Don't Try This at Home

Everyone has grown up learning those secret home remedies'like gargling salt water to cure a throat infection or applying baking soda paste to soothe a bee sting. But experts at WebMD.com warn that the following home cures are not only ineffective but could be downright dangerous.

> Ear candling to remove earwax. Holding a flame just inches from your ear can cause burns and damage to the eardrum that can lead to hearing loss.

> Butter to treat a burn. Butter isn't sterile and could easily cause an infection through an open burn wound. And any cooling effect is lost when butter melts.

> Colloidal silver to treat disease. Silver can turn the skin bluish gray and cause irreversible damage to the kidneys, stomach, brain, and nervous system.

> Colon cleansing to flush out toxins. Colon cleansing disrupts electrolyte levels and over time can lead to anemia, malnutrition, and heart failure. Not to mention it could be really messy!