Natural Drawing Agents

Blisters, boils, and bites, oh my!
Warmer days mean it's time to play outdoors - yay! - but that can also mean things like mosquito bites, splinters, and poison ivy. Yuck! If you get bugged (ha!) by these irritants this spring and summer, try a natural drawing agent to reduce irritation and speed up healing time.

Natural drawing agents and salves have been used for centuries as remedies for a variety of itchy complaints. Store-bought drawing salves are a medicine-cabinet staple in many homes, and can be useful for so many things ranging from splinters to boils to pimples. They help "draw" the poison/infection to a "head" near the surface of skin for easier and faster drainage, plus they add a touch of soothing relief and speed up healing time. Most well-known drawing salves contain the primary ingredient - ichthammol - a natural substance found in rock which weakens the outer layer of skin slightly and increases circulation to help naturally reject pus or or irritants. They also contain ingredients like arnica for bruising, calendula and comfrey oil for inflammation, echinacea and bergamot for antiseptic properties, Vitamin E for healing, and sulphurs as a strong drawing agent.

Hey, guess what! There are also quite a few real foods we can use to draw out bacteria, infections, and other unwanted invaders the same way - quickly and easily at home. Natural drawing agents can be just as powerful as store-bought ointments and can be made into a variety of treatments like masks, rinses, and poultices. Mix and match ingredients you have (or want to try) to make your own custom treatments at home to relieve irritation.

You can mash ingredients into a paste, apply to skin, and cover with a bandage (keep area covered to keep paste on affected area); blend your ingredients with oils or liquids for a smoother consistency (poultice) and cover with bandages - oils are great for irritated dry areas; or puree your ingredients into a more liquid form and apply to skin with soaked bandages. Some ingredients can even be applied directly to skin without any processing, like potato.

Potato is perhaps one of the most well-known natural drawing agents and first to come to mind. A simple slice of potato can be placed over said irritated area and covered with a bandage (to hold potato in place) to bring the irritation to a head. Other popular drawing agents include ginger, parsley, cabbage, onion, and even banana peels. These ingredients have detoxifying and circulation-stimulating qualities as well as soothing and restorative benefits.
There are a lot of options for how you can apply your treatment, so find what works best for your skin, time, and you. Keeping the area covered helps hold your treatment in place and slows drying time. You can go one step further and cover with plastic to hold in more moisture. Leave on affected area anywhere from 20 minutes to 12 hours, changing every 3-4 hours as mixture dries out. If necessary, repeat the following day. Watch for skin irritation, and be sure to rinse away if you encounter any surface discomfort, as everyone's skin has different levels of sensitivity to ingredients.

Do a quick blog search for more specific ingredient information, or use keywords to find products.

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Reference:
http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-drawing-salve.htm
http://www.essentialdayspa.com/forum/viewthread.php?tid=12772