The comments below reflect the personal experiences and opinions of readers and do not represent medical advice or the views of this website. The information shared has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or health condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical concerns.
ACV, Tea Tree Oil and Grape Seed Extract
Posted by Diane (Colorado) on 06/19/2016
★★★★★
I had impetigo in two places, one spot on my face and a big area on my legs from eczema. To cure the one on on my face, I put tea tree oil and apple cider vinegar on maybe twice a day for one day I think. A couple hours later I would apply heat. I also took grape seed extract (120mg) once a day for one week and the impetigo on my face cleared up.
I would note that none of these methods worked with my legs. I had to resort to antibiotics for the legs.
Manuka Honey
Posted by Diane (Co) on 06/19/2016
★★★☆☆
I had impetigo on my legs as a result of eczema. At first, I tried Manuka honey 10+ and that did not work. Seemed to spread it if anything. I then bought the 20+ and sad to say that it did not abolish the impetigo. I did it for one week, applied it day and night. It seemed to slow down the pussing but did not seem to make the impetigo go away.
Multiple Remedies
Posted by Leanne (Australia) on 01/24/2016
Try using phisohex from the chemist. Use it to wash with in the shower. That is what worked for me.
Multiple Remedies
Posted by Lynn (Ma) on 01/23/2016
★★★★☆
Hey guys,
I believe I contracted impetigo from a college roommate. She thought her sore was a cold sore and I didn't think anything of it as I get them too. That being said it has been a struggle.(13 years later) This year has been the WORST! It seems to be a constant lingering. I have the topical cream from the doctor and that has held it at bay for a while but not this year. I don't know the triggers. This year I have gone in the direction of allergies as the doctor said this virus its in your nasal passage. I thought ok ya my allergies are so bad in the spring that I almost have to get a week off as I dope myself up. Allergy eye drops, Zertec, and nasal spray. Check. But my allergies seem to be all year and animals are an issue. SOO. here I am through fall and winter..I fostered a dog. Full fledged walking dead face. Dog was relocated and I got on antibiotics. Confession. I drank on them but I read the whole pamphlet and it didn't say anything about not drinking. Kicking myself now cause I am on the verge of another walking dead situation..but on my groin!! Long story, let's get to what has been helpful!!
1) GOLDENSEAL root drops. I read about GSR and found goldenseal. I have been mixing a saline solution with a few drops of goldenseal and doing like a "nasal flush" 2x a day. This cleared up my stuffy noes instantly. But bacteria is still attacking skin and so I put drops on red marks that I continued to get around mouth. They were gone!! .. but came back eventually. I was also drinking a hot cup of water with goldenseal and this has really helped my skin as it has been super red and dry. Cleared me right up. I stopped drinking it and soon enough red dots around my mouth. **I continue to douch nose as needed and started to drink Goldenseal again. I also put GSR on red marks that pop up** I also bought the pills to take oral but it look like there is a difference in the goldenseal "root" and "herb". the pills come in both and I read articles after, that said you want the root and the one says "herb" only has the leaf and flower and not the root. You want the root other part of plant are not effective. I will go back and get the other one as the drops seemed to be effective. Keep in mind and do research as you are only suppose to take this for a period of time, but acts as antibiotic.
Apple Cider vinegar - I don't know what worked here but I applied this to my mouth and noes a few times and this has been effective for 5 days. Dried it right up. NO new issues on face. Tried on new red spots on body and I have not seen any instant magic. I am going back and forth with antibiotic cream/ ACV/ and GSR*above. It is holding off the itching.
Grape Seed extract pills- Tried this but didn't notice a big effect. I will continue to use the bottle. Thinking the liquid might be more effective.
