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Boric Acid Vaginal Suppositories: What's Behind This New TikTok Trend
Boric acid is a dangerous poison that can burn through your esophagus, stomach, and intestines. ... [+] (Photo: Getty)
gettyJust because something can go into your vagina doesn't mean that it can go into your mouth. Ari Kytsya, who goes by the handle @notburnttoasthehe on TikTok, had a oral warning about boric acid vaginal suppositories in the following TikTok video:
Yes, that's boric acid vaginal suppositories with an emphasis on the word "vaginal." Actually, the emphasis should be on the words "boric acid" too as you'll see soon. And maybe the word "suppositories" as well. OK, the emphasis should probably be on all of four of those words.
The video started with Kytsya saying, "Let me tell you a story about when I first started taking boric acid." The video then flipped to her providing quite a mouthful: "So I was going to a shoot, and I took one. And my friend was like, 'Did you just swallow that?' And I was like 'Yeah, why?'"
Apparently, her friend then explained to her that a boric acid vaginal suppository is supposed to go into one's vagina and not one's mouth. If you were look at the packaging for any suppository, typically it won't say, "Insert into any opening" or "Place wherever you can." Instead, the packaging should specify whether the suppository should only go into one of three body locations: your vagina, rectum, or urethra, with these three routes typically not being interchangeable. After many times have you heard someone say, "It can go in the vagina or the rectum—it really doesn't matter?"
Kytsya continued with, "I had been swallowing boric acid for four days. So I called my sister cause she works in the medical whatever. And she was like, 'Those are actually poison.' So I had to call Poison Control."
Yeah, many real medical whatevers will tell you that boric acid is not like fish and chips. Instead, it's a dangerous poison. A boric acid vaginal suppository consists of boric acid mixed with a solid material, such as cocoa butter or glycerin, that can melt at body temperature. Once you insert the suppository into the intended body opening, the solid material begins dissolving, releasing the boric acid into the surrounding area.
The problem here is that you really have to be careful about where boric acid may go. Boric acid is a caustic chemical, meaning that it can burn through tissue rather than say very hurtful things to you. It's a component of some powdered roach-killing products. And "roach-killing" and "your mouth" are two things that typically should not go together.
One can also find boric acid in other types of rodent and insect pesticides, antiseptics, astringents, enamels, glazes, and photography chemicals. All of these should be on your "Do not eat" list. Some medicated powders, skin lotions, and eye wash products do contain boric acid as well. But in all such cases, the packaging should say, "Do not swallow."
Kytsya didn't just throw her hands up after hearing about boric acid. She had to throw up other things too, as she related in the video, "So I had to instantly make myself throw up. And I was terrified, but I ended up being fine. But a tip for everyone: don't swallow what you are supposed to put inside of you."
That's a good tip. Again, any time you see the word suppository or anything that looks like a rounded or con-shaped suppository, do not think mouth. If you are at what you believe to be a restaurant and see the word "suppository" on the menu, you may want to ask for some clarification and make sure that Yelp didn't guide you to a clinic instead. And under no circumstances should you swallow boric acid. It can cause significant damage to your esophagus, stomach, and intestines even for weeks after you've swallowed the stuff. This can result in holes in those portions of your gastrointestinal (GI) tract. And your GI tract is not like a pickleball. You don't want holes in those portions. Such holes can serve an entry points for microbes to cause bad and even life-threatening infections in your chest and abdomen. As you can imagine, boric acid poisoning can lead to death, which, by the way, is not good.
Unfortunately, there is no magical antidote to boric acid poisoning. Instead, treatment involves managing the symptoms and complications. If you swallow boric acid, you may start having diarrhea and vomiting up blue-green stuff. You can also develop various skin issues such as bright red rashes, blisters, and the sloughing of skin. You may experience fevers, headaches, weakness, low blood pressure, restlessness, changes in urination, and twitching of facial muscles, arms, hands, legs, or feet. You may even suffer seizures or fall into a coma. Depending on where the boric acid went and what damage is caused, surgery may be necessary to remove burned skin or fix damage to the esophagus, stomach, or intestines.
