Over the years, I have experimented with all kinds of ointments and solutions to treat cuts, scrapes, and punctures in the skin. Strong antibiotics and disinfectants from the pharmacy are not only hurting and burning when applied to the wound but they are actually delaying the wound healing process. It seems to me that they also prevent our own cells in the blood from working effectively at the wound site.
I have achieved the best results with mild herbal ointments and plain tap water. If the wound is dirty, then rinse it quickly with tap water, apply the salve presented below, and then protect it with a bandaid.
Calendula, Yarrow and Turmeric salve
This is really the best home made wound treatment salve. You can grow those herbs in your own garden or buy them. I recommend to make a new salve every year or every two years to keep it fresh.
herbal wound treatment salve made from the herbs Calendula, Yarrow and Turmeric
Dried herbs: Calendula, Yarrow and Turmeric. Turmeric powder is a very common kitchen spice.
Steps to make the salve:
Dry the herbs.
Put some Calendula flowers, Yarrow flowers and leaves, as well as Turmeric powder in a jar and cover the herbs with olive oil and close the jar.
Wait about a month.
Strain the oil into a new jar and add some bee's wax. You need about 1/4 of the oil volume in bee's wax to get a nice salve that has a good consistency at room temperature.
Heat the oil and bee's wax in a double boiler or just put the jar with the infused oil and bee's wax into a pot with an inch of water. Keep the water boiling until the bee's wax has melted. Basically, you are heating the bee's wax and the oil in a not so aggressive way. The water will only reach a temperature of 100'C. This is more gentle than heating the oil and wax directly on the stove.
Poor the warm mixture into a small jar or pot for storage and use.
This salve has a strong yellow color because of the Turmeric. It's not usable as a general skin salve because it makes the skin look yellow while the salve is on the skin, but this is OK for wound treatment. This salve reduces the amount of bleeding. It is also calming and reduces inflammation. It allows the wound to heal more quickly and without scars. Note that this is not for very large, open wounds. This is for small cuts and bruises.
