Impetigo Treatment

by Paula
(Constanta, Romania)

Which herbal remedies to use for impetigo treatment.

I was surprised to wake up one morning with some red swellings on my feet and hands. I thought it was mosquito stings. The next day, the number of swellings was even bigger and new ones with a watery aspect also showed up.

I suspected I had impetigo also known as school sores. Impetigo is a bacterial skin infection caused by Staphylococcus aureus, and sometimes by Streptococcus pyogenes. It doesn't affect the general state, but is highly contagious.

I immediately started searching for a natural impetigo treatment.

For impetigo treatment, the doctor usually recommends a local application of an antibiotic ointment, for mild cases, and treatment with oral antibiotics for more serious cases. Also, in all situations, it is recommended a strict hygiene.

I was lucky my case was not a serious form of impetigo (ecthyma). It was more a frustrating problem and one of strict hygiene because impetigo is highly contagious. My daughter was always near me so I had to wear long pants and long sleeve shirts in the middle of the summer.

A good advice is to try not to scratch even though it itches, because the infection might spread.

I remembered about one of my cousins who had impetigo sores every summer. Her grandmother treated her with Methylene blue which has antiseptic properties.

I hoped to find a herbal impetigo treatment from plants I had at hand.

Many people used successfully Olive leaf which fights bacterial infection and Cat's Claw (Uncaria tomentosa), the famous herb native to the Amazon rainforest.

Closer to me was Celandine (Chelidonium majus). This plant has a full range of curative properties and has anti-inflammatory and disinfectant properties. After 2-3 days of daily applications with Celandine juice, the sores stopped spreading and began to dry.

You can also use an impetigo treatment with Propolis tincture. As a bonus, the tincture will make a protective layer on the skin, allowing it to heal faster.

Heartsease (Viola tricolor) contains salicylic acid which has anti-inflammatory action. Use Heartsease compresses to soothe skin problems like impetigo, acne or seborrhea.

Hazel (Corylus avellana) bark and leaves have disinfectant, cicatrizing, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties, which makes them ideal for impetigo. Make a decoction from bark or young leaves and put compresses on the sores.