No one likes to talk about hemorrhoids, but many of us have suffered from them at one time or another. There are creams, lotions, even suppositories that you can use to help with inflammation, but Tucks® are handy to tuck into your purse or pocket to use on the go - so to speak. (See what I did there? Twice?).
But do you know what's in Tucks®? Witch Hazel. The list shows 50% Witch Hazel as the active ingredient, active being what makes it work for the intended purpose. Walmart sells a jar of Tucks® at 100 pads for $6.98, and you know a drug store would be higher. Even their own Equate™ brand is $5.98 for 200, which is a lot less, but you can do even better than that if you make your own.
I purchased a 16 oz bottle of Equate™ Witch Hazel for a whopping $1.44, and a pack of 100 cotton rounds for $1.98. Two packages of cotton rounds and one bottle of Witch Hazel would set you back $5.40 which is still cheaper than the 200 Equate™ pads, but you would hardly make a dent in the bottle of Witch Hazel with 200 rounds, so the overall savings would be far greater. It would be easy enough to squirt a bit of Witch Hazel on a couple of cotton rounds and slip into a snack sized bag to be ready whenever and wherever needed.
But you know what? Witch Hazel is good for more than just wiping, you know, down there. Witch Hazel is an astringent, which Wikipedia defines as "a chemical that shrinks or constricts body tissues." You can pay up to $10 for a bottle of facial astringent in the beauty aisle, but why pay that much when you already have (a much cheaper) something on hand that can serve the same purpose? Granted, those more expensive astringents might have other ingredients that are supposed to smell better or claim to be more soothing, but the active ingredient is usually Witch Hazel or alcohol. Regardless of which product you use, be careful around the eye area, and avoid getting it in your eyes (rinse well immediately if you do). I leave the bottle and a small stack of pads on the bathroom vanity so they're ready for whichever use I need at the moment.
So Witch Hazel can be useful to clean and sooth both ends of the human body, but that's not where it ends. It can also take the sting and itch out of insect bites, and can help decrease inflammation, even in varicose veins. Skin pinched after a bit too much sun? Witch Hazel to the rescue. WebMD has a list of uses and risks that you might find handy, but as always, use caution when introducing anything new to your body, and if you suffer from any health issues, always consult your doctor first.
~ Marie Anne
But do you know what's in Tucks®? Witch Hazel. The list shows 50% Witch Hazel as the active ingredient, active being what makes it work for the intended purpose. Walmart sells a jar of Tucks® at 100 pads for $6.98, and you know a drug store would be higher. Even their own Equate™ brand is $5.98 for 200, which is a lot less, but you can do even better than that if you make your own.
But you know what? Witch Hazel is good for more than just wiping, you know, down there. Witch Hazel is an astringent, which Wikipedia defines as "a chemical that shrinks or constricts body tissues." You can pay up to $10 for a bottle of facial astringent in the beauty aisle, but why pay that much when you already have (a much cheaper) something on hand that can serve the same purpose? Granted, those more expensive astringents might have other ingredients that are supposed to smell better or claim to be more soothing, but the active ingredient is usually Witch Hazel or alcohol. Regardless of which product you use, be careful around the eye area, and avoid getting it in your eyes (rinse well immediately if you do). I leave the bottle and a small stack of pads on the bathroom vanity so they're ready for whichever use I need at the moment.
So Witch Hazel can be useful to clean and sooth both ends of the human body, but that's not where it ends. It can also take the sting and itch out of insect bites, and can help decrease inflammation, even in varicose veins. Skin pinched after a bit too much sun? Witch Hazel to the rescue. WebMD has a list of uses and risks that you might find handy, but as always, use caution when introducing anything new to your body, and if you suffer from any health issues, always consult your doctor first.
~ Marie Anne