I liked the guy's article below about the "antiviral". I have a new rash around my groin and am thinking of calling the doctor on Monday. I don't want to go back on antibiotics ..I have a low immune system and know that this will destroy the good flora in my gut which is your bodies immune system essentially. I have a candida issue and have done cleanses in the past. This is my new approach. I thought I had been doing a good thing by drinking a lot of Kombucha and making it. I thought this would boost my gut flora but there has been a contradiction on "fermented foods and candida". but its suppose to be probiotic??? not sure if its due to yeast content ...sugar that turns into yeast? It is a mushroom that eats the sugar to ferment. But the actual sugar content at the end of fermentation is low... I will read up on this. Does it promote good bacteria or does the yeast in the fermentation destroy the health benefits? One article states that its fine because of good bacteria and low sugar. It said I would flare up as part of the healing process.. I have flared up! Waiting for healing process. I will end there. Conclusion. I need to figure this out. Goldenseal is helpful and I will continue to use it. I will also get probiotics and work on my good flora in digestive track. Depending on how my groin looks I think I will go to Doctor on Monday and maybe get antibiotics. Then really focus on good flora and do a Candida cleans...Sorry for the ramble.
All the best to those who struggle with this. It is a nightmare and I would not wish this on anyone.
Lard, Sulfur
Posted by Robert Henry (Ten Mile, Tn) on 09/30/2015
HI U JAMIE, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , yep, using the term, DOG DAYS, dates you and I promise you, the millennials have no clue of what you speak. I have not heard that term in a long time so I looked it up and it has a bit more history than I first thought. Stuff grows in heat and high humidity and that's the reason you can hang meat in hospitals these days.
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2015/07/150710-dog-days-summer-sirius-star-astronomy-weather-language/
==========ORH==========
Lard, Sulfur
Posted by Jamie (Nc) on 09/29/2015
★★★★★
My grandmother also used this but she mixed it with Vaseline or Coconut oil and it always worked. I get the sulfer from a Mexican store in powder form. Have used it on myself, my children and grandchildren when dog days come around here in the south and impetigo shows up..
Antiviral Medication
Posted by Dookie (United States) on 08/12/2015
I have had the same problem as you. Going on 20 years. Life is in ruins. I've managed to keep my lips area in check. Search Amazon for Lysine lip ointment. I don't know if they have GNC where you live, but I just buy mine there. Use it in the AM and PM and as needed. Keeps my lips in check while the rest of my face looks like an apocalypse. :(
Iodine
Posted by Kari (Fort Worth, Tx) on 07/24/2015
★★★★★
So, I've had impetigo in a BAD area for 4 months. It's been just awful! I have been through 1 gallon of peroxide (no joke), GSE (internal and external), coconut oil, tea tree, lavender, heat - all with no relief, only spreading and more suffering. This rash has been the most tenacious thing I've ever seen. NOTHING stopped it. My life was pretty much on hold and all I could think about was the itching. This darn thing even woke me at night several times.
Then, I was googling and found a website site for children and he mentioned betadine. I didn't have any, but I did have Ludol's solution iodine. I cleaned the area with peroxide as usual and then applied a liberal amount of iodine on the area. 2 hours later, I noticed a difference that I couldn't put my finger on. It's like I was no longer constantly aware of the rash. By 12 hours, the itching lessened by 70%. 24 hours later, the weeping stopped, the very defined spots disappeared into just an allover red area and the mess dried up. It's been almost 48 hours and I'm still applying iodine twice a day and the itching is all but gone and there's absolutely no weeping. It's dry as a bone.
Hope this helps y'all too!
Multiple Remedies
Posted by Dookie (Kutna Hora, Cz) on 07/17/2015
That is a very good post. Everything I've seen of collodial silver is a spray or tincture. What is best form of it to apply inside the nostrils? You mentioned olive leaf oil. I already take that in a pill, but is there some type of topical form also?
Lard, Sulfur
Posted by Dookie (Kutna Hora, Cz) on 07/17/2015
So, do you mix all that up and slather it on your face? Give some details on what the process is.
