6 DIY Remedies You Should Never Try

All natural is the way to go right?…Well some doctors are begging to differ. In today’s society DIY is a definitely go to option for most, but there are some treatments that are better left where you found them, and better to go find a professional. Take a look at some of these surprising at home remedies that didn’t pass the professionals standards.

1. DIY Enemas

Ever considered an at home attempt at “evacuating” your bowels? Well according to Jennifer Berman, M.D., director of the Female Sexual Medicine Center at UCLA Medical Center she has seen many cases of non-traditional enema methods. Traditionally water is used, but she says “I see a lot of people do them, sometimes even with coffee because they think the caffeine will help clear their system. “This is not true!” “With any sort of enema, you end up running the risk of perforating your rectum—death is even a possibility,” she says.

2. Yogurt for Yeast Infections

Ideally the live cultures in the yogurt will contain acidophilus, that will help rid your body of the “bad bacteria”. Unfortunately most yogurt on the market today has too much sugar and not enough of the acidophilus (bacteria fighter). “It’s not clear if these live cultures will actually flourish in the vagina, the sugary flavored yogurts can lead to more infections, says ob-gyn Mary Jane Minkin, M.D., clinical professor at Yale School of Medicine.

3. Nut Scrubs
“One of my clients came in and her face was bloody due to a nut scrub,” says board-certified dermatologist Whitney Bowe, M.D.This diy remedy called for crushed pistachios shells, walnuts, and almonds. They were then mixed with olive oil and rubbed all over her face. The problem there is that you’re getting a lot of jagged edges if you make a scrub with shells and nuts, and those edges create microtears in the skin. It’s really bad!”

4. Toothpaste Acne Treatments

This is a very logical DIY treatment as the baking soda is thought to dry out the pimple. The issue with this is toothpaste is made of more than just baking soda, and the additional ingredients wreck havoc on your skin!  “The three worst toothpaste ingredients are alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, and menthol—all of them can irritate the skin more than help it,” says Bowe.

5. Butter On Your Skin to Treat a Burn

According to Bowe, “It doesn’t work”. If anything this method is causing more harm than good. The butter is likely harboring lots of bacteria that will only jumpstart the process of infection.  She says, “The best thing is to run cold water on it, and then apply an antibiotic cream and cover.”

6. Petroleum Jelly for Vaginal Dryness
According to a study in the journal Obstetrics & Gynecology many women use this as an alternative to the costly OTC lubricants. The majority of these women had a 22 percent increased risk of bacterial vaginosis. This is because the petroleum throws off the levels of pH in the body, and creates a safe haven for bad bacteria.

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