Even though various people on TikTok have been promoting the use of boric acid suppositories for vaginal yeast or bacterial infections, it's better instead to get the direct guidance of a real medical doctor before trying this remedy. The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai does emphasize that boric acid "is NOT a standard treatment" for vaginal yeast infections. While boric acid can adjust the acidity levels in your vagina, which, in turn, could possibly help deal with yeast infections and the resulting symptoms in that location such as itching and burning, it may not necessarily be effective, especially if the infections occur over and over again. Moreover, there are a number of situations where you really shouldn't be using boric acid suppositories such as when you have are pregnant, breast feeding, or allergic to boric acid or have diabetes, immune systems issues, or frequent infections.
Plus, boric acid suppositories can turn sex into a real burning love experience in a bad way. The acid can burn through condoms and diaphragms. And as you can imagine that can lead to a hole-ly bleep situation. Boric acid can also decrease the effectiveness of vaginal spermicides. So if you are using boric acid vaginal suppositories for some reason, it's better to hold off on sex.
All of this shows the importance of knowing the route of administration when using any type of medication. Check the medication packaging carefully. Look for phrases like "Do not swallow" or "Do not put in mouth." Make sure you know where specifically you can and can't place the medication. Not everything that can go into your vagina or rectum should go into your mouth and vice-versa. After all, when you get served some broccoli in a restaurant, you wouldn't just put that broccoli anywhere, would you?
No, You Won't Die From Boric Acid Suppositories: What To Know
While ingesting boric acid suppositories is dangerous and potentially fatal, using a suppository vaginally and as directed won't cause death. You may experience mild side effects, though.
Boric acid is a chemical that's been used to treat some types of vaginal infections. It's available in several forms, including suppositories that you place into your vagina.
You may have heard that you can become very sick or potentially die from boric acid. Because of this, you may be wondering whether boric acid suppositories are actually safe to use.
There have been no deaths reported from using boric acid suppositories. While boric acid can indeed be toxic when ingested orally, vaginal applications are considered to be safe.
Continue reading to learn more about the safety of boric acid suppositories and more.
A quick internet search may bring up some concern about the safety of boric acid suppositories.
But while boric acid suppositories can cause mild side effects, no serious side effects or deaths have been reported.
Is boric acid toxic?When consumed by mouth, boric acid is toxic and can potentially lead to death. Deaths due to accidental boric acid ingestion have been reported in both adults and children.
A 2011 statement from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) notes that ingesting about 30 grams of boric acid in a short period of time is toxic to humans and can eventually result in death.
This is much more than the amount of boric acid that's in a boric acid suppository, which is typically 600 milligrams.
Because suppositories may appear similar to a pill that you take orally, there is the risk that they could be accidentally swallowed.
Swallowing a boric acid suppository is dangerous, but using one as labeled for vaginal application is generally safe.
Side effects of using boric acid vaginal suppositories as directed tend to be mild. They can include things like vaginal irritation or discharge.
Boric acid and reproductive healthBecause boric acid suppositories are inserted into the vagina, another concern related to them has to do with their potential effect on reproductive health.
Studies in animals have found that when taken orally, boric acid can affect fertility in male animals and affect a developing fetus in female animals. However, studies in humans haven't returned the same results.
A 2020 research review examined the animal studies discussed above and compared them with studies in humans who are regularly exposed to high levels of boron, the key element in boric acid, in the environment.
Overall, researchers found that:
Boric acid has been used, either alone or with other medications, to treat some types of recurrent vaginal infections, such as yeast infections and bacterial vaginosis. (A recurrent infection is an infection that continues to return, despite treatment.)
A 2011 research review looked at 14 studies comparing boric acid with other treatments for recurrent yeast infections. The included studies were clinical trials, case series, and case studies. Researchers found that boric acid had a cure rate of 40 to 100 percent, depending on the study.
Research into boric acid for bacterial vaginosis is more limited. To date, one clinical trial has been performed on boric acid for bacterial vaginosis, although others have been proposed.
In the 2009 trial, participants were given oral nitroimidazole, an antimicrobial drug used to treat vaginal infections, followed by boric acid suppositories.