Multiple Remedies
Posted by Jessa (Paris, France ) on 01/04/2015
★★★★★
I read every post in this thread. I have gotten impetigo twice on my chin from already aggravated eczema. I went to Disneyland twice and it was super busy both times, despite frequent hand washing and being winter and almost completely covered I contracted it twice!
The first time I went to the doctor because it started as a small itchy bump and spread. I put tea tree on it as it's my go to, but the tea tree I had wasn't great. From there I covered with a bandage. The bandage irritated my skin and it spread as bumps that then burst and formed scabs. The doctor put me on an antibiotic for staph and strep skin infections, and bandages infused with silver. It was itchy and I cleaned it with an antibac soap but it continued to spread for a week. I finished my antibiotics and the original spot was healed but I had it up the side of my face. And throat. I bought better tea tree, grape fruit seed extract oil and a tincture for internal use. It itched like crazy even though I mixed it with aloe and eventually jojoba. I also took turmeric in warm soy two times a day for the last three days. It cleared up taking a total of three weeks.
Fast forward three weeks later and after another day at disney I saw the same red splotch crop up and I went directly for tea tree and gse Internally and the oil on the area. It started to spread with another part popping up so I waged serious warfare as I can't live like this for another three weeks.
My methods-
Wash wash with medical grade antibacterial solution in early stage- wash affected area, and wash around the area. The soap is really drying!
While it's still wet, pour hydrogen peroxide on it, let it bubble. It itches and stings but it works. Pat dry, no rubbing! The first time I soaked and scrubbed off the scabs and it spread like wildfire. I found actually washing less and just disinfecting helped it be contained.
After the hydrogen peroxide, I covered the areas affected in pivoine iodine, with separate cotton pads, then the area all around with yet another cotton pad.
For the dried itchy areas without sores, I rotate between calendula, jojoba and coconut oil.
On the sores, I initially started with gse, iodine, and black walnut tincture. They seemed a little effective but then I found the thing that seemed to help the most-
18+ manuka honey. Really expensive but a little goes a long way! I put too much on just as a salve and it started dripping. For bed I covered again the sores and around the sores with iodine, then made a bandage our of gauze, applied a thin layer of honey to the gauze and then apploed to my face with the aid if sensitive skin bandages, since last time the irritation from the bandages gave me pimples which in turn got infected by the impetigo. I used coconut oil around so the bandages didn't stick so well, but it was just for sleeping with.
During the day I alternate between manuka and coconut oil on the sores, and continue to disinfect with hydrogen peroxide and iodine.
has it worked? The difference on healing between the doctors prescribed methods and my home remedies has cut two weeks of healing and suffering. I have scabs and no spreading or bumps or pimples, and the areas appear to be getting smaller. I'm on day three and I'm taking a teaspoon of manuka honey also on an empty stomach and eating a diet of organic foods and lots of veg and little sugar. I hope my story helps someone!
Oh and for references am a 30 year old female, both times I caught impetigo were really cold days and my immune system was low from just having been sick both times. I am a lifetime eczema and allergy sufferer, and I recently started taking algae supplements for suspected low thyroid function. I take a tincture of gse in water daily but have upped it to two times daily due to the impetigo. I'm going to get food allergy tested to try to cure the eczema so that my immune system can be stronger to fight these nasty bugs!
good luck to everyone!
Black Walnut
Posted by Papaya (Warsaw) on 12/17/2014
★★★★☆
Hi, thank you very much for this advice. I applied it only once undiluted and observed astonishing results. Scabs which formed ceaselessly for two months and were wet, started to dry up and fall off and these weeping sores/ ulcers begin to heal. I continue to use this tincture but I wonder whether or not it should be diluted and in which proportions if applied directly on these open raw red sores.
Dietary Changes
Posted by Timh (KY) on 11/11/2014 2048 posts
You would surely improve by doing any number of "Detoxification" and "Cleansing" remedies found here on E.C. This process of total body detox/cleanse will take up to 1 yr. Following these remedies, you will be feeling much better but need to also boost your antioxidant status thru supplementation.
