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.
Multiple Remedies
Posted by J (Farmington, Nm, Usa) on 03/30/2012
★★★★★
I get occassional impetigo outbreaks on my chin and recently on my cheek. The first time it happened, I assumed it was a zit that got infected.
Because I don't have insurance, I have to treat non-serious health issues at home. The last outbreak was pretty scary as I developed large clear blisters on my cheek which never happened before.
I use a combination of things to treat an impetigo outbreak:
1. I wash the area with a medical grade sterile wash.
2. I then dab some rubbing alcohol, then dress the area with sterile bandages and Neosporin.
3. 2-4 times a day I will soak a paper towel in vinegar and hold it on the infected area up to 20 minutes.
4. 2-4 times a day, I will make a paste of garlic cloves and leave it on the affected area as long as I can stand it.
5. Generally, I keep the area bandaged until it scabs over.
6. If I even suspect I might get an outbreak, I start rubbing a cut garlic clove on the suspicious area and do the vinegar treatment. It saved me from getting an outbreak about 1 month ago.
I will have to try the grapefruit seed extract and colloidal silver sometime. Thanks for the tips.
Multiple Remedies
Posted by Quiet (Wisconsin, Wisconsin, Usa) on 05/15/2012
@J from Farmington, Nm, Usa: Regarding touching impetigo with rubbing alcohol--that is something I quickly learned *not* to do. Rubbing alcohol 70% was so irritating to my itchy blisters that they would immediately swell up even higher and itch more ferociously. I think the consequent swelling helped them to spread, not really what I wanted to see happen. I switched to using hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) between washing and before applying topical oil treatments. It is much more gentle on your skin and the oxygen is good.
Tea Tree Oil
Posted by Diana (Standish, Michigan) on 12/15/2011
★★★★★
I have to deal with occasional outbreaks of impetigo. I haven't figured out what triggers the outbreaks. I use tea tree oil & jojoba oil mixed half & half to keep it under control and from spreading. I never cover the sore up. I use a clean tissue if it drains. I wash my hands frequently and put the oil mixture on it every time I think of it. I have used the tea tree oil enough that I can use it full strength and sometimes this keeps it from flaring up, if I catch it in time.
Grapefruit Seed Extract
Posted by Melle (London, Uk) on 05/14/2012
★★★★★
Wow thanks for the advice!!!!! I caught this from a "friend" who I kisssed over the weekend just realised this morning the cut he had was actually impetigo as I woke up to the same on my chin, I rushed out this afternoon to the health food store treating it with a good soaking of water then tea tree followed by Grapefruit seed oil and re applied ever few hrs it's no longer weeping an has almost totally dried up!
thanks you thank you thank you!!! X
Lard, Sulfur
Posted by Crashlady (Mt. Pleasant, Pennsylvania) on 05/08/2010
★★★★★
cure for impetigo: to stop the itch and dry the lesions use 1 pound of pure lard and 3 oz. sulfur compound. can be found at your local pharmacy. it dries the lesions and the fall off and the itching goes away. my grandmother used this formula for both chicken pox and impetigo. its great. really does the job.
Grapefruit Seed Extract
Posted by Zanz (Nelson, New Zealand) on 08/08/2008
★★★★★
I have recently stumbled apon the most fantastic cure all!!!!!! grapefruit seed extract has served as a mirical cure for my double whammy fungal infection which then spawned impetigo! I had been back to the quack 3 times prescribed antibiotics which 1/2 worked but then the sores spread! I was devistated as they were set to take over my whole face! then fate stepped in and handed me a little bottle of GSE whithin 3 days the impetigo was peeling away to reveal beautifull healthy skin underneath and after just 8 days my face was compltetly clear and even the annoying hormonal breakouts i get on the sides of my chin have shown dramatic healing and i mean dramatic! I took GSE internally and i wash my face with it morning and night and put a couple of drops in almond oil as a moisteriser.
Herbal Tattoo Salve
Posted by KM (Massachusetts) on 05/10/2021
★★★★★
Impetigo in adult-
I am a 25 yo female, with a history of eczema and acne. I have gotten impetigo probably 4 times in my life, starting at 11 or 12 years old after exposure to a sibling who had it. Since then, I have gotten it at very random times, with no exposure or known source. I believe it happens when I have a break in my skin, such as from acne. My impetigo has reoccurred in the same spot right below my lip every single time. I have the mupirocin ointment prescribed and started using that the day that I felt the blisters forming. I also cleansed with acv. I started taking zinc, grapefruit seed extract, and echinacea. On the fourth day, I used a tattoo salve on it overnight mixed with the antibiotic ointment and jojoba oil, with gauze on to keep it moist. I woke up to it being 10x better, the skin is almost completely healed underneath!!!!! The most improvement overnight I have yet to see with this condition. I am going to keep it globbed on top of it until it is completely healed.
