Today I am going to tell you about all the uses of saline .
Physio serum, we all have it in our pharmacy cupboard.
And we are used to using it, especially for baby care.
But that's far from the only use for the serum.
Do you know that its use is also recommended for adults ... and even for animals ?
Now let's take a look at 17 uses of saline solution for the whole family. Watch:
We start with the best known use!
Cleansing the nose with physiological serum is the b.a-ba for parents.
Since infant babies can't blow their nose, it's up to parents to stick to it.
Washing the nose is essential for a toddler.
It clears the ENT pathways to limit the risk of infection.
How to use saline properly to clean baby's nose?
It's easy. We wash our hands and open the pod.
A cotton pad or a sterile non-woven compress is then soaked in physiological saline.
Then we roll the cotton or compress between your clean fingers to make a fine wick.
You can also use a special baby cotton swab.
Finally, it is introduced very gently into the baby's nose without wanting to go too far.
And we spin in the nostril to catch all the dirt.
All you have to do is start over on the other side.
Needless to say, baby hates this treatment!
But it is essential...
Using physiological serum to unclog a child's nose is also a classic.
When baby has a really stuffy nose and/or a runny nose, we bring out the heavy artillery.
And we use a serum pipette to unclog the nose naturally of a baby.
Start by washing your hands and then open two pipettes of serum.
Also prepare a handkerchief or a diaper. Trust me, you will need it!
And follow this technique recommended by pediatricians:
- Lay baby on one side.
- Gently hold his head.
- With the other hand, insert the tip of the serum pipette into the upper nostril. Take it easy.
- Press firmly on the pipette. The goal is to expel the serum into the baby's nostril.
- The liquid will come out through the other nostril. It must then be wiped with a tissue.
- Do the same with the 2nd nostril after putting baby on the other side.
You can do this treatment 2 to 3 times a day in case of a very congested nose.
However, if your little one has a bad cold, it may be necessary to use a manual or electric baby nasal aspirator in addition to saline.
Again, no matter what method you use, you'll be left crying and screaming!
You are probably wondering if it is dangerous to swallow saline?
It's true that with this process, baby can swallow some!
The phy serum easily flows down the throat.
Do not worry. Physiological saline is not toxic.
And swallowing a small amount is okay.
Do you know the best in all this?
This treatment is also very useful for adults.
As soon as a cold hits, you have to unsheath your saline pipette.
And this, whatever the age of the patient (children, teenagers, etc.).
Physiological serum, it works from 0 to 99 years old!
And the technique is the same for everyone:
- Put above the sink.
- Open your pipette.
- Tilt your head to the side.
- Gently insert the pipette into the nostril.
- Squeeze the pipette strongly to expel the liquid.
- Keep your head tilted so that the liquid also flows into the other nostril.
- Do the same on the other side.
- Then lean forward so that the excess serum flows.
- Blow your nose well so that the nose does not stay wet and to eliminate the last mucus.
This gesture helps to evacuate all dirt and microbes that are in the nose.
It's a great way to unclog your nose naturally.
And icing on the cake... With this trick, the cold heals much faster.
You can also use a Rhino Horn to unclog your nose.
Just put the saline in the Rhino Horn and do the same.
But I haven't told you everything yet.
Are you prone to pollen or dust allergies?
Then the phy serum can do you a great favor by eliminating the allergens present in the nose.
To do this, clean your nose regularly with saline solution to eliminate the presence of allergens in the nose.
Use the exact same technique as above.
And you will notice immediate relief.
You sneeze less and the stinging in the eyes lessens.
Here again, the baby is the main recipient of this treatment.
You may have noticed.
Babies often have lots of dirt sticking to their eyes. The famous eye poops!
It is often a mixture of mucus, dust, tears, dead cells.
In short, the kind of thing that absolutely must be cleaned...
Without forgetting that they also tend to have recurrent conjunctivitis .
Either way, your trump card is saline.
Why ? Because it has the same salt concentration as the cells of the human body.
As a result, it is ideal for washing and eye care.
In summary, in case you're wondering if we can put saline in our eyes...
The answer is yes ! Without a doubt.
