Kenyan pharmacists warn against viral craze of using allergy drug for vaginal tightening

What the report says

Kenyan pharmacists have warned people not to insert cetirizine allergy tablets into the vagina after social media posts promoted the drug as a way to make the vagina feel tighter. The Pharmaceutical Society of Kenya said the medicine is intended to be swallowed and has not been tested for use on vaginal tissue. It added that dryness is not the same as tightening and may instead cause irritation, discomfort and possible injury.

BBC Africa reported that the advice spread on platforms such as TikTok earlier this week, prompting debate online and reports of higher demand for cetirizine in some pharmacies, particularly in Nairobi. Cetirizine is a common antihistamine used for allergy symptoms including sneezing, runny nose, itchy eyes and hives. Health experts said using oral tablets in this way is unsafe and not approved for any purpose other than allergy treatment.

The pharmacists’ group said anyone who has already tried the practice should stop and seek medical help if they have pain, bleeding, burning, itching, unusual discharge or fever. It also urged influencers and content creators to avoid sharing unverified health claims. Kenya’s health ministry had already expressed concern about the trend, and a senior official suggested authorities may need better systems to track medicine distribution, although no formal measure has been announced. The warning matters because misinformation could put users at risk and make the drug harder to find for patients who need it for allergies.