Treating burns with herbs

1st degree burns can be treated at home, but more serious burns should be treated by a professional healthcare provider.

Matches can cause burns. Treat 1st degree burns with herbs. — Be careful with matches and lighters so you don't get burned - photo of flame by Dreamstime.

Cool a minor burn immediately by rinsing with cold water for at least one minute or plunging the area into ice water. Remove from water and pat dry. Then apply some healing Aloe Vera gel.

This should stop the pain and keep blisters from forming.

Aloe Vera for burns

Apply a good coating of Aloe Vera gel to kitchen burns.

Whenever I accidentally touch a hot pan, Aloe Vera comes to my rescue. In seconds the pain is gone. Usually one application is all it takes for healing to begin.

Aloe Vera is a well-known remedy for burns, rashes, and sunburn. I keep Aloe Vera plants in pots just for this purpose.

It's easy to split a fresh aloe leaf apart and scrape out the gel. Apply it often to relieve pain and speed healing. Don't worry about cutting an aloe leaf. The cut will seal over after a few hours and your plant will be fine.

Pick a lower leaf that is hidden if you worry about how the plant will look.

Prepared aloe vera gel can also be purchased at health food stores if you are not able to grow your own.

pots full of Aloe Vera — Keep a pot of Aloe Vera for treating minor burns.

Burns and scalds can be life-threatening.

3rd degree burns are the most serious. 3rd degree burns show extensive tissue damage, oozing, and charring.

Serious burns require immediate medical attention. Go to a hospital or call 911 and elevate burned area above the heart until help arrives.

2nd degree burns have underlying tissue damage and may have multiple blisters. The middle of the burn is very dark red.

2nd degree burns usually cover a larger area than minor 1st degree burns. 2nd degree burns usually require a visit to your healthcare professional.

1st degree burns (minor burns) have redness with pain and maybe a small blister or two. These less serious burns can be safely treated at home.

Hand with 2nd degree burn — This is a 2nd degree burn and should be treated by a professional. Photo by Wiki Commons.

Scientific evidence

Studies show that garlic, Aloe Vera, gotu kola, and nettles are better at treating 1st degree burns than over-the-counter creams and ointments. Healing properties are due to high levels of flavonoids, alkaloids, and saponins in these plants.

Other herbs for burns.

Other good natural remedies for minor burns are calendula, St. John's Wort, and comfrey salves.

St. John's Wort helps heal and brings pain relief.

Calendula is a wonderful natural remedy. It promotes growth of new skin cells and speeds healing.

Comfrey also speeds tissue repair. Comfrey can actually heal skin so quickly that infection is trapped underneath the new skin. This is not what we want with infected tissue that needs to drain. Only use comfrey when no infection is present.

Use calendula, St. John's Wort, and comfrey on clean burns, where nothing is oozing. If infection is present, seek professional help.

Honey and essential oil can help heal burns.

Another good remedy for burns:

Mix two drops of peppermint essential oil, two drops of lavender essential oil, and a teaspoon of honey.
Dab on burn and loosely cover with a gauze pad.
Leave on for 8 hours and then let it breathe for a while.
Reapply as needed until skin heals.

bottle of vinegar — Vinegar compresses can soothe 1st degree burns. Photo by pexels.com.

Other home remedies for burns

Vinegar compresses can soothe a burn.

Freshly brewed and cooled black or green tea can also be used to relieve pain from burns.

An old remedy for scalded skin is an application of egg white or raw potato.

Some people see good results from fresh ginger juice.

Never put anything on a second or third degree burn unless advised to do so by a professional herbalist or healthcare provider.

Burn patients should drink lots of water.

Burn patients should drink plenty of liquids and eat antioxidant foods such as blueberries, cherries, tomatoes and bell peppers to speed healing and prevent dehydration.

A good diet with lots of water helps the whole body to stay healthy and heal quickly.

Visit the Mayo Clinic website for more information on burns and when to seek medical help.

*Do not try to treat 2nd and 3rd degree burns at home. Do not pull stuck clothing away from serious burns.

Always consult with a healthcare professional before using any herbal remedy.

Sources:

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24895176/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25489521/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25606473/

Blessings to you and yours!

Thanks so much for reading my blog. Jan.

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