And here's how:
- Wash your hands.
- Take a sterile compress.
- Put a few drops of saline in it.
- Pass the compress gently from the inside of the eye outwards.
Change the compress each time you make this gesture and a fortiori , when you clean the 2nd eye.
I insist on this point.
Because if you use the same compress, you risk transmitting dirt, germs or bacteria from one eye to the other and therefore contaminating it.
It is therefore particularly important for treating conjunctivitis.
But it's also true for relieving a stye naturally.
But what I haven't told you yet...
This trick works for babies, children and adults alike.
So how to wash your eyes with saline in adults, you ask me?
It's quite simple. We proceed in the same way as for a baby.
A compress is moistened with physiological saline. And we pass it on the eyes.
We always clean from the inside of the eye outwards.
And we change the compress each time.
Know that you can even do an eye bath.
But we don't stop there.
Because physiological saline has many other lesser-known uses
For example, it is very effective in relieving dry eyes.
You have dry eyes ? It can happen because of wearing contact lenses.
The altitude tends to cause this inconvenience as well.
In this case, do not wait! Use saline to relieve this dry eye.
We use it as eye drops. You will feel better very quickly.
Provided you manage to put the serum in the eyes.
It must be recognized that it is not always very simple...
To help you, I recommend this trick to easily put drops in the eyes.
You'll see, it's effective!
Good news!
In case of a little sore, no need to take out the whole pharmacy.
Physiological serum is enough to clean a small wound with efficiency.
It is used as a disinfectant, although it does not replace it.
Just put some on a sterile compress.
Then clean the wound with going from clean to dirtiest.
The idea is not to spread the infection.
Repeat with a new compress as many times as necessary to clean the wound.
Earwax may accumulate at the entrance to the ear canal. It's not very clean...
But be careful, nothing should be put in your ear, even to remove earwax !
On the other hand, you can clean it easily with a little saline solution.
Simply moisten a compress and rub it over the auricle and lobe.
A simple cleaning and you remove all the dirt without any risk to your health!
You can perform this hygiene treatment twice a week.
Earache, buzzing? This could be a sign that you have an earplug .
It's not serious, but it's not pleasant either!
You can dissolve it with saline. It's quite simple. Here's how:
- Tilt your head to the side.
- Drip serum into the ear canal.
- Leave on for 1 to 2 minutes.
- Then tilt your head to the other side to let the serum and secretions flow out of the ear.
If this treatment does not work, see a doctor.
More and more people are getting piercings .
Is this your case? So, know that you can clean it with saline solution .
Start by following the protocol advised by your piercer.
Wash and disinfect your piercing with antiseptic soap.
Rinse well.
Then take a sterile compress that you moisten with saline.
And wipe the area for impeccable hygiene.
Please note this:cotton should not be used to clean your piercing.
Cotton fibers could cling to it.
I'm sure it's happened to you to find yourself with a tube of mascara that's too dry or too thick.
Me, it happened to me several times.
Result, it makes big blocks on the eyelashes. Not very aesthetic!
But now I know a very simple trick to liquefy mascara .
I just pour a few drops of saline into the mascara tube. One or two drops are enough. I shake the tube.
And that's it, all I have to do is apply the mascara as usual.
Neither seen nor known ! My tube of mascara has a second life.
Have you ever tried to remove a blood stain from a fabric ?
It's really not easy!
But with this grandmother's trick, it becomes much easier.
Yes, because the phy serum can also be used as a powerful stain remover.
You just have to use this magic equation:phy serum + 10 vol hydrogen peroxide.
Here's how:
- Rub the stain with saline solution.
- Then dab it with 10 volume hydrogen peroxide.
- Rinse your laundry well.
And presto, no more stains!
Think about it the next time you want to get a bloodstain out.
Are you breastfeeding?
Then you probably know that it is best to clean the nipple before and after breastfeeding.
For this, physiological serum is ideal since it is sterile.
Simply soak a sterile compress in serum and apply it to the nipple.
Gently dry the nipple.
But be careful, let me tell you one thing.
Physiological serum does not replace a healing balm to treat irritated nipples.
