15 Worst Pieces of Health Advice You Should Never Follow

15. Using “black salve” on moles

Despite that there’s no evidence that alternative treatments are safe or effective, online vendors and wellness bloggers praise something called “black salve” as an effective natural remedy for skin cancer. “Using it can lead to extensive scarring, deformity, and incomplete destruction of cancer cells,” says dermatologist Lauren Snitzer, MD, FAAD.

“Not only does the salve damage normal tissue as well, [but] using it can delay diagnosis and treatment of skin cancers, which in some cases can be life-threatening.” The Food and Drug Administration includes black salve on its list of illegally sold cancer cures that consumers should avoid.