You want your skin to look healthy and radiant, but common skin issues can prevent your skin from looking its best. Fortunately, you may be able to heal your skin with natural treatments. Try out different remedies to see which ones work for you. Just check with your doctor first to make sure it’s safe for you to try herbal treatments.
[Edit]Steps
[Edit]Treating Wounds
- Apply a turmeric paste to your wound to help it heal faster. Turmeric naturally kills germs and reduces inflammation, so it’s great for wound healing. Measure out about of turmeric, then add just enough warm water to the spice to make a paste. Use your clean fingers to spread the paste over your wound. Cover your wound with a loose bandage to protect it.[1]
- Change your bandage twice a day. Each time, wash off the turmeric paste and apply more.
- For a larger wound, you may need more turmeric. However, it’s best to see your doctor or visit an urgent care center if you have a long or deep wound.
- Dab raw honey on your wound to kill bacteria and reduce inflammation. Since it’s a natural antiseptic, you can use honey to treat a wound. Scoop out about a spoonful of honey using a clean spoon. Drip the honey onto your wound, then gently spread it out with the round part of your spoon or your fingertips. Cover your wound with a bandage to keep it clean.[2]
- Change your bandage twice a day and apply more honey each time.
- Use diluted tea tree oil as an alternative antiseptic. Add 3-5 drops of tea tree oil to of a carrier oil, such as coconut oil, jojoba oil, or grapeseed oil. Stir the oils to combine them. Then, dab the oil onto your wound once or twice a day to kill bacteria and germs, which can help your wound heal faster.[3]
- Use 100% pure tea tree oil. You can find it at a health food store, drugstore, or online.
- Don’t use tea tree oil if you have a skin condition like eczema.
- Massage diluted rosemary oil onto your wound to help the skin heal. Rosemary reduces inflammation and helps your skin make collagen, so it may help your skin mend faster. Add 2-3 drops of 100% pure rosemary oil to of a carrier oil, such as coconut oil, jojoba oil, or grapeseed oil. Dip your fingers into the diluted oil, then rub the oil onto your wound.[4]
- Reapply the oil several times a day to help your wound heal faster.
- You can purchase rosemary essential oil and carrier oils at a health food store, drug store, or online.
- Apply aloe vera gel to help treat wounds, burns, or sunburn. Aloe vera gel reduces inflammation, pain, and redness, so it’s a great treatment for wounds and burns. Extract the gel from an aloe vera leaf by breaking the leaf in half. Drip the aloe vera gel onto your wound or burn. You can also buy a tube of aloe vera gel and follow the directions to apply it on your skin.[5]
- Use the aloe vera gel every 3-4 hours to soothe your skin.
- Try calendula cream as another option for burns or sunburn. Calendula also naturally reduces inflammation, pain, and redness, so it’s another treatment for a burn or sunburn. Purchase a cream that contains calendula as an active ingredient. Then, dab the cream onto the area you want to treat. Re-apply it as directed on your product label.[6]
- You can buy calendula cream at a health food store, drug store, or online.
- Use an onion extract cream to help reduce the appearance of scars. Onion extract helps restore skin by improving cell turnover and reducing inflammation. This makes it a great treatment for wound scarring. Buy a cream that contains onion extract as an active ingredient and read the instructions on the label. Dab the cream onto your wound scar and reapply it as often as directed.[7]
- Treat scars with onion extract cream daily for at least 4 weeks, as it takes time to work.
- Look for a cream that contains onion extract at a local drug store, health food store, or online.
[Edit]Addressing Common Skin Conditions
- Soak in an oatmeal bath for 30 minutes for a rash or itchy skin condition. Oatmeal soothes your skin, reduces inflammation, and treats itching. Fill your bathtub with cool water, then add about 1 cup (90 g) of ground up oatmeal or colloidal oatmeal to the water. Get into the bath and soak for up to 30 minutes to help your skin feel better.[8]
- You can grind up rolled oats to make an oatmeal bath or you can purchase a pack of colloidal oatmeal from your local drug store or online.
