Home Remedies to Avoid
By Sara Butler
There are some home remedies that really work. Gargling salt water when you have a sore throat works like a charm! And an oatmeal bath to soothe irritated skin can work wonders. But just as there are home remedies that work, there are a lot of home remedies that don’t -- and can hurt you, to boot! So before you stumble into a DIY disaster, here are some home remedies you’re better off avoiding!
Putting Butter on Burns
While it may sound reasonable to put a pat of cold butter on a burn, it’s really not advisable. Butter can help to seal in bacteria and can help to create an environment that is ideal for bacteria to grow. If you’re truly looking for something DIY for minor burns at home, then get an aloe vera plant and save the butter for your bread.
Treating Lice with Mayonnaise
This home remedy got some traction because it partially works. Mayo will kill live lice, but their eggs will remain unharmed. So, it won’t really treat the whole problem and get rid of all the lice in your hair. Plus, mayo spoils rather quickly, so you’ll have a goopy, rancid mess on your head -- and still have lice.
A better DIY treatment is to use olive oil. Apply it to your scalp and leave it on for three hours. Then you can apply white distilled vinegar to your hair. The vinegar will break down the eggs and remove them from your hair. Repeat the process every two to three days to get those little lice off your head for good!
Hydrogen Peroxide on Cuts
The hydrogen peroxide in your cabinet is indeed a cleaning agent, but it’s not advisable to use it on cuts or scrapes. That’s because it will kill healthy cells along with bacteria and may hinder healing going forward. The best way to treat minor cuts and abrasions is with trusty old soap and water.
Toothpaste to Treat Acne
No one is really sure where this home remedy got its start, but using your toothpaste to try to clear up acne is a bad idea. In fact, the ingredients in toothpaste may only serve to irritate your skin even further and result in more redness. If you want to get rid of zits naturally, you may want to try honey. Honey is a natural antibacterial agent and applying it to the affected area two times per day for 15 or 20 minutes at a time may help to clear it up.
Some home remedies can work, but these need to be forgotten about or you could risk your future health and wellness!
To learn more about your health and wellness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Lake Forest, Calif.