Six Herbs to Help Care for Cuts and Scrapes

Cuts and scrapes aren't much to worry about in today's relatively sterile environments. Clean water and soap are readily available for washing, tetanus shots are usually kept up to date. Well, barring any shortages- I distinctly remember being a teenager and going for my physical, only to have the doctor wring her hands and say she would have to check if they had tetanus vaccines available, because I was long overdue for a booster shot but there was a shortage. And that's in a very affluent, suburban area of the US, mind you.

Anyway, it's very easy for us to take it for granted that our cuts and scrapes are just minor inconveniences, and not the major health threat they can morph into under less than sanitary conditions!

In a bad situation, even a tiny cut can lead to dangerous infections if it comes into contact with another person's blood or body fluids, animal saliva, fecal matter, germs from the soil, or in germs in unsantized lake, river or well water. Germs that enter through a cut can cause all sorts of complications in an extreme setting: tetanus, rabies, gangrene, systemic infections that lead to organ failure and death. . . Yeah, none of that sounds fun. I think I'll pass, thanks.
 
So, keep those cuts clean and dry, and seek medical attention at the first sign that things might be going south! Stay healthy and keep those immune systems up to speed, too.   

In a less than ideal situation, or one with limited access to medical care, here's what to remember:

Keep it clean and dry.
Only use water that has been sanitized.
Keep it covered to keep stuff out.
Respect the scab: it's there for a reason. 

For more technical information on how to keep cuts and scrapes thoroughly clean, take a look at a good first aid manual; for now, let's focus on how to use herbs once the basic first aid is out of the way.

One of the easiest ways to use herbs to help care for cuts and scrapes is as a wash or compress: make an herbal tea and allow it to cool, then apply with gauze or a clean cloth to the desired area. Allow to air dry. Another great way is as a salve that can be applied after the area is cleaned. Here's a look at five herbs that can be used either as washes or as salves, and one herb that can be used as an extract or powder:

Yarrow: was traditionally used help stop bleeding, and an alcohol extract has the added benefit of containing, well, alcohol! Some herbalists use it as a styptic in its dried, powdered form.

Bee Balm: the leaves and flowers were used in the past as a wound wash, especially if the area was red and hot to the touch (in modern parlance, we know that this indicates that an infections may be setting in) but leaves aren't generally available at the stores, so that only helps if you are growing your own.

Rose petals: also make a good wound wash, or ingredient in salves.

Plantain and Chickweed: make really great salves for cuts and scrapes, especially when made with the fresh herbs.

Elder: the flowers and leaves of elder both have traditional skin care applications. They can be used as a wash, or made into a salve. Elder was believed to promote fast healing.