Certain herbal remedies might help you to heal faster from cuts, scrapes and other wounds. You might have wounds due to injuries from chemicals, surgery, burns or other causes. Because healing herbs can pose certain health risks, side effects and drug interactions, you should consult your doctor before using them to improve wound healing.
Herbs
Many different herbs are thought to speed up healing, such as aloe vera, calendula, marshmallow, gotu kola, chamomile, echinacea and slippery elm, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Honey, goldenseal, propolis and picrorhiza might also help to heal wounds, says the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Other healing herbs include arnica, St. John’s wort, plantain, comfrey, horsetail, chaparral and bladderwrack, notes the University of Michigan Health System. No widely accepted, conclusive medical evidence supports the use of any herbal remedy to improve wound healing, however.
Application
Most herbs used to speed up healing are applied topically in the form of creams, gels, ointments or salves. Some herbs are taken orally as well to improve healing, such as gotu kola, horsetail, goldenseal and echinacea. The typical dosage of gotu kola for improving wound healing and preventing scar formation is 60 mg of standardized extract taken twice daily or 60 drops of tincture taken three or four times daily, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. You might take 30 to 60 drops of goldenseal and echinacea tinctures three to four times per day to promote healing and prevent infections. Check with your doctor about the proper application and dosage of topical or internal herbal remedies before taking them.
Medical Evidence
A 2005 study published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine found that topical applications of honey helped to improve wound healing, and another study published in the British Journal of Plastic Surgery in 1993 discovered that honey helped to treat burns, according to the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. A 1999 in-vitro and in-vivo study published in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology found that gotu kola hastened wound healing. Numerous studies have found that aloe vera gel helps to promote wound healing, including a 1990 study on post-dermabrasion healing published in the Journal of Dermatology and Surgical Oncology. Also, a 1991 clinical trial published in the International Journal of Dermatology found that topical aloe vera promoted wound healing, notes the University of Michigan Health System. Two animal studies published in the Journal of Nihon University School of Dentistry in 1990 and the journal Food and Chemical Toxicology in 1998 discovered that bee propolis could help to heal wounds, as well. Studies and clinical trials are lacking for the use of chaparral, St. John’s wort, plantain, calendula, chamomile and goldenseal for speeding up healing, however.
Considerations
Keep in mind that constant application of these topical herbal remedies could potentially prevent proper healing, because wounds typically heal best when they’re exposed to the air, notes the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. The best way to speed up healing of wounds is to keep the wound clean. If you have a serious wound, animal bite or cut that exposes fat tissue, muscle or bone, seek emergency medical attention right away and don’t attempt to self-treat the wound. Pay attention to any signs or symptoms that the wound has become infected, such as redness and swelling around the wound or oozing liquids from the wound. Consult a health-care professional if you think the wound has become infected.
Warnings
Every herb has its individual health risks, potential drug interactions and side effects. Herbs used topically most commonly pose the risk of an allergic skin reaction. Don’t take gotu kola orally if you have anxiety or high blood pressure, because the herb could worsen these conditions. Also, you should use honey for wound healing only under the close supervision of a doctor. Talk with your physician before using any herbal remedy to treat open wounds.
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