What is inside a vape? An In-depth Overview

There are a lot of misconceptions out there about what is actually inside a ‘vape device’ or ‘vape juice’. In this article we will address these misconceptions by going over in detail, the ingredients, components and health implications surrounding vape devices and liquids.

To answer the question of “what is inside a vape?” we will discuss the contents and internal components found in the most common vape paraphernalia available in the UK market. So let’s dive in and draw the line between fact and myth.

What’s inside a refillable vape kit?

Refillable vape devices whether they’re a small pod kit or large sub-ohm mod, share a common set of components that make them function. These include the battery, coil, wicking material and tank (or pod). Each of these parts are manufactured from various materials ranging from plastics to ceramics.

Naturally, people have made assumptions about what these components do and if they leach some sort of contaminants into the e-liquid, potentially causing harm. Let’s go over how they work and use credible sources to determine how these components effect your body.

Coils (Atomisers): The coil is a part of the vape that’s responsible for heating the e-liquid, turning it into an aerosol (mistakenly labelled as vapour) for inhalation. Coils are spiralling lengths of wire or a wire ‘mesh’, usually made from metals like Kanthal, Nichrome or Stainless Steel.

When you activate the device, power will flow through the coil raising it to temperatures around 200°C-250°C. The part of the coil unit which holds the liquid is the wicking material placed around the heating coil, this part is typically made from natural cotton.

Health Concerns: Many people claim that the metals inside the heating coil can leach into the aerosol being inhaled. This is true but… the quantities of metals like nickel, chromium, lead .etc found in vape aerosol have not been detected in harmful quantities. A 2018 study on the matter concluded that the levels of metals identified in e-cigarette aerosol did not raise significant safety concerns.

Batteries: To deliver power to the coil, a vape device needs a battery. In modern vape devices these batteries are made out of lithium, just like the ones you would find in most commercial electronics such as smartphones, power banks or digital cameras. Commonly these batteries can be re-charged using a USB Type-C cable and have capacities exceeding 1000mAh.

Health Concerns: In the past people have claimed that vape batteries have a tendency to explode. This is not entirely true, while there have been instances of vape batteries experiencing ‘thermal runaway’ these cases are often linked to poor manufacturing, homemade batteries and dated battery technology. Nowadays lithium cells have improved significantly, increasing their efficiency and safety. Although modern batteries have addressed many of these safety concerns, we don’t recommend you ever try to tinker with lithium batteries and DO NOT pierce them.

What’s inside e-liquid?

Most vape liquids are made up of four primary ingredients: Propylene Glycol (PG), Vegetable Glycerin (VG), Nicotine and Flavourings. Other additives like water or alcohol are sometimes added for consistency, but this is increasingly rare as manufacturers use them less and less. But are these chemicals safe for inhalation?

Propylene Glycol: PG is a clear, nearly odourless liquid that serves as the carrier for nicotine and flavour concentrates. PG is relatively thin in viscosity which makes it wick quickly, absorbing into the coil’s cotton. It produces a stronger ‘throat hit’ and limited vapour, so higher PG juices are favoured by ex-smokers looking to replicate the sensation of smoking a cigarette. PG can also be found in common household products like inhalers, food, cosmetics and some anti-freeze products.

Health Concerns: A lot of people are concerned about the safety of PG because of its use in certain anti-freeze solutions. While true, this claim misses the point of why PG is used as anti-freeze. PG is used in this way because it’s a non-toxic and biodegradable alternative to substances like ethylene glycol so it can be used in more sensitive mechanisms without the risk of damage. PG is not toxic and won’t cause acute poisoning, however some studies have shown it can cause mild irritation to the lungs if overused or vaped by people with pre-existing lung conditions.

Vegetable Gylcerin: VG is used in e-liquids primarily as a thickener. Thanks to its viscous nature it produces thick and dense clouds. VG is also the substance responsible for providing a smooth throat hit while vaping. E-liquids with high VG content (typically 70/30) are preferred by sub-ohm vapers using higher wattage mods as these types of devices can better handle thicker liquids and their coils don’t burn out as quick under stress.

Health Concerns: Vegetable Glycerine is often associated with dry mouth, however this doesn’t affect everyone the same and some people don’t experience it as much as others. There are no know long-term health risks of VG inhalation.

Nicotine (Salt and Freebase): An optional but common addition to e-liquid, nicotine is used to satisfy the cravings of smokers. Freebase nicotine is the traditional form used from the genesis of vaping, it’s essentially pure nicotine infused into PG. This form of nicotine lends itself to a harsh throat hit, simulating the experience of smoking cigarettes.

Nicotine salts are a newer form of nicotine that combine the original freebase solution with a natural acid like benzoic, salicylic or lactic acid to lower the pH and make vaping a lot smoother. This type of e-liquid is favoured by people who enjoy higher nicotine strengths and bolder flavours which perform better with their neutral formulation.

Health Concerns: Nicotine is a highly addictive substance therefore we do not recommend using nicotine e-liquids if you don’t already have a dependency. Despite vaping being over 95% less harmful than alternatives like smoking, prolonged exposure to nicotine can cause high blood pressure for some.

Summary

So those are the main ingredients and components found in common vape items. We hope to have answered the question of what is inside a vape and addressed the multiple health concerns pertained to each. If you still have questions about what is inside your vape then feel free to contact us via our website or email and our team of experts will be happy to help.