THE PITFALLS OF AT-HOME REMEDIES

Some online health advice could be putting our wellbeing at risk

- REBECCA JONES

We're living in a time when information on virtually any subject is quite literally at our fingertips, thanks to our smartphones. While many of us still book appointments with our GPs to discuss health issues, others turn to social media, search engines and online forums to find at-home remedies. Knee pain alone is typed intoa search bar around 13,490 times a month.

New research reveals that almost a third of Brits have tried an unusual home remedy to try to tackle an illness, with one in five admitting to testing out a health trend they've come across on social media. According to the research, carried out by Earol, 48% of 18 to 34-yearolds have tried unorthodox home remedies, with 38% being influenced by what they've seen online.

Some of the most outlandish homemade treatments, from the study of 2,000 people, include massaging butter onto a burn and using turmeric powder on the scalp to prevent hair loss.

Medical expert Dr Deborah Lee, from Dr Fox Online Pharmacy, says, "This is worrying because the internet is rife with incorrect factual information and fake news. At the outset, your diagnosis may be wrong, so you may not be looking at any of the right products for your condition."

Dr Lee also warns social media influencers often have "no knowledge or qualifications in the products they are endorsing". She adds, "Influencers often make strong bonds with their followers. Erroneous information or lifestyle advice about food, weight loss, smoking and vaping are just some of the topics they commonly focus on. This can have disastrous consequences for health." Here, we explore the dangers of at-home remedies...

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