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| Photo: notrashproject.com |
If I stay home I leave the wound uncovered, but if I'm out and about touching public doors and subway poles, I wear a Band-Aid. (BTW: I don't bother buying Band-Aids decorated with cartoon characters for children. I mean, if you don't start, nobody will expect it. I buy a box of 100 flexible fabric Band-Aids and a box of 100 flexible non-fabric bandages that can get wet. All sizes, everybody is covered. No reason to run back to the store anytime soon.)
It's been a while since I've nursed a boo boo worth mentioning for either myself, or a family member. If you have young children, treating mishaps is a way of life until they are grown. On such occasions, here's a fantastic homemade antiseptic cream. Relatively cheap to make, it has a shelf life of up to 5 years. Here's what goes into it:
Homemade Antiseptic Cream
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons beeswax, grated
1/4 teaspoon vitamin E oil
Add drops of your favorite essential oils -- I like ...
20 drops of tea tree oil
15 drops of lavender oil (or Camimille oil)
10 drops of lemon oil (or 1 tablespoon of witch hazel can be substituted.)
Directions:
1. Drop the grated beeswax and coconut (or olive) oil into a sauce pan and melt over a very low heat. Stir together.
2. Remove from the heat. Add the vitamin E, tea tree oil, lavender oil and lemon oil. Mix well.
3. Pour into a small sterilized jar with a secure lid.
4. Keep in a dark, cool place.
Coconut oil makes a lovely base with a creamy consistency, but olive oil works too.
The essential oils in the cream kill germs and help heal wounds. All essential oils are anti-bacterial and anti-fugal, so you can usually substitute your favorite scent. Reportedly, lavender essential oil has the benefit of dulling pain. Vitamin E oil gives a cream its self-life and is thought to prevent scaring. Witch hazel soothes the skin.
Nature's medicine. Treat abrasions as needed. And of course, serious cuts, burns and animal bites should be examined by a doctor.
You may also enjoy:
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Directions:
1. Drop the grated beeswax and coconut (or olive) oil into a sauce pan and melt over a very low heat. Stir together.
2. Remove from the heat. Add the vitamin E, tea tree oil, lavender oil and lemon oil. Mix well.
3. Pour into a small sterilized jar with a secure lid.
4. Keep in a dark, cool place.
Coconut oil makes a lovely base with a creamy consistency, but olive oil works too.
The essential oils in the cream kill germs and help heal wounds. All essential oils are anti-bacterial and anti-fugal, so you can usually substitute your favorite scent. Reportedly, lavender essential oil has the benefit of dulling pain. Vitamin E oil gives a cream its self-life and is thought to prevent scaring. Witch hazel soothes the skin.
Nature's medicine. Treat abrasions as needed. And of course, serious cuts, burns and animal bites should be examined by a doctor.
You may also enjoy:
Puritan's Pride Favorites
Best Oils For Face, Body And Hair
DIY Lip Balm: Is It Worth The Cost?
Essential Oils Are A Household ... wait for it ... Essential
Fascinating recipe, Debra. I always imagined antiseptic creams had some magic ingredient which killed the germs - well, who knew the magic comes from lovely familiar things like lavender, lemon and tea tree! I will look differently at what I buy now :)
ReplyDeleteTricia, when I was a kid, we used mostly idodine. I don't see that in modern medicine cabinets anymore. Not sure why? It did sting a little bit, so perhaps there are just anticeptics today without the sting.
DeleteI was intoduced to tea tree oil when I took some pilates classes. We always strayed down our mats after the classes with a tea tree and water solution. Then I discovered it can be used directly on abrasions.
Thanks for stopping by!
ReplyDeleteNeeded to compose you a very little word to thank you yet again regarding the nice suggestions you’ve contributed here.First Aid Box
ReplyDeleteWelcome to the blog, Vinoth S. I hope you come again!
ReplyDelete