18 Herbal Remedies To Help Heal Summer Skin
Try these home remedies to help relieve the discomfort of cuts, scrapes, or other summer skin irritations using items found right in your pantry!
Now is a a great time of year to get outside, soak in the sun, and breathe in some healthy, fresh air. But with all of that exposed skin, it also means you’re more vulnerable to sunburns, heat rashes, skinned knees, insect bites, and other assaults to the body’s largest organ.
The following herbal remedies can help to relieve the discomfort of cuts, scrapes, or other skin irritations. Many of these remedies can be found right in your pantry!
18 Herbal Remedies To Help Heal Summer Skin
Aloe Vera
Gel from the aloe vera plant has long been used to treat burns, scrapes, and other skin irritations. Its potent anti-inflammatory properties dilate blood vessels, speeding up the healing process. Prevents infection and scarring.
Agrimony
An infusion of this flowering herb can be used to stop bleeding from cuts and scrapes. It is also useful for reducing inflammation from pimples, rashes, and other skin irritations.
Calendula
This member of the daisy family is a powerful anti-inflammatory and antibacterial for cuts and scrapes. It also helps to stimulate new tissue growth.
Cayenne Powder
A dusting of this common kitchen spice can stop minor bleeding in a pinch – literally! It appears that cayenne pepper equalizes the blood pressure to keep the pressure from the hemorrhage area, allowing the wound to clot naturally.
Chamomile
Use chamomile essential oil to relieve rashes, burns, cuts, abscesses, and boils. Its antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties work wonders.
Chickweed
Make a poultice of this common weed to cool and soothe minor burns, skin irritations, and rashes. Acts to relieve dryness and itching. It’s also edible and full of vitamin C!
Cinnamon
This common kitchen spice can reduce pain and disinfect wounds as it has antimicrobial properties.
Clove
Another everyday household spice that reduces pain and disinfects wounds. Another tip: cloves and clove oil have been used for centuries to treat toothaches!
Comfrey
Salves and ointments from this flowering herb soothe burns, ulcerations, abrasions, lacerations, insect bites, and many other forms of skin irritation. Look for them
Geranium
Apply oil from this popular garden flower to stop heavy bleeding.
Goldenseal
Powder from this flowering herb has powerful antimicrobial and antiseptic, and anti-inflammatory properties. It can also be sprinkled directly onto cuts or wounds to stop bleeding.
Gotu Kola
An extract of this herb can speeds healing of cuts by increasing collagen production in the skin.
Honey
Applying this natural sweetener to minor cuts and scrapes can help speed healing. It is also an effective antibacterial treatment.
Lavender
Use the essential oil from this pleasant-smelling herb to relieve rashes, burns, cuts, abscesses, and boils. Its antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties speeds healing and relieves pain.
Rosemary
Make a skin wash from the diluted essential oil of this fragrant evergreen to clean out cuts and scrapes.
St. John’s Wort
Known primarily as a depression cure, flowering herb also possesses anti-inflammatory properties.
Tea Tree Oil
This popular essential oil has strong antimicrobial with antiseptic properties and also reduces inflammation on rashes, burns, cuts, abscesses, and boils.
Witch Hazel
Makes a great all-purpose remedy for scrapes, cuts, abrasions, burns, itches, and other forms of skin inflammation, especially bug bites!
The above article is not a substitute for medical advice. We recommend only using the highest quality herbs and essential oils —a reputable source is Penn Herb Company.
Jaime McLeod
Jaime McLeod is a longtime journalist who has written for a wide variety of newspapers, magazines, and websites, including MTV.com. She enjoys the outdoors, growing and eating organic food, and is interested in all aspects of natural wellness.
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I wanted to say thank you for your constant effort to bring us information on the true medicine from nature!
Lamb’s Ear works for me to stop bleeding. I plant it everywhere I will be piddling around as I cut myself often
To stop bleeding, use a moistened tea bag. This tip came from my dentist. When I was a teenager, I had a tooth pulled. At 10 PM it was still bleeding a lot. My mother called my dentist at home. He told her to moisten a tea bag and have me bite down on it. Within a very short time it had stopped bleeding. I still use this trick when it get a cut and it won’t stop bleeding. Works every time,
My dentist said that black tea leaves is most potent.
Do you have a remedy to stop mosquitoes a nd keep them away from your porch?
Hi Pat Wilson, we have many mosquito remedies! Here are a few:
Stop Being A Mosquito Magnet!
Keeping Mosquitoes at Bay
What to Plant to Keep the Bugs Away
hi, thanks, it’s interesting to know natural wellness.
Is it possible that an herbal remedy of some sort will
cure toe nail fungus?
Sincerely, Carrie
Thanks for the response.
thanks
Concerning tea tree oil, when I was in Sri Lanka after the tsunami, I found a mixture of this and water sprayed on the legs of my cot and on the sheets stopped ants and other insects from crawling on me at night.
Didn’t know this, thanks for the share.
How much water to tea tree oil ratio?
Hi Jamie, I too am interested in all aspects of natural wellness. To this end, I would like to know HOW you use the herbs, etc., listed above. Do I have to buy pills and sprinkle the contents over a rash? Can I pluck a flower and rub it on a cut or sting? Do I need to boil leaves to create a wash? How or where do I get essential oils such as rosemary or tea tree oil? I love the list, just don’t know how to access or use the elements contained within. Thanks for any info you can share.
Hi Robyn – Preparation is all covered here: Make Your Own Herbal Supplements!
As far as buying herbs, you can do any of what you mentioned, or buy them dried from a supplement store or online. Just do a web search.
You can buy them at Hobby Lobby.
Hugs & squeezes 2 U, Jaime – dear, for compiling this Herbal cabinet info for Readers. Heaven knows, the itch, bites and allergy flares requires some natural boosts for relief. Thanks as ever.