Index of Herbs

Concern guide

Herbs for Skin and Wound Care

Gentle herbs for minor burns, scrapes and irritated skin, from aloe and calendula to tea tree, with what the research shows.

8 herbs reviewed

Updated October 7, 2026

Most everyday skin problems are minor and heal well with a little care: small cuts and grazes, superficial burns and sunburn, bruises, insect bites, mild acne, and athlete’s foot. Plants have been pressed into wounds and smoothed onto sore skin for as long as anyone has written about medicine, and many are still sold today as gels, ointments, oils, and washes.

Herbs fit in best alongside good first aid. Washing a cut with soap and water and covering it with a clean, nonstick dressing, or cooling a burn under cool running water, does the most important work, and gentle herbal preparations can then help soothe minor problems on otherwise healthy skin. European regulators accept most of the herbs below as traditional remedies for minor wounds or minor skin inflammation, reflecting long use, and a few, such as tea tree and comfrey, also have encouraging trials. These are herbs for the skin: several, including tea tree oil, comfrey, and aloe latex, are unsafe to swallow.

The list is ordered by strength of evidence for topical use, then by how widely each herb is used. Ratings describe the product that was studied, often a standardized extract or a specific ointment rather than a garden plant, so labels that state the species, plant part, and strength are worth looking for. Each entry ends with the most important caution, and the safety section covers patch testing, allergies, and when a wound needs medical care.

02 The shortlist

The herbs, from best studied to time-honored

How to read the ratings

  • Good clinical evidence
  • Promising clinical evidence
  • Early or mixed evidence
  • Long traditional use

Ratings show how much research backs each herb for this particular concern. Every herb links to its full monograph, with preparations, safety notes, and sources.

  1. 01 Tea Tree

    Promising clinical evidence

    Melaleuca alternifolia

    Tea tree oil is valued for small wounds, insect bites, mild acne, and athlete’s foot, and the EU accepts it as a traditional remedy for these uses. In randomized trials a 5% gel reduced acne lesions, more slowly than benzoyl peroxide but with fewer side effects, and 25–50% solutions beat placebo for athlete’s foot in 158 people, though trials are small and a tea tree body wash did not prevent MRSA in intensive care. Use only diluted products on the skin; swallowing it can cause drowsiness and coma, and it has poisoned cats and dogs.

    Read the tea tree monograph →

  2. 02 Comfrey

    Promising clinical evidence

    Symphytum officinale

    Comfrey, the old “knitbone,” is used on bruises, sprains, and sore muscles. Randomized trials of specific ointments with reduced alkaloid content found less pain and better function than placebo over days to a couple of weeks for ankle sprains and back pain, though those results apply to those products rather than every salve. It is for unbroken skin only: its pyrrolizidine alkaloids can cause serious liver damage, so never take it by mouth, never apply it to broken skin, and keep courses short.

    Read the comfrey monograph →

  3. 03 Aloe Vera

    Early or mixed evidence

    Aloe vera

    A gentle household staple: the clear inner leaf gel is widely used to soothe minor burns, sunburn, scrapes, and dry, irritated skin, and is usually well tolerated. Some clinical studies suggest modest benefit in certain burn and wound settings, though results vary, including for psoriasis, and it is best kept for minor problems rather than deep or infected wounds. Gel is not latex: the yellow sap under the rind is a stimulant laxative, and oral latex or whole-leaf products can cause cramps, diarrhea, and potassium loss and have been linked to liver injury.

    Read the aloe vera monograph →

  4. 04 Calendula

    Early or mixed evidence

    Calendula officinalis

    Pot marigold ointments and creams are a gentle traditional staple for minor wounds and minor skin inflammation such as sunburn, and the EU accepts them for these uses. Trials are encouraging but uneven: a calendula ointment beat trolamine for radiation skin reactions in 254 women, though a 420-woman trial found a calendula cream similar to plain aqueous cream, and leg ulcer studies were small and mostly unblinded. Calendula belongs to the daisy family, so people with ragweed-family allergy should avoid it.

    Read the calendula monograph →

  5. 05 Gotu Kola

    Early or mixed evidence

    Centella asiatica

    Gotu kola has been used in Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine for centuries, and its extracts are applied to wounds, burns, and scars. Small trials are encouraging: a Centella ointment healed partial-thickness burns faster than silver sulfadiazine in 60 patients analyzed, though a cream did not prevent radiation dermatitis in 153 women, and EMA found the wound trials too limited in design to count as proof. The EU accepts it as a traditional dressing for minor wounds, for up to a week, in adults. Use it on the skin only; taken by mouth, it has been linked to rare hepatitis.

