Attack Is The Best Form Of Defence (Vicks First Defence)

Member Name: SRowlands

Product:	Vicks First Defence
Date:	03/02/06 (13204 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: It actually seems to work !

Disadvantages: Fairly expensive, but will last a whilst !

"Beep...beep...beep" - I opened my eyes and hit the alarm clock. 0500 it read, and I realised that my slumber under my warm quilt had to end. I yawn, stretch and sit up on the edge of the bed. But then I notice that my throat feels really dry. I swallow, only to be greeted by the unmissable pain associated with a sore throat !

Hoping that it is just the effects of a deep sleep, I continue to get ready for work, and set about my day - oblivious of what is in store for me. Throughout the day, I suffer a bout of sneezing, then the nose starts to get congested - all unmistakable signs of a cold !
Several people at work have already been struck down by this latest virus, which seems to be particulary nasty. The last thing that I want is to come down with it - particulary with so much going on over the next few weeks.

On the drive home from work I plan on stopping off at the pharmacy to stock up on supplies, when a television advertisement pops into my head - I'm sure you've seen it !
It's the one where a mother and her young son are at the supermarket, and he starts to throw a tantrum, chucking a bag of cereal on the floor. She responds by making an even bigger scene by screaming and rolling about on the floor - causing the son to look shocked and behave himself.
The product being advertised was "Vicks First Defence", with the slogan, "Fight Cold Germs Before They Can Take Hold".

Upon entering the pharmacy, there was a big display for this new product on the counter. I asked the pharmacist about it, and she brought over a shiny little blue and green box containing the bottle. It was priced up at £6.99.
This sounded like quite a lot of money for such a small item, so I asked the pharmacist if it worked. She admitted that she hadn't tried it, but said that she had heard several positive comments about it from customers.
£6.99 was expensive, but I weighed up several different factors. If someone offered me the chance to get rid of a cold for less than £7, I would snap up the offer. Also, comparing the price to some branded cold treatments, it was expensive, but it offered a different approach to fighting the cold virus by attacking it and preventing it from developing, rather than treating the symptoms whilst the cold takes it's natural course.
So, with these factors considered, I soon parted with my money and took possession of the product.

First Defence targets the area inside the nasal cavity, where cold germs first start to multiply.
It comes in the form of a nasal spray - a bottle with a pump disperser on the top that is inserted into the nostril. As the spray, based upon plant extracts, is applied, it traps the germs. This prevents them from multiplying, and helps remove them from the body.

First Defence needs to be used when there is a risk of catching a cold (e.g. when all your colleagues are coughing or sneezing !), or when you feel the first symptoms of a cold - normally within the first 24 hours.
After removing the protective cap, you simply insert the nozzle up each nostril and spray two or three times.
When you have first sprayed, you don't actually feel as though anything has come out, however after a few seconds you feel a burning sensation - like the cold is actually being burned away ! This then changes into a tingling, pulsing feeling as the product gets to work.
Your eyes briefly turn bloodshot and tears will probably roll down your cheeks. Excess fluid will come back out of your nostrils... along with quite a bit of mucus (now carrying the trapped cold virus. When you swallow, you will notice a burning (and not very pleasant taste) making it's way down your throat... like a cheap whiskey !
It's strange - this description makes the product and sensation sound awful... but it's actually not that bad ! I'm sure you'll know that when you have got a cold, anything that clears your head that quickly has to be more than welcome.

The products active ingredients are plant based, which means that this is not actually classed as a medicine. There is no list of possible side effects, and does not say to avoid other medication whilst using this - so you could use it in conjunction with other cold remedies.
It does have warnings, however, as to who should use this product. Women who are pregnant or breast feeding, or those who have sensitivites to the nose, ear or throat should not use First Defence. Simarily, it is not suitable for children under 12 years of age.

So, the big question... does it work ? Well, I can only go by my own experiences. I woke up with a sore throat first thing in the morning, and by early afternoon I was congested and felt really ill. I first took Vicks First Defence at tea time that day. Initially it really did clear my head, but I went to bed feeling pretty rough.
The following morning, I awoke with quite a bad headache, but the cold felt quite a bit better. I took another dose of the gel, and by eleven o clock I felt almost 100% better !
It's difficult to say if the headache was brought on by this product, but this then developed into a migraine - something which I very rarely get (the last one was over a year ago !). However, after my normal painkillers, the migraine soon dispersed and I felt fine.
I have used the product since then with no similar side effects, so it is probably just a coincidence. (I shall update this review with any further instances !).

Now, of course, this dramatic recovery wasn't under any scientific conditions - it is entirely possible that my cold might have just got better by itself in this short time. However, the cold that is going around at the moment seems to be particulary nasty, with friends and colleagues suffering symptoms for up to three weeks.


Weighing everything up, I would certainly recommend Vicks First Defence to potential buyers. The product is expensive for what it is - (and the instructions wisely recommend that you do not share this product - each person should have their own one !). However, £7 to recover so quickly from a cold is very cheap. Also, for full recovery from my last cold, I took five doses - (it recommends using it for around 2 days after you feel better, but I ignored this advice). After these doses, I still have around 80% of the bottle left, so it'll probably last me for another year !

Summary: A microgel that flushes out cold germs before they can develop.