
Alum powder Uses and benefits for skin, hair and health.
Alum powder is beneficial in many ways for hair, skin, and health. We can use it in many home remedies for the treatment of canker sores, cracks in the heels, to get rid of the bad odor, to cure acne and pimples, to reduce the wrinkles on the face and also to get rid of head lice. Alum powder is also used in the purification of water. Some men also use alum as part of their shaving kit.
What is Alum?
Alum is the chemical compound made with a combination of various elements like potassium or ammonium with other metals like aluminum or chromium. All types of Alum have 2 Sulfate groups.
The most common type of Alum available in the market is Potassium alum. The scientific name of potassium alum is hydrated potassium aluminum sulfate.
Health benefits of Alum powder and blocks:
1. Alum block for shaving:
The use of Alum block for shaving has been practiced by many barbers in the hair saloons. It has been used as a simple trick to control bleeding from minor cuts after shaving by men from ages. Using Alum block for treating shaving cuts is a very simple and effective home remedy.
Alum acts as an astringent. It helps in the constriction or sealing the blood vessels supplying the skin. This controls the bleeding from shaving cuts very fast. Alum is an antihemorrhagic agent which controls bleeding fast.
2. Alum for canker sores:
Alum powder is an effective home remedy for the treatment of canker sores or mouth ulcers. You can use it 2 ways to get rid of canker sores.
3. Alum for Acne/pimples:
Alum is a very effective remedy to cure pimples or acne naturally. You will need just 3 simple ingredients to make a face pack with alum for acne or pimples.
4. Alum for hair removal:
Alum powder provides a soothing relief if you use it over your skin after hair removal.
5. Alum powder for wrinkles:
Alum powder tightens the skin and reduces the wrinkles very effectively. Wrinkles make a person look older than his/her age. Alum powder helps in getting rid of all these signs of aging and make you look younger.
6. Alum block or powder as a deodorant:
Alum block or Alum powder has a very good effect in getting rid of body odor. It is a very effective natural deodorant. You can simply wet your underarms and also the Alum block and rub the Alum block over the underarms. Then wait for few minutes and the wash your underarms.
You can also make a paste of Alum powder and rose water and apply this mixture to the underarms. Then wait for some time and wash it off. Alum powder kills all the harmful bacteria that produce a bad odor.
Alum is a very good antiperspirant in comparison to store bought deodorants. But make sure not to use it every day. Use it on alternate days or once every 2 days to avoid any harmful effects of Alum on your skin.
7. Alum for water purification:
Alum is very popularly used for water purification. Just add about 1 gm of Alum powder to a liter of dirty water. It means you will have to add 5 gm of Alum powder for 5 liters of dirty or muddy water.
Wait for 10 to 15 minutes. Then you can see that mud settles down at the bottom and you are left with clear water on the top of the bucket or your vessel. But don’t overuse Alum than the recommended dose as it can cause side effects like vomiting, abdominal pain or cramps.
8. Alum powder for athletes foot:
Alum has antimicrobial properties. It can kill the fungus causing Athletes’ foot. So, you can use alum powder to get rid of Athletes’ foot quickly. Just take 2 spoons of alum powder and 4 spoons of rose water and mix well to form a smooth paste.
Wash your feet properly and pat them dry. Then apply this paste over the feet and wait for 10 minutes. Then wash off your feet with lukewarm water. Or else you can simply rub a wet Alum block over the Athletes’ foot and wait for some time.
There is another way you can use Alum powder to get rid of Athletes’ foot. Take a bucket of lukewarm water. Add 4 spoons of Alum powder to it and mix well. Then soak your feet in the Alum water for 15 minutes. Then wash your feet and pat them dry. Follow this remedy on alternate days for quick improvement.
9. Alum for cracked heels:
Alum helps in removing dead cells over the heels and acts as a good exfoliator. It also helps in making the heels very soft and smooth. Alum can heal the cracks on heels very efficiently.
11. Alum for style or eye abscess:
Just make a paste of 1 spoon of alum powder, 1 spoon of sandalwood powder and 2 spoons of rose water. Then apply this paste over the stye or eye abscess. Wait for some time and then rinse off with lukewarm water. Repeat this at least once a day for 3 to 4 days to see a reduction in the size of the stye.
12. Alum for tonsillitis:
Take a ½ spoon of alum powder and roast it slightly on slow flame. Mix it with 1 glass of lukewarm milk and drink daily. This will help in relieving sore throat and other symptoms of tonsillitis due to its antibacterial properties.
13. Alum for nose bleeding:
Take a pinch of Alum powder and mix it in a ¾ spoon of ghee. Then pour 1 to 2 drops of this mixture into the bleeding nostril. Alum constricts the blood vessels and stops nose bleeding very fast.
14. Alum for female genital tightening:
Alum can be used to tighten the female genitalia as well. But this effects remains temporary or just for few hours. Just take 1 to 2 spoons of alum powder and dissolve it in water. Strain this mixture. This takes a cotton swab and applies this alum powder water over the inner walls of the female genital opening.
Wait for 5 minutes and then rinse off your genitalia with normal water. But, take care not to use Alum powder directly over the genitalia as it can lead to adverse effects.
15. Alum for dark circles:
Just mix 1 spoon of alum powder with 2 spoons of rose water or just normal water to make a smooth paste. Apply this mixture over the dark circles.
Wait for few minutes and then just wash off your face. Make sure alum doesn’t come into contact with your eyes. Be very careful while using this remedy as Alum powder can make your eyes burn a lot.
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