    Read the gotu kola monograph →

  6. 06 Yarrow

    Early or mixed evidence

    Achillea millefolium

    One of the oldest wound herbs, and EMA accepts a yarrow infusion dressing as a traditional remedy for small superficial wounds. In an Iranian episiotomy trial, women using a yarrow ointment had less pain and redness than with placebo, an encouraging result from a single small study with 32 women in the yarrow group. No trial shows that yarrow stops serious bleeding. It is a documented contact sensitizer, and anyone with daisy-family allergy should avoid it on the skin and by mouth.

    Read the yarrow monograph →

  7. 07 Chamomile

    Long traditional use

    Matricaria chamomilla

    German chamomile washes and compresses are a gentle EU traditional remedy for minor skin inflammation and small superficial wounds, valued for centuries, though skin trials are still lacking and claims for eczema need more research. It is a daisy-family plant, and people allergic to ragweed, chrysanthemums, or marigolds can develop contact dermatitis and, rarely, anaphylaxis. Kitchen tea is not sterile, so keep washes to intact skin and avoid homemade eye compresses.

    Read the chamomile monograph →

  8. 08 St. John’s Wort

    Long traditional use

    Hypericum perforatum

    Oil or tincture preparations of St. John’s wort applied to the skin are an EU traditional remedy for minor skin inflammation and minor wounds, though studies of topical wound healing have not yet clearly shown benefit. Its hypericin makes skin more sensitive to light, and NCCIH warns that topical use might cause severe skin reactions after sun exposure, so treated skin is best kept out of strong sun. Swallowed St. John’s wort is a different matter, with serious interactions with many medicines.

    Read the st. john’s wort monograph →

03 Caution

Using these herbs safely

Used on the skin for minor problems, most of these herbs are well tolerated, and knowing when to get help is the most useful precaution. Get prompt care for wounds that are deep, gaping, dirty, or have debris in them; puncture wounds; any animal or human bite; and bleeding that does not stop after 10 minutes of firm pressure. Burns about the size of the palm or larger, deep burns, burns on the face, hands, feet, or genitals, and chemical or electrical burns need urgent care, and oils, creams, or home remedies should not go on a severe burn. Signs of infection, such as spreading redness or red streaks, warmth, swelling, pus, or fever, need a clinician, as does any wound that has not healed within about two weeks. A mole that is changing in size, shape, or color, or a sore that bleeds and will not heal, needs a doctor’s assessment. Tetanus vaccination should be up to date.

A patch test is a simple habit worth the short wait. Before regular use, apply a little of a new product to a small area of intact skin and watch for redness, itching, or swelling. Calendula, chamomile, and yarrow belong to the Asteraceae, the ragweed or daisy family, and are contraindicated in people allergic to ragweed, chrysanthemums, arnica, or related plants. In one patch-test series about 2% of patients reacted to marigold, and the standard Compositae screening mix missed more than half of them. Tea tree and lavender oils oxidize as they age into stronger skin sensitizers, so fresh oil stored airtight and away from light is the better choice. People allergic to carrot-family plants should avoid gotu kola, and fragrances, preservatives, and emulsifiers in the cream base can be the real culprit.

Several skin herbs are unsafe when swallowed, so they are best stored out of reach. Tea tree oil must be diluted for skin use and never swallowed: small amounts have caused unsteadiness and coma in children, any ingestion by a child is an emergency, and neat oil applied to cats and dogs has poisoned them. Keep it out of reach of children and pets and away from eyes and ears. Comfrey’s pyrrolizidine alkaloids cause hepatic veno-occlusive disease, so it should never be taken internally and never applied to broken skin, where more is absorbed. Aloe gel on the skin is not the same as oral aloe latex, which can cause cramping, diarrhea, and dangerous potassium loss, especially with diuretics or digoxin. Oral gotu kola has been linked to hepatitis, and oral St. John’s wort interacts with many medicines.

