This salve is gentle enough for a baby’s bottom, yet strong enough for any hot or inflamed sore on the body. It works on bee stings, wasp stings and ant bites, it’s a great aid for any skin infection, and some members also use it for sores in and around the mouth.
One afternoon, while I was waiting for my husband to head into town, I saw a few weeds sitting happy as could be in our raised flower bed. I leaned in and absentmindedly began pulling them, which seriously upset a garden-variety spider and a whole mound of ants. I react very strongly to ant bites, so this was a foolish move to make without a glove on my hand. Teach me to skip the glove! I was bitten by all of them before I got my hand out of there. After dousing my swelling fingers and palm with cold water, I spread a thick layer of this salve over the burning, swelling areas. We skipped our trip into town while I sat at my desk playing Solitaire to distract myself while the salve went to work. In about 15 minutes the ant bites had cleared, though the spider bite took a couple of hours to stop throbbing and wasn’t fully clear of redness until the next morning.
How It Clears a Skin Infection
A skin infection usually moves in stages. A break in the skin lets bacteria in, then the area turns red, warm and swollen as the body’s defenses rush to the site, and if it isn’t brought under control it can deepen, spread, or turn painful and slow to heal. The herbs in this salve work at each stage. Goldenseal, Black Walnut and Oregano oil go after the infection itself. Plantain, Marshmallow and Frankincense calm the redness, heat and swelling. Lobelia eases the tension and discomfort around the site.
What a Good Infection Salve Contains
A good infection salve might contain these six herbs:
- Plantain, 4 parts. A common roadside plant with a long history as a wound herb. It draws out toxins and soothes irritated, inflamed skin.
- Black Walnut, 4 parts. A strong antiseptic and antifungal herb, used to clear infection from the skin and keep it from spreading. See Black Walnut: Nature’s Strongest Antifungal.
- Goldenseal Root, 4 parts. One of the most trusted infection-fighting herbs, prized for clearing infection and supporting healing wherever it’s applied.
- Bugle Weed, 2 parts. Brings a soothing, cooling action, calming inflamed and irritated tissue.
- Marshmallow Root, 1 part. Deeply soothing to inflamed skin, calming the burning and swelling of a sting, bite or infection.
- Lobelia, 1 part. A relaxing, antispasmodic herb that eases the tension and discomfort around a painful area.
“Parts” can be any measure you like, as long as you use the same one for every herb. By weight, that’s 4 ounces each of Plantain, Black Walnut and Goldenseal, 2 of Bugle Weed, and 1 each of Marshmallow and Lobelia. These are the same herbs as the extract in Getting the Herbs to Where the Infection Lives.
Frankincense and Oregano essential oils finish it. Frankincense is anti-inflammatory and antiseptic and speeds healing; Oregano is a strong natural antiseptic that adds to the salve’s infection-fighting power.
Putting It Together
This salve gets its strength from a triple infusion. Fully extract the herbs in extra virgin olive oil in a 150-degree oven for three hours, swap the spent herbs for fresh, and do it three times through, all in the same oil. Strain, thicken with beeswax, and stir in the Frankincense and Oregano oils at the end. Olive oil feeds and softens the skin as it carries the herbs, and beeswax brings its own mild soothing, protective qualities and helps the salve stay put.
How to Use It
Spread it directly on the sore, sting or bite and cover it with a flannel pack. Or try this trick: lay a piece of flannel on a sheet of Press’n Seal wrap, sticky side up, spread the salve on the flannel, then pick it up and press it right over the area.
For more, see Wound Care, Brown Recluse Spider Bite and Healing with Salves.
This is shared for educational purposes, from my own study and experience. It is not medical advice.
