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Sunday, February 9th
Gigartina, a red marine algae topical ointment for immune support, is made by Vibrant Health, a company that sells mostly superfood formulas and dietary supplements for nutritional health. Gigartina is the only topical product they sell, and the label says it's best for skin issues including cold sores, chapped lips, and lesions, but no mention of shingles. Vibrant Health is one of the country's largest Black-owned businesses, and their products, including Gigartina, have won several awards.
Product not specifically for shingles
Gigartina Red Marine Algae Ointment supports immunity and helps to support skin health and relief. Some fans of the product liked the soothing effects on the skin after the shingles virus itself began to subside, but nowhere on the package does it mention aiding in the severe symptoms that shingles can cause.
Vegetarian and plant-based?
Vibrant Health has on their label that they are vegetarian and plant based, but one of the main ingredients is emu oil. Emu oil, the first ingredient on the label, is known for its soothing and ointment-like properties, but it comes from an emu, most likely farmed for its meat.
A little goes a long way
There is only a quarter of an ounce of product in this little tube of ointment, but happy consumers will tell you that it spreads nicely and it doesn't take a lot of product to cover a small area. Use a clean, cotton swab to place the ointment, then apply to the area and gently spread throughout the affected area. Reapply as needed.
Consumers love it, mostly for other skin irritations
Those who love the product use it on their dry or chapped lips, cold sores, dry nostrils, healing skin from a minor irritation or injury, and for various other skin dryness or irritation. There are a few happy customers who have used Gigartina on the lesions and rashes from shingles, finding it helpful once the severe symptoms have settled and can soothe the skin irritation. Several have complained that especially for the price, 1/4 ounce just isn't enough or worth it.
Not enough product or strength for shingles
We realize that the tiny tube of product is intended for smaller areas of skin such as those affected by cold sores, chapped lips, and lesions, and for those skin symptoms, customers are happy. We just don't find it has enough product or strength for the pain, itching, and large surface area that shingles can affect. That leaves us without much of a choice but to knock Gigartina as a shingles relief remedy (though we'd give it a much higher score for those other uses).
If you've had shingles, or know someone who has, you know that the pain can be unbearable and the lesions hideous. Shingles is a viral infection that can occur anywhere on the body, and causes an intense, painful rash. Oftentimes it looks like a stripe of blisters that wraps around the side of your torso. The bottom line is, you want relief, and you want it now.
Increasingly, people are opting for natural, over-the-counter products in order to avoid costly prescription drugs with undesirable side effects. These options are typically in the form of supplements or topical creams. The supplements are taken a few times a day in order to keep the harsher symptoms at bay. The topical creams and gels provide cooling to the burning lesions as well as penetrate deep into the skin's surface to alleviate the nerve pain.
Shingles is caused by the same virus that causes chicken pox: varicella-zoster virus. If you've had chicken pox, that virus stays in your body for the rest of your life. Later on in life, it can reactivate as shingles. The painful rashes can occur anywhere on your body, even on the face or near your eyes.
Mayo Clinic says that early detection may shorten the infection and lessen the chance of complications, such as shingles pain for an extended period after the blisters have cleared. Shingles seems to be more common in older adults with weakened immune systems, whether due to cancer, medications, or chronic illness.
Suggestions for avoiding shingles or to lessen the severity of the symptoms are to get the shingles vaccine, which is recommended for those over 50. You should also maintain a healthy immune system by eating right, exercising, and avoiding stress. If you do find symptoms, seek early healing and steer clear of people who haven't had chicken pox, as they might end up getting that from you.
The supplements are taken a few times a day in order to keep the harsher symptoms at bay and start the healing process. The topical creams and gels provide cooling to the burning lesions as well as penetrate deep into the skin's surface to alleviate the nerve pain.
When considering which over-the-counter product to purchase for shingles relief, here are some important points to consider:
Top Consumer Reviews has reviewed and ranked the best shingles relief supplements and topical creams available today to help you choose the one that offers the best results and has a fair price tag. We're confident that this information will get you on the road to recovery with relief from shingles.
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