Natural Remedies that Actually Work!

In this day and age, you can google natural remedies for ANYTHING. Toothpaste this. Listerine that. Milk-soaked bread. Don’t get me started on olive oil.

I’m all for a good ol fashioned home remedy, however, not all home remedies are created equal. Here are my favorite ways to incorporate effective home remedies into any treatment plan.

1. Warts

   • Warts suck. There, I said it. Because warts are a virus, there is no clear-cut treatment that is certain to work for everyone. While I treat warts EVERYDAY with liquid nitrogen, candida injections, and topical acids, you’ll also hear me recommend apple cider vinegar or oregano oil at home. Shoot, you can even do BOTH natural remedies and in-office treatments to really come out swinging.

2. Nail Fungus

   • Much like warts, nail fungus is a stubborn bugger that often takes months to resolve. Years ago, someone told me a podiatrist recommended soaking their nails in Listerine to help with nail fungus. I’ll admit, I rolled my eyes and prescribed them Lamisil. However, adding in Listerine soaks (in addition to medical treatments) can actually help to speed up resolution!

3. Infected Eczema

   • Eczema is considered the itch that rashes. Have you ever itched something so much that your skin breaks open and becomes “oozy”? This type of secondary, superficial infection often responds great to bleach (or white vinegar) soaks! Mix 1/4 cup household bleach (or white vinegar) into an entire bathtub of luke warm water. Soak for 15 minutes as needed.

4. Canker Sores

   • Although I’m not a dentist, someone will occasionally ask me a question about a sore in their mouth. If said “sore” looks like a canker sore, my first recommendation is to apply honey throughout the day! Honey actually has pretty good antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties and can really help health canker sores. My second recommendation: follow up with your dentist if the sore does not go away!

5. Scalp Psoriasis

   • Before I mention any type of home remedy, scalp psoriasis is a red flag for potential psoriatic arthritis in the future. So, please, don’t mistake this at home remedy as a substitution for medical intervention. While you’re waiting to see your dermatology provider, coconut, peanut, or avocado oil can be massaged into your scalp before bed to help loosen the thick scaly plaques. Sleep with a shower cap on to avoid a mess!

I’m sure there are hundreds of other home remedies that you all swear by. Drop them in the comments below! I’d love to incorporate them into my daily practice.

Notice: I did NOT include any home remedies for skin cancer treatment. That’s because THERE ARE NO HOME REMEDIES FOR SKIN CANCER! In fact, any condition that is not responding to your at home therapy should be evaluated by a dermatology provider.

-xoxo