A little oil-limestone liniment or breast milk are both very effective in healing damaged nipples.
How to clean contact lenses without contact lens product?
Can it be done with saline?
In general, professionals do not really recommend cleaning contact lenses with saline solution.
Here's why:
Admittedly, it is a sterile product. So there is no risk of contaminating the lenses.
On the other hand, the serum decreases the lubrication of the lens.
And it may generate discomfort for your eyes.
Nevertheless, I have been using saline for years and I have no problems with it.
No dryness problem.
It can also help out occasionally to wash your contact lenses.
And that comes in handy when you're out of contact lens solution!
Note that you can also store your lenses in physiological saline.
It's much cheaper than special solutions for contact lenses.
Finally, you can use the phy serum to clean the case you put your lenses in.
Our four-legged friends don't really like being cleaned.
But if dirt sticks to the eyes, it is necessary to remove these impurities.
The ideal is therefore to get used to them very young.
Physiological serum is well suited for fast, effective and gentle cleansing .
Here's how:
- Take a sterile compress.
- Avoid cotton which can leave fibers in the eyes.
- Gently sweep the cotton pad over the eye, working from the inside out.
- If dirt is stuck on the eye, go over it several times.
- Don't forget to change the compress between each eye.
And if your pet's ears are dirty, you can also clean them with saline.
But beware ! Only the pinna should be cleaned . That is, the visible part.
Don't poke anything into their ears.
To use the serum properly, soak a compress in the product and gently rub it over the outer part of the ear.
For a more thorough cleaning in the ear, leave it to the veterinarian.
This is one of the most unexpected uses of saline.
Did you know that this saline product is a beauty asset for your hair ?
It is in all the secret ingredient of Brazilian women and their superb hair!
Here's why:saline has a pH of 6.
In other words, it is very close to that of the hair which is 7.
Physiological serum helps to balance the pH of the hair, moisturize it and detangle it.
And it doesn't stop there!
It makes hair shine, limits frizz and eliminates deposits left by shampoos and conditioners.
How to use saline to beautify hair?
Pour it into a spray and diffuse it on your hair. It will hydrate and revitalize your beautiful curls.
There is another recipe especially for blonde hair :you can mix it with chamomile tea.
Pour this decoction on your blond hair.
This grandmother's remedy will hydrate your hair and illuminate its natural blondeness.
In any case, it is an economical and simple treatment. And it's super convenient to use expired saline.
Physiological saline looks like water.
It is transparent, but unlike water, it is slightly salty.
It is very well tolerated by the human body .
It is for this reason that it is often used in surgery, in infusion bags or breast prostheses.
Its composition is as simple as it is effective.
It is sterile distilled water to which salt (sodium chloride NaCL) has been added at 0.9%.
- Please note that any opened and started bottle must be used within 24 hours .
- If you have a bottle of serum, it must be used within 15 days of opening.
- And never use the same bottle to clean the eyes and the nose.
As we have just seen, you can keep your serum pipette open for 24 hours .
Do you know this trick to recap the bottle of phy serum?
- Twist the small cap to open the bottle of phy serum.
- Use the serum.
- Flip the small cap.
- Insert it into the small hole to close it.
Really smart, isn't it?
Your dose of physiological serum turns into a small resealable bottle!
It can be tempting to make the equivalent of saline yourself.
You can do it with bicarbonate and coarse salt as explained here.
But here's another easy recipe for making homemade saline with just one ingredient.
Making it at home is even easier! Watch:
- Pour 1 liter of water into a saucepan.
- Put 9 grams of coarse sea salt in it.
- Boil for at least 10 min.
- Leave to cool.
- Transfer your serum to a sterilized container. It is very important to have a sterilized bottle.
The shelf life of your saline solution is 1 month.
You may find it easier to buy saline (Gifrer, Biolane, Gilbert, Babysoin, Boiron, Dacudoses, Giphar or other), even if it is not reimbursed.
Of course, you can find it in all pharmacies , but also in supermarkets such as Carrefour, Leclerc, Auchan, Intermarché, Monoprix, Casino...
It can also be found on the Internet, on Amazon or drugstore sites.