Pregnancy, breastfeeding, and young children call for extra care. EMA does not recommend calendula, tea tree, gotu kola, or yarrow products in pregnancy, and comfrey should be avoided entirely; calendula skin products are not recommended under age six, tea tree and yarrow under 12, and gotu kola under 18. Repeated use of lavender and tea tree products on young children is best avoided while reports of breast growth in children remain unresolved. Product quality varies: concentration and plant part are often unstated, essential oils degrade, and a homegrown comfrey leaf has an unknown alkaloid content. Products that state the species, plant part, and strength are easier to use safely.

04 Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

Calendula ointment is a gentle traditional favorite, accepted in the EU as an aid to healing minor wounds, and diluted tea tree oil has the most skin trials, mainly for acne and athlete’s foot. Gotu kola and yarrow are also EU traditional remedies for minor wounds, with small encouraging trials. Evidence that any herb speeds healing is still emerging, so start with the basics: wash the cut with soap and water, cover it with a clean, nonstick dressing, and see a clinician for deep, dirty, or infected wounds.

For minor burns it can be a soothing choice. Once a minor, superficial burn or sunburn has been cooled under cool running water, many people apply clear inner gel, and some studies suggest modest benefit. With a fresh leaf, rinse away the yellow latex first, and stop if redness or pain worsens. Large, deep, blistered, chemical, or electrical burns need medical care, not gel. Aloe juice or latex taken by mouth is a different product with laxative and liver risks.

Choose a diluted product, such as the 5% gels used in acne trials, rather than neat oil. Undiluted tea tree oil is more likely to irritate, and oil that has oxidized with age is a stronger allergen; about 1–2% of people patch-test positive. It should never be swallowed, put in the eyes or ears, or used on cats and dogs, which have been poisoned by owners applying 100% oil. Store it airtight, in the dark, and out of reach of children and pets.

No, comfrey is best saved for bruises and sprains on unbroken skin. Broken skin absorbs more of comfrey’s pyrrolizidine alkaloids, which can damage the liver, and dirty or deep wounds need cleaning and medical care. Topical comfrey is meant only for short courses on unbroken skin, using products with specified alkaloid limits. It should never be taken by mouth in any form.

It is best thought of as a traditional option for itchy, dry skin rather than an eczema treatment. The EU accepts evening primrose oil as a traditional remedy for itching in dry skin, based on long use, and it is generally well tolerated. For eczema itself, a 2013 Cochrane review of 27 randomized trials found it did not improve symptoms more than placebo, and the UK withdrew its prescription license for eczema in 2002. Emollients and treatments prescribed by a doctor remain the mainstays, and anyone on blood thinners should check with their prescriber first.

05 References

Sources

These references support the claims in this guide. Each herb’s monograph carries its own full source list.

  1. Burns

    MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia, National Library of Medicine (NIH), 2026

    Supports the burn red flags on this page: palm-sized or larger burns, burns on the face, hands, feet, or genitals, chemical and electrical burns, signs of infection, and no home remedies on severe burns.

  2. Cuts and puncture wounds

    MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia, National Library of Medicine (NIH), 2025

    Supports the wound red flags: deep or dirty wounds, animal and human bites, bleeding that will not stop, signs of infection, and tetanus.

  3. The seamy side of natural medicines: contact sensitization to arnica (Arnica montana L.) and marigold (Calendula officinalis L.)

    Contact Dermatitis (PubMed 11722485), 2001

    Supports the patch-test figures for marigold allergy and the point that standard Compositae screening misses many reactions.

  4. European Union herbal monograph on Melaleuca alternifolia (Maiden and Betch) Cheel, M. linariifolia Smith, M. dissitiflora F. Mueller and/or other species of Melaleuca, aetheroleum

    European Medicines Agency (EMA/HMPC/320930/2012), 2014

    Supports the traditional skin uses of tea tree oil and the rules against swallowing it, using it in eyes or ears, or giving it to children under 12.

  5. FDA Advises Dietary Supplement Manufacturers to Remove Comfrey Products From the Market

    U.S. Food and Drug Administration (archived), 2001

    Supports the warning that comfrey must never be taken by mouth because of pyrrolizidine alkaloid liver toxicity.

  6. Aloe Vera

    National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NIH), 2020

    Supports the distinction between topical aloe gel and oral aloe latex, including the latex and liver-related safety concerns.

  7. Oral evening primrose oil and borage oil for eczema

    Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (PubMed 23633319), 2013

    Supports the finding that oral evening primrose oil did not improve eczema more than placebo.

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