If you were to search #boricacid on Instagram, and if treats vaginal yeast infections, you will find over 33,000 posts.
On TikTok, the hashtag has been barred with the “phrase being associated with behaviour or content that violates guidelines.”
The hashtag, however, has over 209 million views on the platform.
Welcome to an era where social media is acting as a doctor or a pharmacist, especially when it comes to vaginal health.
Every woman gets vaginal infections or hormonal imbalances at one stage of their life. Be it during adolescence, pregnancy or menopause. Or just when there are changes in the vaginal ecosystem.
Some see a gynaecologist to get prescription medicines, but an alarming number of women are turning to TikTok and Instagram to seek medical advice to treat yeast infections.
Boric acid for treating yeast infection is the newest social media health trend. But is it safe?
Dr Nelly Bosire, an obstetrician and gynaecologist says boric acid suppositories are not curative.
“I will simply advise people to see their doctors, I don’t know why women are so hell-bent on putting things in their vaginas that they don’t know how they work but people seem to prefer being treated online than getting a consult from a doctor,” says Dr Bosire.
In a heavily split internet, where content is king and everyone’s opinion is well - an opinion to be taken with a pinch of salt - the number of accounts showing the pros and the cons of boric acid can be confusing.
Some users say they experienced itchiness and a burning sensation while others say it is a game-changer.
“Kenyans have a habit of what is in vogue right now, and it’s not a cost issue because they have medical covers so it’s more because “so and so is an influencer and they said it works so it works and let me try it,”
Dr Bosire says.
The women are buying boric acid suppositories at Sh1,400 to Sh3,000, a medication that is inserted into the vagina.
One Kenyan Instagram page selling boric acid suppositories told Nation Lifestyle that half of their customers are looking to clear an infection and the other half are regulating the pH.
A sales representative, not a qualified doctor or pharmacist, tells me how to use it if I were to buy it.
“If you’ve never used it again, I would recommend the 14-pack, we have that and a 28-pack, if you use it to regulate pH balance, you can take for two days and up to seven days to clear an infection.”
I asked her about its side effects and if it is medically approved, she says sometimes it can cause bloating and cramping.
“If you swallow it, yes [it can cause heart diseases],” she says.
“No, boric acid is not medically approved. But some gynaecologists recommend it, even if it is not regulated,” she responds lightly.
Experts say yeast infection or candidiasis is caused by changes in the physical environment like if one sits for too long in wet innerwear, experiences severe stress or lack of sleep, or wears tight clothing or non-cotton innerwear that traps heat and moisture among others.
High intake of sugar may also weaken your immune system or cause overgrowth of yeast in your vagina. Inserting foreign objects like vaginal sprays or douches can also change the balance of bacteria in your vagina.
Dr Bosire and several gynaecologists that Nation Lifestyle interviewed said they do not prescribe boric acid.
“It’s not a curative treatment so when you use it, you’re trying to achieve a high-acidity environment to see if it suppresses the yeast from outgrowing the other bacteria that keep the vagina ecosystem in balance,” she says.
The vagina has bacteria called the vaginal flora. When the bad bacteria overgrow the good ones, it results in bacterial vaginosis (BV).
Doctors have cautioned against the use of boric acid to fight these infections.
“I have not seen women come to my clinic who use boric acid as remedies for vaginal infections, but it could be happening out there because people like to experiment and most who do, do not consult doctors because they [doctors] will not prescribe them boric acid,” said Dr John Odero Ong’ech, consultant obstetrics and gynaecology in Nairobi.
“The vagina has its natural way of self-cleansing, its flora is self-sustaining and women do not need to interfere and regulate its pH balance with any products,” adds Dr Ong’ech.
“Yeast is a fungal infection so an anti-fungal is recommended to get rid of it, but in the event of recurrent yeast, then we can give them anti-fungal.”
Dr Ong’ech says the recurrent yeast problem can occur after the menstrual periods, and since men are the carriers of yeast, they do not get treated for it which is passed on to women during sexual intercourse and can recur.
“Most of the time, the mistake people make is to give one partner the anti-fungal, usually the woman, and not the man, who is the more likely carrier of yeast,” Dr Ong’ech says.
“My advice is the vagina is self-cleansing, do not put boric acid or anything else, it is created by nature to sustain itself,” he adds.
