Comfrey for Acne

Comfrey, otherwise known as bruisewort, woundwort and knitbone, has a lengthy reputation as a folk remedy for broken bones, tissue damage and skin problems. The herb's key constituents help to promote healing and skin regeneration. Although the U.S. Food and Drug Administration banned all oral comfrey products from the marketplace in July 2001, herbalists continue to use it as a topical folk remedy for symptoms associated with acne flare-ups.

Identification

Comfrey, an indigenous European plant, grows to a height of 3 feet. It flourishes in moist, marshy soil and bears large, hairy leaves and pale yellow or lavender bell-shaped flowers that open toward the ground. The herb's thick, fleshy roots are dark on the outside and pale yellow on the inside. Herbalists harvest comfrey's leaves and flower heads in summer and unearth its deep roots in autumn.

History

Dioscurides, a Greek military physician, used comfrey for wounds and fractures as far back as the first century. According to Botanical.com, comfrey had a prominent place in herbal medicine throughout the middle of the 18th century when it was used to treat symptoms related to broken bones, stomach, liver and lung ulcers, pleurisy and hemorrhoids.

Forgotten for a while, comfrey experienced a revival in the early 1900s when a 1912 issue of "British Medical Journal" reported that one of the herb's key constituents, allantoin, helps repair damaged tissue.

Benefits

Comfrey contains allantoin, a cell proliferant that accelerates acne healing by removing dead tissue and fluid and by stimulating tissue repair. In addition, the plant's astringent tannins form a protective covering over acne infections and support healing. Moreover, according to "Encyclopedia of Herbal Medicine," comfrey provides anti-inflammatory action, in part due to rosmarinic acid and other phenolic acids that help relieve pain and inflammation of pus-filled pimples.

Dosage

While the United States, Great Britain, Canada, Germany and Australia have taken regulatory action on the sale of oral comfrey products, the marketplace still allows the sale of topical comfrey preparations. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, creams and ointments containing 5 to 20 percent of common comfrey leaves are safe to use. Avoid ointments made from the more toxic roots.

Considerations

Comfrey contains poisonous substances called pyrrolizidine alkaloids, so never take comfrey internally in any form. Do not use ointments on children or during pregnancy. Do not use ointments on unaffected skin as allantoin may cause irritation. Additionally, avoid using comfrey on open wounds. Do not use the herb for more than 10 days at a time with a maximum usage of four to six weeks out of the year.