Dangerous home remedies to avoid

1. Ear Candling to cleanse ears

Ear candling is often used to cleanse the ear by lighting a candle at both ends of the ear to create suction. However this is dangerous as it can lead to a blocked ear or even an ear infection instead.

Solution: Dr A. B. John, senior ear, nose and throat surgeon at Mount Elizabeth Medical Centre recommends sticking to eardrops instead.

2. Toothpaste to cure acne

Apart from cleaning your teeth, some people use toothpaste to solve their acne problem as well. However, this is not recommended as toothpaste might exacerbate your acne problem instead by burning or irritating the area.

Solution: Dr Cheong Wai Kwong, consultant dermatologist at Specialist Skin Centre, recommends diluted vinegar or salt water instead.

3. Finger wart cutting

Some people use a blade or other sharp instruments to cut off their finger wart. However this is dangerous as it could lead to an infection or the person might end up cutting himself by accident.

Solution: Dr K. V. Ratnam from Ratnam\'s Allergy and Skin Centre recommends a pumice stone or surgery instead.

4. Buttering your burn

One home remedy which people use to treat burns is to apply butter on it. However applying butter on your burn can cause a bacterial infection.

Solution: Dr Ratnam recommends treating your burn with cold water if it is mild.

5. Manually removing a stuck fish bone.

It is quite common for people to try to extract a fish bone stuck in their throat by using their fingers. However this is not advised as doing so could result in the bone being lodged even deeper in your throat. Your throat might get damaged as well if you scratch it with your fingernails as well.

Solution: Dr Y. H. Goh, consultant at Y H Goh Ear Nose and Throat, Head and Neck Surgery suggests heading to the hospital where the doctors will take of the problem for you.

6. Needle to combat eye styes

One solution which many people use when they have an eye stye is to use a needle to pierce it. However, as styes are often very near your eye, you may end up hurting your eye.

Solution: Dr Currie Chiang, consultant eye surgeon at International Eye Clinic suggests using antiseptic eye cream instead

7. Applying alcohol on teething baby’s gums

People use alcohol for all sorts of reasons and some people use alcohol to relieve the pain for babies when they are teething. However, alcohol may upset your baby due to the burning sensation it produces. Furthermore some types of alchohol are not fit for consumption according to Dr Warren Lee, head General and Ambulatory Paediatrics Service at KK Women\'s and Children\'s Hospital.

Solution: Dr Lee suggests giving the baby something it can bite to counter the pain.

Written by

Sean Foo

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