Home Apothecary: Natural Wound Care Tips

Natural wound care includes traditional methods of wound care that use the healing 
knowledge that has been used for generations. These natural healing methods may 
come from many different cultures and have been proven effective through decades of 
use.  
 
Today, a growing number of people use homeopathic wound healing methods to avoid 
the overuse of antibiotics. Frequent use of antibiotics causes some infections to become 
resistant to antibiotic use, leaving antibiotic users few choices when fighting infections.  
 
When treating any wound, be sure to cleanse the area thoroughly before treating the 
injury. Wash the wound, then gently pat it try with a clean cloth. Next, apply the 
treatment of choice to the injured area. Lastly, use a covering to the wound area to 
protect the wound while it heals, and to keep the traditional healing agent on the injury. 


1. Natural VS Standard Wound Care

When you are going more “natural” in your wound care, it doesn’t mean you will use 100 
percent holistic products. It is simple a matter of making the switch to more natural 
options when they are available. 

Types of Products You Will Use

For example, you might make your own salve to apply to burns and scrapes instead of 
using Vaseline, which can have a lot of added ingredients. You often use herbs, 
coconut oil, essential oils, and natural pain relievers.

Going natural is about reducing as many toxins and artificial ingredients as you can. 

There is also an added perk of saving money as you do so. Some natural ingredients 
often used in wound care include:

Garlic 
Turmeric 
Coconut oil 
Herbs 
Essential oils 
Honey 
Aloe vera 
Activated charcoal 
Witch hazel


2. How to Use These Natural Remedies for Wounds

Now let’s look at some of these specific ingredients and how they can be used for 
different wounds. This isn’t a complex description of every ingredient you might use, but 
it gives you a good idea of what to stock up on. 
 
Garlic and Onions  
 
Garlic and onion have been used for generations for medicinal purposes in general and 
in wound healing. Historically, garlic has been used to assist in wound healing during 
World War I and World War II for its antimicrobial and antibiotic properties. The soldiers 
of the Russian army substituted garlic as a wound healing agent when antibiotics were 
not available. Also, medical personnel in the field used garlic to aid in the triage of 
injured soldiers.  
 
According to the National Institutes of Health, the active ingredient in garlic that 
promotes healing, called allicin, has been shown to increase the speed of wound 
healing and prevent infection as well. 

Scientists testing garlic’s ability to assist in healing wounds discovered that wounds in 
rats showed an increased rate of healing when a garlic salve was applied to their 
injuries as compared to rats whose wounds were treated with Vaseline alone. Onion 
also contains allicin, who’s healing properties resemble garlic’s wound care benefits.  
 
Beyond the more recent use of garlic for disinfecting and encouraging wound healing, 
the herb increases immunity and has been used in ages past to speed recovery in 
various types of injuries and lacerations. People in modern times also have begun to 
use crushed garlic placed on and around a cleaned cut to enjoy its health-giving 
benefits without overusing antibiotics and antimicrobial medicines.  
 
To use garlic to its most significant benefit for wounds, here are some simple steps to 
follow:  
 
Clean the area of injury with soap and water.  
Mix mashed garlic or onions with enough water to create a paste.  
Place the mashed garlic or onion on a sterile cloth or gauze.  
Place the gauze over the injured area, so it has contact with the wound.  
Wrap the wound with more sterile gauze and loosely secure the bandage.  
Leave the garlic or onion bandage on the wound for about two days.  
Take the dressing off, wash the paste from the injury and reapply if necessary. 




 
 
Honey and Wound Healing  
 
Honey has been used for down through the ages as a wound healing agent. A 
combination of sugars and bee enzymes seem to work together to create a substance 
that has been used to speed injury healing since biblical times. The Ancient Egyptians 
documented the use of honey to heal wounds and as a beauty treatment since about 
2000 B.C.  
 
Honey contains fructose, glucose, sucrose, and water as its main ingredients. Some of 
the other ingredients in this golden elixir include:  
 
Amino acids 
Glucose oxidase, which in turn produces hydrogen peroxide 
Antioxidants 
Vitamins 
Minerals 
 
Individuals using honey for wound care advise that honey should be sterilized before 
use.  
 
