THERE'S no denying the secret healing powers in some
everyday items, such as saltwater for a sore throat or honey for a cough.
But there are some natural remedies that you really ought to
avoid - especially when it comes to your intimate areas.
Doctors warn that tea tree oil is one of them, after it
emerged that ladies are using it in a bid to get rid of nasty smells down
below.
It comes after a Mumsnet user revealed she uses the
essential oil when douching to prepare for smear tests.
She said: "To me, it's like giving my teeth an extra
good brush, flossing, mouthwash before seeing dentist. Just preparing myself,
you know?"
But experts say that it can actually do more harm than good
and mess with the body's pH balance, increasing the likelihood of nasty
infections developing.
Even more worryingly, essential oils like tea tree could
even burn the sensitive skin inside the vagina.
Dr Shree Datta, a gynaecologist at MyHealthcare Clinic, told
the Daily Star: "I would not recommend using tea tree oil or any internal
douching for your vagina.
"I would recommend in general avoiding any scented
products or soaps internally in your vagina.
"If the oil is undiluted this could potentially cause
damage to or burn the lining of your vagina or could negatively impact the
delicate balance of healthy bacteria/your vaginal flora, putting you at risk of
bacterial vaginosis or yeast infections."
Pointless exercise
It's not the first time women have been warned against
putting stuff in their vagina.
As temperatures hit record-breaking levels over the weekend,
docs were forced to warn women not to put ice lollies in their vaginas to try
and cool off in the heatwave.
Not only is it unlikely to help you feel any cooler, it
could actually cause infections, irritation and potential trauma down below.
Consultant gynaecologist Dr Anne Henderson told The Sun:
"Anything with food colouring, dye, perfume or high levels of sugar will
have a negative impact on vaginal pH and lactobacillus and could increase the
risk of vaginal infection such as thrush and bacterial vaginosis.
"Additives can also be potentially irritant in such a
sensitive area as the vagina causing local inflammation and discomfort.
"On a more basic level the process could also be very
messy as the ice lolly with melt very quickly and will leak upon dissolving.
"It is also a pointless exercise as the core body
temperature, including internal organs such as the vagina, is set by the brain
and cannot be altered by application of any cooling agent such as ice, which at
best will provide a very temporary relief before the temperature rises once
again.
"The body is very good at autoregulation and it is
never a good idea to tamper."
Avoid garlic
Earlier this year it was revealed that women have been
sticking garlic cloves up there to try and treat thrush.
According to an old wives' tale, putting a clove in there
for three days can clear things up.
But it prompted gynaecologist Dr Jennifer Gunter to warn
that the vagina is the "perfect" environment for botulism bacteria to
grow.
Botulism is an incredibly serious condition which can leave
people paralysed and at worst, is fatal.
While lab tests may have shown that garlic contains
antifungal properties, Dr Gunter stressed that scientists haven't even tested
whether that translates into mice - let alone humans.
Last year, Marie Claire encouraged women to stick a sprig of
parsley up there in order to induce a period.
Aside from the total lack of evidence, herbal inserts can be
really dangerous.
Karin O’Sullivan, Clinical Lead at FPA Charity told The Sun:
“It’s a bad idea to insert anything not prescribed by a practitioner inside
your vagina.
"Your vagina has a natural healthy balance which can be
upset by the introduction of foreign objects."
Don't cleanse with cucumber
Another bizarre home remedy that's been promoted by
alternative health therapists and bloggers is to use cucumber to
"cleanse" the vagina.
They claim that it can "help sanitise and maintain a
pleasant odour", as well as potentially warding off STIs.
But medics have strongly advised against the method because,
again, it's one of those things that can certainly do more harm than good.
Dr Gunter wrote on
her blog: "This idea that some kind of vaginal cleansing is required, be
it a peeled cucumber or the 'feminine washes' sold at drugstores, is misogyny
dressed up as health care and I am having none of it.
"Vaginas are not dirty.
"Study after study after study tells us that douches,
cleanses, steams, vinegar, pH balancing products, aloe, colloidal silver, garlic
or whatever else passing as the vaginal snake oil du jour at best do nothing
but have real potential for harming good bacteria or disrupting the mucosal
surface.
"By damaging lactobacilli and the mucosa, attempts at vaginal
cleaning increase a woman’s risk of contracting gonorrhoea or HIV if she is
exposed.
"Paradoxically, it will also cause odour."
It's best to see your doctor or a pharmacist if you've got
any concerns about your intimate areas.
(The Sun)
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