Hi, I suffer dreadfully from dry skin, especially with the change in season - do you have any tips or advice? Thank you.
Thank you for your question. Dry skin can be annoying and even painful if not treated quickly. Traditional plant medicine can be used both as a treatment and also as prevention in order to stop your skin from drying out.
Often after too much sun, wind or cold exposure, skin condition can deteriorate, which shows up as scaly, dry and cracked skin. To prevent this we can work at building up our skin integrity and this can be done by using a rich plant-based oil at night, boosting nutrients to our skin as well as intensive treatment if it does cause injuries. Consider using St John's Wort oil, which is very hydrating and has an affinity with dry, cracked and comprised skin. The active constituents in St John's wort helps the skin after injury, such as in cases of burns, wounds and nerve lesions.
Nettle (Urtica dioica) is a great option to help the skin. It is high in minerals and also helps with skin recovery. It's mineral-rich because it has long roots that make it able to retain minerals from deep within the soils, and transfer them to the leaves, which is the part of the plant traditionally used in plant medicine. Nettle is a good choice for helping with eczema, skin irritations and itchy skin and rashes.
Calendula (Calendula officinalis) and Chickweed (Stellaria media) will also be helpful for skin irritations, as they are both soothing and calming, and also hold wound healing properties. Chickweed helps reduce any itchiness that may occur and is anti-inflammatory.
