4 Natural Ways to Nix Under-Breast Rash, Athlete’s Foot, and Other Summer Hassles
Wouldn’t it be nice to sail through hot, humid days free of embarrassing smells, rashes and more? You can! These four simple remedies erase hot weather health hassles fast.
Eliminates Odors Safely: Boric Acid
Find your deodorant worked perfectly all winter and now, not so much? Extra perspiration speeds the growth of bacteria that produce stinky waste products. Luckily, dabbing underarms with diluted boric acid before applying deodorant starts killing these troublemakers in two minutes, Italian scientists say. Plus, it ends odor flare-ups in 72 hours if you dab twice daily. Stir two teaspoons of boric acid into one cup of water, then apply with a cotton ball.
Heals Cold Sores: Lemon Balm
Johns Hopkins researchers say 50 percent of us carry the virus that causes cold sores, and the sun’s bright rays are a top trigger of painful breakouts. Dabbing on honey four times daily is a time-honored fix, healing cold sores 43 percent faster than prescription meds. Need extra TLC? Mix 10 drops of lemon balm oil into two tablespoons of honey before applying. British scientists say lemon balm calms pain nerves and speeds healing, shrinking cold sores in as little as 48 hours.
Fights Athlete’s Foot: Crushed Garlic
The fungi that cause athlete’s foot multiply when feet sweat. For sandal-ready tootsies, try this: Once daily for seven days, mix two crushed garlic cloves with two tablespoons of olive oil and massage into feet and between toes. After five minutes, wash and dry well. Research in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology suggests this heals athlete’s foot faster than Lamisil. Credit garlic’s ajoene, a compound that’s safe for skin, but toxic to fungi.
Calms Under-Breast Rash: Grapefruit Seed
Small amounts of yeast live harmlessly on skin. But if they settle into warm creases under breasts, they can grow rapidly, causing an itchy rash. Grapefruit seed extract (GSE) can help! Greek scientists say dabbing dried breast creases twice daily with diluted GSE (mix three drops with one tablespoon of coconut oil) soothes symptoms in 24 hours and cuts healing time by 75 percent Antimicrobial compounds kill yeast, ease irritation and encourage tissue repair.
A version of this article originally appeared in our print magazine, Woman’s World.
