Marigold (calendula)

Calendula for Your Complexion

Calendula is an herb that’s native to the Mediterranean region of the world. For centuries it’s been used for healing. The Egyptians were some of the first people to use calendula thousands of years ago. It has been used by people throughout time including during the Civil War battlefield in the United States to heal wounds.

In modern times, calendula is used primarily to treat problems of the skin. Many commercial lotions and creams actually include calendula extracts to help soothe the skin. Calendula is very effective at treating problems with chapped skin or skin that’s very dry and cracked. It’s also helpful with treating eczema.

If you have sunburn, calendula can be vital to helping reduce the burn and inflammation and even prevent problems with peeling later. It will provide cooling relief that will be very welcome when your skin has been kissed a little too much by the sun.

Many lotions and creams actually contain calendula to help keep the skin soft and smooth. It’s also used in anti-aging formulas to help prevent problems with wrinkles and lines. Calendula is used to soothe and freshen the skin and is a welcome product in many women’s cosmetic cases.

For problems such as varicose veins, bedsores, and wounds that are healing slowly, calendula can be used to provide relief. Extracts of calendula, especially tinctures, can be applied directly to the affected area and will help the area to heal.

If you have problems with inflammation of the gums or with bruising, calendula can also be used to treat those. You’ll want to apply the extract directly to these areas as well.

When it comes to women’s health, there’s one more use for calendula that’s been proven over the years. The essential oil of calendula contains antifungal properties. As a result, some herbalists use calendula to treat vaginal yeast infections. In order to use it for this purpose, it’s best to be supervised by a healthcare provider.

Calendula is an herb that can be used in lotions and creams. It’s also used in the form of teas and tinctures to provide relief to inflammation of the skin. How it does this isn’t completely understood by modern science. However, some studies have been done that show calendula actually stimulates tissues to repair themselves and to regenerate.

It’s been especially effective in treating skin conditions that are associated with surgical procedures such as mastectomy and radiation from cancer treatment.