One of the products we are most proud of here at Branru Farm is our Derma Balm Salve, a healing salve for the skin. This natural balm contains several ingredients that can help your skin stay healthy and soothe it. One of them is comfrey. If you haven't heard of comfrey, you aren't alone. It's certainly not as well-known as some other herbs and plants, like lavender. That's a shame, since it can be so useful. Read on to learn about some of comfrey's many potential uses.
What is Comfrey?
First, you probably want to know what comfrey is. As mentioned above, it's an herb. It is originally native to portions of Asia and most of Europe. These days, it is grown in many other suitable climates, though. That includes parts of the United States. In fact, in many areas it now grows wild in the United States with no human intervention.
A Brief History of Comfrey
Comfrey has been used for healing purposes since 400 B.C., if not earlier. However, it wasn't until the 1600s that it was first brought to North America. Its primary early use was helping to heal wounds. Herbalists discovered early on that it rapidly increased wound healing. It has been used for that purpose ever since. Although, using it was not without its ups and downs.
Early comfrey users discovered one minor problem with the herb. It sometimes worked too well for proper wound healing. In order to heal, wounds often need exposure to open air. That allows infection and pus to escape. That's why doctors and veterinarians frequently install small drains in the open wounds of their patients. Early comfrey users didn't realize that using too much of the herb sometimes caused the skin to heal
rapidly over the top of unresolved infections. Luckily, modern herbalists have determined how much use of the comfrey herb is helpful versus how much is detrimental. Here are some other uses for comfrey.
Comfrey for Pain Reduction
Comfrey is an herbal remedy commonly used for pain reduction. Applying a salve containing comfrey is a great way to reduce joint aches. In fact, comfrey-based creams and salves are commonly used to treat osteoarthritis. They can also help eliminate other minor discomfort, such as from over-exertion during exercise.
Comfrey for Bone and Muscle Healing
Although definitely not meant as a stand-alone treatment, comfrey proponents have long used it to improve bone health as well. In fact, a nickname for the comfrey plant is “knitbone” because it speeds up bone healing. That is due to a key component of comfrey called allantoin. Allantoin can not only speed up broken bone healing, but also assist with healing muscle strains and sprains.
Comfrey for General Skin Health Improvement
The same allantoin that makes comfrey useful for bone and muscle healing also makes it excellent for skin health. That's because allantoin has anti-inflammatory properties. In fact, it is often used to make facial masks and other products that help heal and hydrate skin. It is proven to cut back on skin sensitivity and irritation. As such, it often helps to:
Reduce the Appearance of Eczema
Lessen the Appearance of Scars
Reduce Acne Outbreaks
Generally Soothe Irritated Skin
Comfrey For Internal Use
Comfrey is not always applied externally to the body in the form of salves or lotions like ours. Some people choose to take it internally in supplement pill form. That is because the herb has been shown in studies to assist with digestive and urinary tract health.
Another way comfrey is often taken internally is in the form of a tea. Comfrey tea is what is known as an expectorant. Another name for an expectorant is a mucolytic. It basically means that comfrey can help break up mucus in the throat and lungs. That means comfrey tea may help make it easier for patients with certain upper respiratory infections and colds to breathe.
A third common internal use for comfrey-based liquid solutions is as drops delivered directly into the eyes. Comfrey is said to reduce eye strain and eliminate irritation. However, you should never apply it directly to your eyes without expert medical supervision.
Comfrey and Our Derma Balm
At Branru Farm , we pride ourselves on producing natural, safe, helpful, and soothing products. That's why comfrey is just one of several potentially beneficial ingredients in our Derma Balm skincare salve. Whenever you apply it, it is sure to leave the area soothed and refreshed.
We hope you enjoy it, along with our other great natural products .