Dietary Changes
Posted by Misfit (West Coast America) on 11/10/2014
★★★★☆
I'm going on 20 years with impetigo. And though it hasn't ruined my life, its definitely sucked all the joy out of it and robbed me of many good years. Mine is so bad that merely looking at cell phones causes me to break out in my eyelids or around the bridge of my nose. I've been to 100 doctors, both Mayo Clinics and Johns Hopkins. Everyone just gives up on me. With me, I've had to cut out cell phone use completely and can only use an IPhone with Siri. You need to buy yourself a yearly dayplanner and keep notes on what you do and what you eat. I've discovered a few triggers over the years. I've had to cut out fruit completely. Here I was drinking orange juice and stuff to boost my immune system, but all it did was make orange ooze come pouring out of my skin. I found chocolate and yogurt and licorice were triggers. Also, heat is a trigger. I can take a hot shower, but any type of radiant heat like from a furnace or oven will cause a breakout. My life is almost liveable because I can dodge some triggers, but I have at least 2-4 outbreaks per month. I'm convinced this will be the rest of my life and when it comes to die, I'll give a sigh of relief. Nonetheless, I push on. What else can you do? Doctors laugh at me when I tell them I'm allergic to looking at cell phones.
Manuka Honey
Posted by Kirilly (Australia) on 08/03/2014
★★★★★
Hey folks I have great news, after battling with impetigo for the last year or more my friend passed on some awesome advice: MANUKA HONEY! I had some 15+ Manuka Honey in the cupboard and put some on the impetago on my face and within hours my friend and I observed my face healing. I've been putting Manuka on my face for 4 days now and almost all of it has gone. I'm so thrilled I wanted to share with you immediately. Get some Manuka honey on your impetigo now. Btw, I have long hair and it's a bit sticky on my hair but so what, I'll take sticky hair over impetigo any day. Good luck beautiful people. I hope this helps you.
Antiviral Medication
Posted by Sara (Grand Rapids, Michigan) on 04/08/2014
★★★★★
I wanted to write about impetigo: I experienced what I thought was a cold sore on my lip and then I noticed blistering on my chin. I was then diagnosed with impetigo on my chin with blistering, inflamed skin, oozing/leaking yellow liquid and then crusting and scabbing. This recurred 4 times over and over.... and took over a week to move through the stages with each occurrence. I was put on the topical Mupirocin... which worked but then it came back. I tried other antibiotics such as Doxycycline, Batrum and Keflix which also worked to some degree but then it came back. I also tried Grapefruit Seed Extract (GFSE) which worked as well or better than the antibiotics and drew out the yellow liquid and resulted in shorter time with scabs. I was very impressed with the GFSE.... however it came back again!! I was sent to a dermatologist who said that it might be a combination of impetigo and herpes simplex 1/cold sore virus as the infection kept returning in the exact same place on my chin every time. She put me on an antiviral, Valtrex. I also started to take large amounts of Lysine and limited my foods that contained arginine. It finally went away and has not returned!
I share as I wanted to let others know if you have what looks to be impetigo that keeps recurring in the exact same place it might be both impetigo and herpes simplex 1!!!!!
Thank you for this awesome website!! Sara
Heat
Posted by Krystal (Houston Tx) on 02/11/2014
What is GFS extract ? I've started the heat treatment today and I'm a little confused on the GFS. Please help me.
EC: GFS = Grapefruit Seed Extract
Multiple Remedies
Posted by Dave (Fountain Inn, Sc) on 02/04/2014
To Sls from Wayne,
Re the Impetigo: You report the infection has been with you for six years and only recently diagnosed as Impetigo...which is either staph or strep in causation. I read that a MRSA form can also cause Impetigo which is more stubborn. If the current antibiotic fails to work, I'd consider using Colloidal Silver topically and the herb Echinacea. There are other anti bacterias; tea tree oil, olive leaf oil also.
