Black salve: a dangerous product!
Everyone wants a cure for cancer, right? Makes sense to us. And when it comes to something like skin cancer, the supposed “cures” may seem all the more important. What this leaves, however, is the potential for scams, rip offs and just fake products.
The issue here, of course, is that unlike skin tags (which are annoying, but safe), skin cancer can be absolutely deadly! This is something you talk to your doctor extensively about! It’s not something you “search around a bit for some herbal remedies”-for. That’s ridiculous, friends. But apparently, it’s a thing that has recently occurred with a product called black salve:
Utah researchers surveyed black salve users and found that most did not talk to a doctor before trying the product – which is on a U.S. Food and Drug Administration list of “fake ‘cancer cures’ consumers should avoid” – nor were they aware of its harmful effects.
Black salve refers to products containing zinc chloride and sanguinarine, both corrosive ingredients that can severely damage skin, the study team writes in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.
The salve is widely available online, touted as a way to eliminate skin cancers. It does scour off top layers of skin, giving the appearance that a lesion is gone. But, the authors explain, cancer remaining deeper in the skin may go unseen, and undiagnosed, until it becomes more advanced and potentially even life threatening.
That, my friends, is far scarier than any issue with skin tags, that’s for sure. Remember that your skin is a very sensitive issue: if you see strange marks, moles or dark spots on your skin, SEE A DOCTOR! In cases of skin cancer, the early bird does get cured. Fortunately, skin cancers tend to be some of the most curable out there, so getting a medical opinion quickly is the key to staying healthy.
Always research anything you’re putting on your skin. It’s what we do, and a hallmark of our readers. They’re staying informed!
