doubtful efficacy. The use of camphor liniment (camphorated oil) is discouraged because of its potential toxicity. It has been withdrawn from the market in both the UK and the USA. In the USA the concentration of camphor in preparations for external use may not exceed 11%.
Camphor oil is occasionally used in aromatherapy.
Taken internally camphor has irritant and carminative properties and has been used as a mild expectorant. It has also been used in mixed preparations for cardiovascular disorders”
