A top doctor is warning against a bizarre trend that suggests ground-up wasp nests will help tighten the vagina.
While some natural ingredients are commonly used and endorsed for home remedies, Canadian gynecologist Jen Gunter is warning against one in particular.
Some online retailers, including on Etsy, have been selling oak galls – nests which house wasp eggs – which, they say, should be ground into a paste for ‘vaginal rejuvenation’.
Oak galls are formed when a gall wasp lays eggs in a tree’s leaf buds and the larva will then develop while inside the gall.
The substance, retailers claim, will restore the uterine wall after childbirth, heal an episiotomy cut and also clean out the vagina.
But Dr Gunter has spoken out on her blog, insisting that it is not recommended and could lead to a slew of side effects – including painful sex, a lack of healthy bacteria and an increased risk of contracting HIV.
Dr Gunter slammed the practice calling it ‘dangerous’ on her blog.
She said: ‘This product follows the same dangerous pathway of other ‘traditional’ vaginal practices.
‘Drying the vaginal mucosa increases the risk of abrasions during sex (not good) and destroys the protective mucous layer (not good).
‘It could also wreak havoc with the good bacteria. In addition to causing pain during sex it can increase the risk of HIV transmission. This is a dangerous practice with real potential to harm.’
Health website the Female Renewal Solution claims that oak gall can help prevent cervical cancer and is ‘all you need’ to make the vagina ‘tighter instantly and overnight.’
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