But one note of caution; If I'd had this a long time, as you report, it may be in your system, if this were me, I would take oral Colloidal Silver for six months, orally...two tablespoons a day. I'd also keep applying topically for many months.
I ran across a recent case of a person who was hospitalized and as a normal precaution the hospital did a swab of the nose and the patient did have MRSA in her sinus cavity. She was not in the hospital for that but the nurses took extra caution after discovering that she was MERSA infected. The hospital did not treat the MERSA and a day later she went home and began swabbing her sinus cavity with Colloidal Silver. A follow up visit to the hospital a month later ... same hospital.... and another MRSA swab, found NO MRSA. She concluded the CS killed the MRSA.
Multiple Remedies
Posted by Mama To Many (Tennessee, Usa) on 02/03/2014
Dear Sls,
So sorry! Six years is a long time to be dealing with this!
Impetigo can really hang on, but you should be able to treat it naturally. I have treated this a couple of times in my children.
Take turmeric, internally. 1 teaspoon twice a day. You can take it in milk or take 4 capsules twice a day. This helps so much! Even when you notice improvement, continue taking for at least a week after it is healed and even keep taking it a few times a week as a preventative after you heal.
You can continue using the GSE. It may just take a little longer to work.
Did you use the tea tree straight? If you haven't tried diluting it in the coconut oil, try that. Get a little dab of coconut oil and add just one drop of tea tree to it. Use this several times a day if it doesn't bother you.
We used a colloidal silver spray topically on the impetigo, several times a day. (Not at the same time as coconut oil, though.)
Your make up could be reinfecting you, depending on how you are using it. (If a brush touches your face and you put it back into the make up.)
Garlic, internally, is a great help, but not great when you are going to school...on the weekend if you will be home, you can take 1 clove of crushed garlic in some honey 3 times a day.
Plenty of water will help your body eliminate infection better. Avoiding soda and white sugar will help your body to heal faster.
Please let us know how it goes. I hope you are healed very soon.
~Mama to Many~
Multiple Remedies
Posted by Sls (Wayne, Pa) on 02/03/2014
I am 15 year old female and have been suffering from impetigo for about 6 years and since last year I have just been thinking it was acne. So I went to many doctors that could not figure out what it was so finally one doctor I went to came to the conclusion of impetigo and they gave me mupirocin. This helped it only a small amount but it makes my face look incredibly greasy (the impetigo is all around and in my nose) and makes it unbearably itchy. So usually it just runs its course then goes away for a month or so then comes back. Now that I'm in high school I can't have this all around my nose! I cover it up with makeup everyday it's so embarrassing even though it takes a lot to get it just barley covered I keep doing it so it's not as red looking. I don't know why it keeps coming back. It is usually worst after I kiss my boyfriend but he does not have it on his face or body, but every time after we kiss it becomes horrible and recently nothing is working to make it better. I just found this website and it has good suggestions but everything I try doesn't work. How long is it supposed to take for the GSE to start woking I have been putting it on for about 3 days now and have not noticed any change at all. Should I be putting it into my drinks? I have also tried coconut oil which takes away the itch but thats it and tea tree oil and it just burns like crazy, I have also tried hydrogen peroxide and that also does nothing. I really need help I don't know what to do and my mom refuses to take me to the doctor because we already know what it is but this time it's not going away I've had this outbreak for about 2 weeks now and nothing is working. Please help, I'm completely lost on what to do.
Apple Cider Vinegar, Coconut Oil
Posted by Margaret (Knoxville Tn) on 02/03/2014
★★★★★
ACV compress followed by pure coconut oil cleared impetigo up in a matter of days.