Honey provides a moist healing environment for a wound, which can speed healing 
time. It also has antibacterial, antifungal and anti-inflammatory properties that help a 
wound heal faster. Honey also relieves pain and stimulates collagen synthesis to give 
healthy, normal skin an excellent environment in which to recover.  
 
Medical grade honey remains available for purchase for those who want to use it to 
promote healing while avoiding antibiotic use. Honey has been tested and used around 
the world and found to be successful when applied to heal wounds of various kinds.  
 
Aloe Vera  
 
Aloe vera looks like a spiky cactus without needles. This lush green plant makes an 
excellent houseplant for those individuals who have a warm, sunny window to 
encourage the plant’s growth. 

The juice of the aloe vera plant contains vitamins E, C, B, A as well as natural amino 
acids, minerals and sugars that aid in healing the skin and wounds. Individuals who 
have used Aloe Vera to injuries have had a variety of results. However, healing rates 
increased in general when aloe vera was applied to wounds.  
 
The juice of the aloe vera plant may increase the speed with which a wound heals. 
Further testing is needed to determine whether aloe vera speeds wound healing or aids 
in treating injuries according to science and research. But people have been using the 
plant for skin healing purposes for generations. 
 
 
Turmeric  
 
If you use natural healing remedies regularly, you are probably no stranger to the 
magical power of turmeric. Here are some of the top healing properties of this orange 
spice:  
 
It is anti-bacterial 
Turmeric is a natural anti-inflammatory 
It has lots of vitamins and minerals 
It is used with essential oils 
You have healing properties like curcumin 
It can be an antioxidant  

There have been studies that indicate the curcumin in turmeric enables a cut or other 
type of wound to heal more rapidly as well as prevent the incidence of infection. When 
applied topically, turmeric’s use is indicated for the successful, natural treatment of 
wounds.


3. Caring for These Common Wounds
Now let’s look at some wounds that you can help treat with natural treatments. 
Disclaimer: These are not meant to replace medical intervention. With more mild 
wounds, they can treat them very well, but severe wounds may still require a doctor. 
Basic Wound Care
For basic wounds like cuts and scrapes, such as what you might get while on a hike or 
when playing outside, you first want to stop the bleeding. Even something that looks 
superficial can bleed quite a bit. You also need to stop the bleeding so you know how 
bad the wound is and how best to take care of it.
Use a clean material like gauze or even cloth to apply light pressure to the wound, 
allowing the bleeding to stop. In some cases, you need to elevate the part of the body 
with the gash or cut.
Clean the Wound. After you have stopped the bleeding, you will need to clean the 
wound. If you see any big debris that won’t cause more pain to remove, use a pair of 
tweezers to very gently remove it. You then need to clean it out, but do not use 
hydrogen peroxide or soap! This can dry it out further.
Instead, use a natural antiseptic, such as honey, tea tree oil, or grapefruit seed extract. 
Use another gauze or clean cloth with some water when cleaning out, and be sure you 
are very gentle.
Once it is cleaned out, cover it with a sterile bandage, and monitor it closely. 

Treating a Burn
The only types of burns you should be treating with at-home remedies are mild or minor 
ones. A light sunburn or simple burn, like from accidentally touching a hot pan, can be 
treated at home. However, if the burn has discoloration, blistering, or covers more than 
a few inches of skin, you should consult a doctor.
Burns can be treated first by cooling the skin. This is done simple by running cool water 
over it, but make sure it isn’t extremely cold. Once the skin has cooled, apply some aloe 
vera gel to it. 
Caring for a Bee Sting
Bee stings can be extremely painful for a few minutes, then start to subside. However, if 
the pain is too intense (such as with a child), there are ways to reduce the discomfort. 
The treatment can also help to reduce itching after a bee sting. 
Immediately after being stung, remove the stinger, then cool off the area with cool water 
or apply an ice pack. If that doesn’t work, there are a few home remedies that help 
reduce the pain and itching, including apple cider vinegar and just regular toothpaste.
If you don’t mind using hydrocortisone cream, that can also help tremendously.

As long as you have your natural first aid kit stocked up with these and other natural 
ingredients, you should have all simple wounds covered. In some cases, these will 
actually help to treat the wound and help it heal without ever visiting a doctor, but in 
others, it simple gives you a temporary solution before heading to urgent care.


