*Pharmacists in Kenya are urging women to stop inserting an allergy medication into their vaginas. The warning addresses a social media trend that claims the pills create a tighter feel during sex.
The medication is cetirizine, the active ingredient in Zyrtec. People take it orally to relieve allergy symptoms. The New York Post reports that the trend has become so popular in Kenya that some pharmacies have run short of the medication and prices have climbed.
The Pharmaceutical Society of Kenya addressed the craze in a public statement last week. “It is not approved or tested for any other purpose, and definitely not for vaginal use,” the group wrote.
“See a doctor if you have pain, bleeding, burning, itching, unusual discharge or fever,” the statement reads. “Your health matters, and you will be treated with respect and without judgement.”
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The trend is based on a known side effect of antihistamines: dryness. Social media posts claim that reduced moisture makes the vagina feel tighter. However, pharmacists called that idea “medically inaccurate.”
“Reduced lubrication does not strengthen vaginal muscles or alter vaginal anatomy,” the group wrote. Instead, the practice could increase friction, pain, and possible tissue injury.
Individual pharmacists are speaking out on TikTok. Dr. Mercy Kay of Nairobi explained in a video where vaginal tightness actually comes from.
“Tightening of the vagina doesn’t come from being dry, it comes from your pelvic floor. Your vagina’s natural moisture is there to protect you,” Kay said.
She also warned that the tablet’s ingredients can disrupt healthy bacteria and raise the risk of infection.
Dr. Wambui Gichigi, a pharmacist based in Kiambu, shared a similar message in her own TikTok video. “Please ladies, a drug causing a side effect does not make that effect a treatment or a benefit,” Gichigi said.
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