Many people regard Canesten Cream as synonymous with thrush (and its treatment). While they’re not wrong in that association, this anti-fungal cream is purposed for so many more things than solely the treatment of thrush. So why, if you were only allowed five items in your medicine cabinet, should this be one of them? Allow me to explain:
As aforementioned, Canesten Cream has a myriad of purposes – all rooted in the same fungal origin. As an anti-fungal cream, it is a literal reliever from itchy, uncomfortable skin conditions such as tinea, athlete’s foot, ring worm, jock itch, thrush and other yeast infections like nappy rash.
Oh, the images.
More unpleasant than the visuals though, is the experience of any of the above conditions. I would hazard a guess and say that most people have suffered from at least one of these fungal conditions at least once in their life. Most people, therefore, are privy to the sheer discomfort a fungal infection will cause you.
The Canesten 1% Anti-fungal Cream is actually suitable for any fungal skin condition except for thrush. The company has created a product especially for the treatment of thrush with ingredients that are safe to be applied in and around the vagina and vulva region.
So unless you are particularly prone to getting thrush, we would not recommend that the Canesten 3 Day or 6 Day Cream be one of the five that takes up permanent residence in your medicine cabinet. Thankfully, as the scenario of having to choose just five to get by with is completely hypothetical, knock yourself out in obtaining both for their allocated purposes.
The nature of most fungal infections is that they cause the affected area to become very red, itchy, and can even cause the skin to blister. Of course, scratching to relieve the itch will only make it worse, but is also the only thing we can think about doing when the fungus has set in. Canesten cream is an easy and highly beneficial alternative to scratching for relief. The cream is designed to take the itch out of the infection, as well as drying the infection right up.
As most fungal infections tend to grow where it is especially moist; ie. where excessive sweat has occurred or if your external environment is particularly humid or is host to bacteria growth, it can be quite easy to obtain. There are things that can be done to curb the probability of harbouring a yeast infection, but there are times when this is largely out of our control. To have a tube of the cream available to you at all times means you will never have to revert to the overwhelming temptation to scratch and exacerbate the fungus in the process.
So…five items. Assuming that pain relief is already secured, go make a beeline to a chemist that will stock this anti-fungal cream. Future you will thank you.
As for the other four items? Here’s what we reckon should be stocked in the cabinet, alongside the Canesten.
Cold & Flu tablets are a great thing to keep on hand for when the dreaded common cold rears its ugly head and reduces your household to snotty, sniffly creatures. The last thing you ever want to do when you’ve gold a cold is leave the house for any reason. Being prepared enough to have the Cold & Flu meds on hand will help clear your congestion and make you feel clearer, so that you can speed up the recovery process and be back to your busy lives in no time.
A box of Band-Aids will never go astray – if, for no other reason than it works a hell of a lot better than sticky tape and cotton wool (or, God forbid, just sticky tape). I think you would be hard-pressed to find a household that does not stock Band-Aids – especially a household with kids! Although not technically a band-aid, bandages should also be a consistently stocked bathroom cabinet item. Both of these items do not really have adequate substitutes, particularly band-aids (again, the sticky tape and cotton wool is just not gonna cut it). As they are as inexpensive as they are essential, there is no reason not to have these fully stocked in your house at all times!
Vaseline might seem like an obscur choice, but hear me out. This popular petroleum jelly is a household item because of its wide array of uses. Vaseline is able to relieve dry skin, prevent chafing, treat diaper rash, rehydrate nails…even help heal injured skin. Not only this, but Vaseline has taken on a more recent popularity in the skincare space (largely credited to Tik-Tok, I’m sure) as a means to introduce ‘slugging’ to the skin. Slugging is the last step of a skincare routine, designed to trap all of the ingredients you have applied to your face in for maximum absorption. This is to be done overnight, of course, so that your skin is especially hydrated and plump upon waking.
Prescription medication. I mean, duh, right?! Nonetheless I find it worthy of a mention as there is literally no other place you can get your scripts filled than at a chemist. As a person with a couple of diseases that require prescription medication, I can attest that it is a great comfort to be able to depend on a pharmacy to have your required medication in stock, or available within a day or two of ordering it in. For anyone who requires prescription medication, these meds should, of course, be in your bathroom cabinet at all times.
It warrants reiterating that pain relief medication was a given within your bathroom cabinet. I was recently informed that a medical proffessional once told someone who was suffering with a broken heart to take a Nurofen. Although not a cure for anything it might be assigned to (broken hearts included), pain relief medication can alleviate pain associated to so many things that I think you would be hard-pressed to find any household without it.