- You can take an oatmeal bath as often as once a day.
- Apply coconut oil to help reduce inflammation and redness. Coconut oil naturally promotes healthy skin, so it may help with minor skin irritation and dermatitis. Scoop out a dollop of coconut oil and rub it between your palms to make it spreadable. Then, rub the oil onto the area of your skin you want to treat. Apply the oil once or twice a day to help your skin heal.[9]
- Scoop out more coconut oil with your fingers as needed to cover your skin.
- Use hemp seed oil for conditions like eczema, psoriasis, rosacea, and dermatitis. Hemp oil reduces inflammation, redness, and irritation. Additionally, it may promote healthy skin and can even relieve pain for some people. Buy 100% pure hemp oil or a cream that contains hemp oil. Use your fingertips to dab it onto the area you want to treat. Apply the oil as often as directed on your product label, which is typically 1-3 times per day.[10]
- You can buy hemp oil products at a drug store, dispensary, or online.
- Apply diluted tea tree oil for acne or fungal infections. Mix 2-3 drops of 100% pure tea tree oil into of a carrier oil like coconut oil, jojoba oil, or grapeseed oil for acne. Then, dab the diluted oil directly onto acne once a day. For athlete's foot or another fungal infection, add 8-10 drops of tea tree oil to of carrier oil. Massage the oil onto the area you’re treating twice a day.[11]
- Always wash your hands thoroughly after applying the oil to a fungal infection.
- You can purchase tea tree oil and carrier oil at a health food store, drug store, or online.
- Avoid tea tree oil if you have a skin condition such as eczema.
- Apply a crushed garlic paste to a fungal infection to help treat it. Raw garlic may also kill fungus, so it’s an alternative treatment for conditions like athlete’s foot and candida. Peel fresh garlic cloves, chop them up, and crush them into a paste. Rub the paste onto the area you want to treat. Let it sit for 15-20 minutes before washing it off with soap and water.[12]
- Wash your hands thoroughly after you apply the garlic to your skin and after you wash it off.
- Keep in mind that this treatment may not work for everyone. Additionally, garlic can irritate inflamed skin.
[Edit]Relieving Dry Skin
- Apply a moisturizer after you bathe to restore and protect your skin. Choose a cream or ointment because they help nourish your skin better than a lotion. Spread moisturizer over your entire body after every bath or shower. Apply the product within 5 minutes of getting out of the water to help seal in moisture.[13]
- Pick a product that contains an ingredient like shea butter, olive oil, jojoba oil, lactic acid, hyaluronic acid, urea, glycerin, lanolin, mineral oil, petrolatum, or dimethicone.
- Coconut oil helps moisturize your skin while also reducing inflammation. It’s generally not irritating to skin, so it’s a great option for protecting dry skin and sealing in moisture.[14]
- Use fragrance-free personal care products because they’re less drying. Fragrances are irritating to your skin and they can dry out your skin even more. Switch to soaps, moisturizers, and other care products that are fragrance-free. Over time, this can help your dry skin heal.[15]
- You can buy fragrance-free products at drug stores and online.
- Wash your clothing in hypoallergenic laundry detergent. Using regular laundry detergents can be irritating to your skin and may dry it out more. Pick a laundry detergent that’s labeled as “hypoallergenic.” These products are less irritating to your skin, so they’ll help relieve your dry skin over time.[16]
- Typically, these products are fragrance-free. You can buy them at your regular department store or online.
- Shower for 5-10 minutes in warm water to prevent dry skin. Washing your body can actually dry out your skin if you use hot water or stay in the water for too long. Limit your showers to no more than 5-10 minutes at a time. Additionally, always use warm water rather than hot so it won’t dry out your skin.[17]
- Don’t use too much soap or body wash when you’re showering because they can irritate your skin. Even fragrance-free products can cause inflammation.
