Q: I saw a bottle of boric acid powder at my local drugstore. What is boric acid used for?
Boric acid is a mineral salt of boron, first used as a medicine in 1702. It is still used today as an anti-infective and preservative. Boric acid is widely used as a pesticide and as a wood preservative. Because it rarely irritates the skin or eyes, boric acid is also used to preserve cosmetics. Although trace amounts of boric acid are also used as a food additive to protect against yeasts and molds, it can cause lethal boron poisoning when taken internally in larger doses.
Boric acid and its close cousin borax are found worldwide, with the largest deposits in Peru, the Middle East, and California. Borax is found in plants, seawater, mineral springs, and hot springs. The primary source of borax in the United States is the deposits in California’s sandy deserts near Death Valley.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the use of boric acid as a soothing eye wash for irritated eyes and ear drops to treat external ear infections. It’s an active ingredient in Collyrium® for Fresh Eyes and Advanced Eye Relief®. Although not approved by the FDA, boric acid is an alternative to more traditional treatments for persistent yeast and bacterial vaginal infections.
I have had success using boric acid powder as a non-toxic flea killer. Sometimes one of my 3 Scottish Terriers would start scratching after a trip to the vet or staying at a boarding kennel. To deal with the fleas they just brought home, I use pure boric acid crystals.
I sprinkle the white crystalline boric acid liberally onto their bedding and where they like to lay down, working it in so it can’t be licked off or inhaled. With just one application, my dogs will usually quit scratching within about 3 days. Still, I wait for at least a week before washing the boric acid treated bedding and vacuuming it out of the carpet.
Boric acid has also been used with success as an alternative treatment for vaginal yeast infections and bacterial vaginosis.
Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is a condition that causes a nasty fishy-smelling vaginal discharge. BV is caused by a lack of a certain kind of friendly bacteria called Lactobacillus. Antibiotics can kill off the Lactobacillus living in your vagina, making room for less favorable organisms to multiply and take over.
When you remove an unwanted plant from your garden,you’ll notice other plants will start to invade that newly vacated space. When certain organisms invade your vagina and multiply, they produce by-products that can irritate your vaginal lining, causing a foul-smelling discharge and intense itching.
Certain antibiotics can kill off the excess bacteria causing BV. That doesn’t always solve the problem. The lack of friendly Lactobacillus bacteria left in the vagina opens the door to recurrent BV infections.
Some clinicians believe that boric acid can be a possible alternative to using antibiotics in BV. When applied directly to vaginal cells, boric acid kills off the unfriendly bacteria triggering the fishy discharge experienced by women with BV. This helps re-establish the balance of friendly Lactobacillus in your vaginal tract, preventing future BV recurrence.
Boric acid can also treat vaginal yeast infections. Enhancing your vaginal tissue’s acidity encourages the re-establishment of Lactobacillus, restoring a healthy balance of vaginal organisms.
Boric acid is NEVER taken by mouth because it’s poisonous. When used for yeast or BV vaginal infections, capsules containing boric acid powder are inserted into the vaginal tract, much like a suppository.Ready-to-use boric acid capsules are hard to find; you can look for them at a compounding pharmacy or make them yourself.
To make your own boric acid vaginal capsules, start with empty size 0 gelatin capsules. You can buy these at an online retailer or veterinary supply store. Some pharmacies may stock them or could order them for you.
Sprinkle a thick layer of boric acid powder on a clean flat surface and pick up the shorter of the two halves of an empty gelatin capsule. Turning it upside down with the opening toward the powder, push straight down into the layer of powder, much like cutting biscuits from rolled out dough with a biscuit cutter. This will push a layer of boric acid into your half capsule.
Lift up the capsule and repeat this process until the capsule is filled with white powder. To finish, pick up the empty half of the capsuleand slide it over your filled half. Done!
To treat a yeast infection, INSERT one boric acid capsule VAGINALLY twice a day for 2 weeks. If you are treating BV, insert one capsule of boric acid vaginally once or twice daily for 2 weeks.
Some women may need long-term treatment for BV. One option is to use one boric acid capsule inserted vaginally twice a week at bedtime for several months. Keep boric acid capsules in a cool, dry place and well separated from your other medicines to avoid accidental poisoning from swallowing them.