Cure rates were between 88 and 92 percent after this treatment. However, the infection returned in many participants over the course of several weeks.
Some more research has also found that boric acid may help treat infections with Trichomonas vaginalis that are difficult to treat. T. Vaginalis is the organism that causes trichomoniasis, a sexually transmitted infection (STI).
How exactly does boric acid work?It's unclear how boric acid works to treat vaginal infections. It's believed that it may work through disrupting fungal and bacterial growth.
It may also prevent these organisms from forming biofilms. Biofilms are a group of microorganisms organized within a sticky matrix. Organisms that have formed a biofilm can be harder to treat with some types of medications.
Using boric acid suppositories is associated with a few side effects. These are generally mild and can include:
If you're using boric acid suppositories to treat a vaginal infection and experience significant discomfort, stop using them and contact your doctor for other treatment options.
Additionally, if you've been using boric acid suppositories and your infection isn't getting better or gets worse, contact your doctor for a different treatment option.
Avoid having vaginal intercourse while you're using boric acid suppositories.
It may also be a good idea to avoid receiving oral sex to reduce the risk of your partner ingesting boric acid that may still be present in or around your vagina.
Because studies into the reproductive effects of boric acid are ongoing, avoid boric acid suppositories if you're:
Additionally, avoid using boric acid suppositories if you:
Boric acid typically appears as an odorless white powder. It can be naturally found in the environment in:
Additionally, boric acid is used in various commercial products, such as:
Boric acid was first used as an antiseptic in 1873. Since then, it has continued to be used for various vaginal infections.
Because boric acid is naturally found in the environment, many people consider it to be a "greener" option for treating vaginal infections. But this isn't entirely true.
One of the main sources of boron and boric acid is the mining of minerals that have a high boron content. Not only does mining consume a lot of resources, but it can also introduce pollutants into the environment.
Boric acid suppositories can be used to treat some types of recurrent vaginal infections. Examples include yeast infections and bacterial vaginosis.
Using boric acid suppositories as labeled is generally safe. Side effects are mild and may include vaginal irritation and discharge. No serious side effects or deaths have been reported.
Boric acid is toxic when ingested by mouth, though. Boric acid poisoning can lead to serious symptoms and can be fatal. Because of this, always keep boric acid suppositories separate from oral medications to avoid accidental ingestion.
There are some people who should avoid using boric acid suppositories. If you're interested in using boric acid suppositories or have questions or concerns, speak with your doctor first.
Read This Before You Try TikTok's Latest Yeast Infection Cure
Yeast infections come with a bunch of uncomfortable symptoms, including burning, itching and redness. Infections might be recurrent, which may need a form of treatment depending on the type and frequency.
Enter boric acid suppositories, which have gained a lot of attention recently on TikTok as a way to treat the condition. Boric acid has a variety of uses, including being a component in insect repellent, eye drops and baby powder. The chemical is even used in industrial processing, whether that's manufacturing glass, leather, cement or other materials.
However, boric acid can also be administered in suppositories in pharmaceutical products to fight infections. With antifungal and antiviral properties, boric acid has been used for decades to treat bacterial vaginosis, an overgrowth of bacteria in the vagina, and recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis, or yeast infections, which affect an estimated 1.4 million people annually.
A suppository is used to deliver medicine into your system, whether that's rectally or vaginally. The medicine melts inside the body, which allows it to be absorbed quicker than taking something orally. But although suppositories can be a recommended way to treat infections, there are some factors to consider first. We asked OB-GYNs and toxicologists about long-term use, when you shouldn't use boric acid and when to see a doctor. Here are a few points to know:
1. Make sure you don't swallow the suppository.
The instructions on the box of a suppository will say "Do not swallow," depending on the brand. A suppository used for vaginal health is supposed to enter the body vaginally and is not meant to be taken by mouth.
This may seem like common sense, particularly if there's a warning label, but swallowing boric acid suppositories is more common than you think. Recently, TikToker Ari Kytsya shared her experience with taking boric acid orally for four days before realising it wasn't meant to be swallowed.
"I'm glad I'm not the only one who did this," one user commented.