- Run a humidifier in your home to moisten the air. Dry air can be especially drying to your skin, but a humidifier can help. Set up a cool-mist humidifier in your home to safely moisten the air. Run the humidifier when you’re in your home. This will help restore moisture to your skin and relieve the dryness.[18]
- You can use a steam humidifier as well, but cool-mist humidifiers are safer. If the humidifier gets tipped over or shaken, steam humidifiers may cause burns.
- Sip on water throughout the day to help you stay hydrated. Your hydration levels affect your skin moisture levels, so drink lots of water.[19] Aim to drink at least of water daily. To help you stay on track, carry a reusable water bottle with you and refill it regularly.[20]
- Other fluids, like herbal tea, and watery foods, like soup and fruit, can also help you stay hydrated.
[Edit]When to Seek Medical Care
- Check with your doctor before using natural treatments on your skin. Although natural treatments are generally safe, they don’t work the same way for everyone. Some treatments may worsen medical conditions you have or could cause other forms of skin irritation. Talk to your doctor about the treatments you want to use to make sure they’re a good option for you.[21]
- Tell your doctor what you want to treat. Remind them about medications you’re taking and pre-existing conditions you have.
- Visit a doctor or dermatologist if your skin doesn’t improve. While natural treatments may work for some people, they may not help your skin. If your symptoms persist, see your doctor for a proper diagnosis and to learn about other treatments. You may need a medical treatment to relieve your condition.[22]
- Tell your doctor that you’ve been using natural treatments. Ask them if there are other natural treatments you can try if you’d rather avoid medication.
- Talk to your doctor about other treatments if your condition won’t heal. You may need a stronger treatment to relieve your symptoms. Your doctor can explain which treatments are best for your needs and why. Work with your doctor to create a treatment plan that works for you.[23]
- For instance, your doctor may prescribe an antibiotic, anti-fungal cream, or corticosteroids, depending on what’s causing your symptoms.
[Edit]Tips
- Drink a lot of water to keep your skin hydrated. While this won’t heal a skin condition, it can help your skin be its healthiest.[24]
- Eat lots of fresh produce and lean protein to support your skin’s overall health.[25]
[Edit]Warnings
- While natural treatments are often safe, they aren’t right for everyone and can worsen certain conditions. Always check with your doctor before using natural treatments.[26]
- Watch for signs of a skin infection and see your doctor immediately if you may have an infection. Symptoms of an infection include swelling, fever, increased pain, and discharge from a wound.
[Edit]References
- ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25200875
- ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3941901/
- ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1360273/
- ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4827280/
- ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3931201/
- ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3931201/
- ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3931201/
- ↑ https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/rashes-sheet.html
- ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6335493/
- ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3931201/
- ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1360273/
- ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3931201/
- ↑ https://www.aad.org/public/everyday-care/skin-care-basics/dry/dermatologists-tips-relieve-dry-skin
- ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6335493/
- ↑ https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/9-ways-to-banish-dry-skin
- ↑ https://www.aad.org/public/everyday-care/skin-care-basics/dry/dermatologists-tips-relieve-dry-skin
- ↑ https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/9-ways-to-banish-dry-skin
- ↑ https://www.aad.org/public/everyday-care/skin-care-basics/dry/dermatologists-tips-relieve-dry-skin
- ↑ https://www.aad.org/public/everyday-care/skin-care-basics/dry/dermatologists-tips-relieve-dry-skin
- ↑ https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/water/art-20044256
- ↑ https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/herbal-medicine
- ↑ https://www.aad.org/public/everyday-care/skin-care-basics/dry/dermatologists-tips-relieve-dry-skin
- ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3931201/
- ↑ https://www.eatright.org/health/wellness/preventing-illness/nutrition-tips-to-promote-wound-healing
- ↑ https://www.eatright.org/health/wellness/preventing-illness/nutrition-tips-to-promote-wound-healing
- ↑ https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/herbal-medicine
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