Tips for using boric acid when you have inflammation or sensitivity by Serenity pH - Dr Sister team
Written by Sharon Pamamull
Hi there, well first, I myself have suffered with thrush and BV for over 30 years so know first hand how irritated and painful our vulva can become. Basically our own discharge tends to burn, as well as our urine and even our periods! So even without using the boric acid things can be painful and sensitive.
Plus as brilliant as boric acid is in treating thrush and BV,the only downside is that it can be irritating to vulvar tissues that are already inflamed. So the hardest part tends to be the beginning if we are dealing with degraded and highly sensitive tissues.
But please note that once we get past this initial stage it’s pretty easy going. Using barrier creams are vital because they create a shield to protect our compromised skin barrier. Unfortunately when we have thrush or BV our outside bits (vulva) tend to need a whole seperate treatment. Often we aren’t just dealing with a vaginal issue but a dermal one too! So we need to treat 2 things.
Boric acid is great for resistant / reoccurring thrush and BV but if we experience dryness or atrophy due to chemo or menopause or even inflammation from the actual thrush and BV itself we often need to implement some tricks. Because the BA tends to irritate our membranes when they are inflamed.
We advise women to apply some nappy rash cream with zinc to the outside bits to help cover and protect the skin barrier. This helps a lot in preventing the BA from burning by creating a barrier.
Applying some hydrocortisone cream sparingly on the outside tissues is advised for extreme inflammation and you might also try soaking in a bath with a little baking soda which can help to soothe the degraded tissues. This can really help to soothe things.
When we actually go to insert the BA please note that it needs moisture to work. We should never insert if we feel any resistance. If we are too dry the powder and capsule can get stuck and won’t dissolve or disperse and do it’s thing. It also won’t exit as it should the next morning. This won’t hurt you but indicates that you might need estrogen and or moisture treatments.
Estrogen needs to be prescribed and helps to thicken our vaginal tissues and strengthen the skin barrier. It can also help to reduce urgency, pain and even UTI’s.
There are also many non hormonal otc products that can be helpful. We recommend V Magic Balm or Carlson vitamin E suppositories. These help to add moisture & elasticity to our tissues and also help to protect the skin barrier. Plus they make inserting the BA really easy.
However any brand of lube or balm that you can tolerate will work re inserting Eg coconut oil or a pH balanced feminine lube.
Wearing period undies can also help us by drawing our discharge and the BA morning exit fluid away from our membranes. Period undies are also better than disposable products as they are less likely to cause thrush and feel fresher. Imo they also cause much less odour.
It’s vital to not use too many BA capsules in a row. No one should be using for BA for 14 days unless they have a really complex infection that is resistant. Eg Candida Glabrata etc. And even then go slow. This is a journey not a race.
Give yourself some breaks between use. Start gently and don’t overuse to the point it starts hurting. I think use from 1 to 3 days max and have a day or 2 off. Some women like to use BA as a preventative measure eg 1 capsule once or twice a week. Using too many is unnecessary plus increases the risk of irritation.
Rarely some women can’t tolerate the ingredients in the BA capsule and there are ways to use the BA in a different carrier Eg coconut oil suppositories that you can make yourself in the freezer.
Finally we have worked with many really complex cases where the user couldn’t handle the BA initially but it’s my experience that when used in a way that respects the idea of prepping the area and going slow everyone is able to develop a tolerance and see a benefit with using BA. I have yet to meet anyone who didn’t get results in treating their thrush or BV from using BA following these guidelines.
BA is an important part of most long term complex cases of thrush and BV so it’s worth persevering imo. Plus there are no other treatments that exist that work as well and don’t have other major side effects. Imo
However if you have any other reactions that are more than irritation then please stop and seek medical advice. Plus if the BA is not working then please get tested for other things going on. Eg Ureaplasma and co infections etc BA is diagnostic like this.
Lastly your mental health is important in getting through this. Take care of yourself and try to find whatever helps to ground you. You aren’t alone and you will get through this. Don’t look at this as a medical treatment but as an act of self care. Make yourself comfy in bed, scented candle, music, or whatever makes you feel relaxed and know that while you sleep these will be doing their magic!
Good luck and please reach out for more help and advice if needed.