Swallowing boric acid can damage the oesophagus and stomach, which may continue for several weeks after it is consumed. Holes in the oesophagus and stomach can cause infections.
It can also cause other issues. The main symptoms of boric acid poisoning include blue-green vomit, diarrhoea and rashes. Other symptoms may include blisters, fainting, coma, seizures, drowsiness, fever, headache, low blood pressure, restlessness, twitching, weakness and decreased urination. If you do swallow a boric acid suppository and have side effects, call a poison control centre immediately.
Not only does swallowing a suppository potentially cause harm, but it also won't be effective in treating any infections, Dr. Kelly Johnson-Arbor, a medical toxicologist at the National Capital Poison Center, told HuffPost.
"These suppositories are available in capsule formulation, which means that people may swallow them accidentally, thinking that they are meant for oral use or after mistaking them for another oral medication," Johnson-Arbor said. "When used in suppository form as directed, boric acid is not significantly absorbed through the bloodstream and into the body. Instead, the boric acid works directly in the vagina."
2. It won't treat all recurrent infections.
Although boric acid can help treat bacterial vaginosis and yeast infections, it's typically used alongside other medications, Dr. Susan S. Khalil at Mount Sinai in New York City, told HuffPost.
"Boric acid cannot treat all recurrent infections, such as bacterial vaginitis, or sometimes cannot treat an infection alone as the only remedy. Sometimes you have to take an antifungal or an antibiotic for it," said Khalil, who leads Mt. Sinai's division of sexual health in the Raquel and Jaime Gilinski Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Science.
Symptoms of bacterial vaginitis include abnormal discharge, irritation, painful or difficulty urinating and genital pain. Other forms of antifungals and antibiotics for recurrent vaginal infections include metronidazole, a common antibiotic for bacterial vaginosis, bacterial vaginitis and yeast infections.
Additionally, you shouldn't be turning to boric acid again for recurrent infections.
"It's important for people to know that many of the studies on the use of boric acid for vaginal yeast infections involved short durations of treatment, one to two weeks," Johnson-Arbor said. "If yeast infection symptoms are not adequately controlled after a single course of boric acid suppositories, people should seek medical attention and not attempt to treat themselves with repeated courses of the product."
3. Don't take the suppositories if you're pregnant.
The safety and effects of boric acid suppositories in pregnant women have not been extensively studied. As a result, pregnant people should avoid using boric acid.
"Boric acid vaginal suppositories are not approved by the [Food and Drug Administration], and there is no standardised dosing recommendation for these products because of this," Johnson-Arbor said. "It is possible that boric acid may have harmful effects on fetal development, but there is currently limited knowledge available on the safety and efficacy of boric acid suppository use during pregnancy."
A 2021 John Hopkins study on the safety of boric acid use in pregnant and non-pregnant people found reported defects in the neural tube that forms the brain and spine. Additionally, there were foetal skeletal abnormalities, decreased weight, and heart, lung and organ issues in pregnant animals.
"Until human and animal studies are done to evaluate the safety of boric acid suppository use during pregnancy, pregnant people should not use boric acid suppositories," Johnson-Arbor said.
4. Be aware of the expiration date.
Generally, you shouldn't be using any forms of medicine past its expiration date.
"The antifungal activity of the boric acid might be less effective after the expiration date or the product may have an increased risk of microbial contamination after the expiration date, in which case the user might develop a new or recurrent vaginal infection," Johnson-Arbor said.
Not only are expired medications less effective or won't work, but they might also be risky to use due to a change in chemical composition. There also might be bacterial growth that can lead to more illnesses and increase antibiotic resistance.
Instead, throw out or properly dispose of any expired suppositories and use a new one for effectiveness.
5. See your doctor if infections continue or get worse.
If boric acid suppositories are doing more harm than good, it might be time to look for different treatment options, including other medications.
"It is time to see an OB-GYN with recurrent infections, pelvic pain and increasing discharge," Khalil said. "Also, you should see a doctor if there is abdominal pain accompanied by nausea, vomiting, fever, chills or vulvar swelling, and if the patient has medical co-morbidities that may make certain vulvar or vaginal infections more difficult to treat."
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