Radiation burns cause damage to your skin and eyes and may increase your risk of skin cancer, cataracts, leathery skin and liver spots. You can get radiation burns from too much exposure to ultraviolet light, or UV, a type of radiation found in sunlight and X-rays. UV produces free radicals, which can damage DNA. If you were overexposed to the sun or X-rays, you may experience headache, pain and fatigue, or have warm, pink skin, swelling or blisters. Herbs may help relieve radiation burns naturally. Consult your health care provider for a diagnosis before starting herbal treatment.
Herbal Actions
Herbs for radiation burns work in several ways. Anti-inflammatory herbs will help with pain and swelling. Emollient herbs will soothe the burn and blisters. Some herbs stimulate new tissue growth, and antimicrobial herbs will protect against infection. Check with a qualified practitioner for advice about dosage and preparation of herbs for radiation burns.
St. John's Wort
St. John's wort, or Hypericum perforatum, is a perennial shrub native to Europe and Asia. Herbalists use the flowers to treat mild depression, but the plant also has a long history of use for pain, burns, inflammation and wounds. In their 2001 book, "Herbal Remedies," naturopathic doctors Asa Hershoff and Andrea Rotelli recommend applying it topically for first- and second-degree sunburn and for tissue damage from X-rays. They state that it may prevent blistering and halt infection. Do not combine this herb with other antidepressants.
Aloe
Aloe, or Aloe vera, is a North African succulent that is commercially grown throughout the world. The fleshy leaves contain a gel that is rich in polysaccharides, glycoproteins, amino acids, salicylic acid and enzymes. Aloe acts as an emollient, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and immune-stimulant. In their 2000 book, "Prescription for Nutritional Healing," Dr. James F. Balch and certified nutritional consultant Phyllis A. Balch advise applying aloe gel topically on sunburn to relieve pain, moisturize burned skin and speed healing. Hershoff and Rotelli note that aloe may be used externally to protect your skin during radiation therapy. Aloe may cause itching in sensitive individuals.
Calendula
Calendula, or Calendula officinalis, is a European herb with bright orange flowers. Herbalists use it topically in creams, lotions or infusions to treat burns, wounds, skin infections and hemorrhoids. Active ingredients include saponins, triterpenes and flavonoids, and the plant has anti-inflammatory and immune-stimulant actions. In their 2009 book, "Medicinal Plants of the World," botanist Ben-Erik van Wyk and biologist Michael Wink explain that calendula stimulates the growth of granulation tissue, which is the new skin tissue that grows over the old, burned and damaged tissue. Hershoff and Rotelli recommend it to relieve pain, and prevent blisters and infection. Do not ingest calendula if you have allergies to plants in the aster family.
References
- "Herbal Remedies"; Asa Hershoff, N.D., and Andrea Rotelli, N.D.; 2001
- "Prescription for Nutritional Healing"; Phyllis A. Balch, CNC, and James F. Balch, M.D.; 2000
- "Medicinal Plants of the World"; Ben-Erik van Wyk and Michael Wink; 2009
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