Oregano Oil, Coconut Oil
Posted by Rebecca (Texas) on 05/26/2013
★★★★★
I had a case of mild impetigo that started on the left side of my nose. It went away after 10 days of antibiotics, only to come back on my left cheek then to my right cheek. I first tried raw honey and tea tree oil. It seemed to help but I was worried since its such an aggressive infection. Currently I'm on my 3rd round of antibiotics. It sort of seems like it was just slowing the spread, not fixing the problem. I started using 3-4 drops of oregano oil in a tsp of raw organic coconut oil on the weeping sores and the healing skin. Immediate results. Do it! Oregano oil and coconut oil will forever be in my house.
Ivory Soap
Posted by Tonya (Statesville, North Carolina) on 03/31/2013
★★★★★
I'm 42 year old female. In the last 3.5years I've had impetigo every 3-5 months... I went through mupirocin, keflex treatments, but it always comes back. Sometimes, in early stage I can wash it off with antibacterial soap, and that spot will go away. It seemed like a never ending war... Until I got rid off all body washes, bath foams, ets. Now I use ivory bar soap for all my body and life is beautiful. Regret very much that had not try it before. A very simple solution for such drastic skin problem.
Heat
Posted by D.l. (Dallas, Texas) on 02/28/2013
★★★★★
I have suffered with impetigo under my nose for several years. It always happens when I have a runny nose. The doctor prescribed Mupirocin which never seemed to help. It would take weeks for it to heal while it went through the red, crusty painful stages. I had an outbreak several days ago and decided if anyone could help it would be Earth Clinic. I have to admit I was skeptical about using the hair dryer but I certainly had nothing to lose. To my surprise and great pleasure, it works! I did use ACV a few times the first day as well as leaving my hair dryer on the counter so everytime I was near the bathroom I gave it a blast of hot air. Yesterday I bought GSE as an added boost. The sores have dried up, it is not red, there was no oozing or crusting. Thank you to everyone who contributes to this wonderful site. This has been a real blessing to me.
Heat
Posted by Review01 (Brighton, Sussex, United Kingdom) on 02/25/2013
★★★★★
I've been struggling with impetigo constantly for the last couple of months, I have now been able to reduce the outbreak to only 3 days. Simply soak a cotton bud in vodka and hold firmly on the infected area for a couple of minutes, do this throughout the day when you become aware of it. Immediately after doing so, hold your hairdryer over the infected area until the heat becomes too uncomfortable for you, this dries it up nicely and speeds up healing remarkably while also killing bacteria with the heat. Many reviews say to wash the area throughout the day but this will actually help spread the impetigo - be careful not to get it too wet in the shower also. The vodka will kill bacteria effectively but also help prevent spreading. For me, on day 3 only a small scab was visible and it was clearly healing and disappearing much quicker than with previous methods.
Grapefruit Seed Extract
Posted by Charlotte (Toronto, Canada) on 02/13/2013
★★★★☆
Hi Guys, I am a 25 year old female. I recently came back from a backpacking trip in South East Asia where I believe I somehow contracted Impetigo on my face. At first it was dry, even if I'd lotion repeatedly. Then, it became raised and then eventually started weeping yellow crusts.
Over the next few weeks, in and out of different doctors offices, I tried an anti-biotic course, some cream, and finally Fucidin. Fucidin seemed to work. I also want to note that during the time it flared up, I would avoid make-up. Well, a week or so after it would disappear, it would return again. Slowly. With redness, then warmth, then itch and finally small, barely noticeable 'weeps'. I would go back to using Fucidin but as a female, its difficult, because its extremely shiney, oil-y and embarassing. I also have adult acne, so oil was not helping. I would treat the impetigo, and develop more acne.
After weeks and weeks of this back and forth reccurence, I found this forum which led me to a CURE - Grapefruit Seed Extract. I bought the pills and started taking 2 pills 3 times a day. As soon as I ran out, I wanted to see if it would come back, and it HAS. That is how I know Grapefruit Seed Extract was really working. I have not tried topical, but I will this week. My only question is what makes it flare up? Do you think eating foods with yeast, drinking alcohol, using make-up, make it worse?