The salve I used contains coconut oil, beeswax, palm oil, cupuacu butter, calendula extract, chamomille extract, lavender oil, vitamin e, peru balsam oil. I 10000% recommend purchasing this if you have frequent outbreaks and applying it in combination with the antibiotic ointment. I wish I started using it sooner.
Black Salve, Essential Oils
Posted by Cindy (Phoenix, Az) on 08/05/2020
★★★★☆
I had a pretty severe case of impetigo. It was only through the hair matting (couldn't get a brush through it. If tangled is a 10, the matting was 100.
Both my legs broke out covering both legs from knee to shin. Oh my!! The itch!! My normal itch cures didn't work. I had to do something, bc I couldn't sleep. I used a drawing salve (Black salve known for topical cancer use. It's an escharotic. You usually only work with small spots—like a quarter. But I had such a bad rash on both legs, I applied at bottom of one leg, covering the size of a US $ bill.
its not for the faint-hearted. I prob spent 4-6 months changing bandages, letting it heal for a few days, and then applying more black salve until there wasn't much, if anything, coming out. Legs are healed. Would never know.
i didn't know about grapefruit seed extract. My legs cleared up just fine. But my long hair was a disaster. I made natural Antibiotics from essential oils. I didn't use the expensive little bottles. Instead, I bought much larger bottles, less expensive —on Amazon of Vitacost. Therapeutic grade.
in plastic veggie capsules, 3 drops wild Oreganol P73, in oli d oil, 5 drops Thieves/Onguard and 5 drops of tea tree/ melaleuca. Spread out through the day. I took three or four months, 4 per day, And then as my hair returned to normal. I discontinued. How ever, Matting just came back. Bleck.
I started the capsules again, and will add grapefruit seeds extracts!!
if anyone knows About help for my hair, I am ever so grateful. Cindy
Black Salve, Essential Oils
Posted by Charity (Faithville, Us) on 08/25/2020
My reply did not show up in recent post : it's in the original impetigo section where you wrote your question. Ox bile works wonders for me until I can move out of stress mode and do the pressure points Eric Berg teaches on releasing trapped stress in the body . I have done that before my friend bought the tool and book and I did it for a season. Right now I am learning how to garden and sprout seeds . Getting some muscles tearing up sod . Outsmarting deer that can jump 12 feet high into your garden is also a fun adventure. Lots of pokey points out there right now. Just see if they want to risk near death for a bite. Love the critters, but not growing stuff just for them to snack on. Blessings, Charity.
Manuka Honey
Posted by Ria (New York) on 08/14/2016
★★★★★
Hello, I wanted to discuss my struggle with impetigo and worked. Basically, I used the strongest power of Manuka Honey I could find (I think it was 550+) and it basically cured me. That, in combination with fresh turmeric paste (you have to buy the root- it looks like fresh ginger but orange inside). Cutting out sugar and wheat is a must. Sugar feeds staph.
I put the manuka honey directly above the staph on my chin, so the honey would trickle down onto the affected area. If I put it on the area directly, for some reason, it wouldn't work right. So I say put it above where you have staph. I was also delighted to find it helped with acne.
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.
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.
Multiple Remedies
Posted by Janie K (S Dak) on 03/17/2017 3 posts
I just used Betadine ointment, a thin layer, and it starts to dry down. Put on several times a day.
Multiple Remedies
Posted by Rachel (Singapore) on 07/16/2017
hi Jessa, it's been years since you commented but was just wondering if you've managed to find relief for your lifelong eczema and allergies. I'm also having lifelong eczema. One thing I noticed is that you're taking daily GSE tinctures. You might want to look into that because eczema is related to gut dysbiosis and constantly imbibing antimicrobial supplements, especially one as potent as GSE, may not be supporting your gut to grow beneficial microbes. It might actually be hindering. Commercially available GSE has also been found in some cases to be tainted with antibiotics, but you mentioned tincture so I'm assuming it's homemade. Anyway hope this helps, and take care! :)
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.
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 Cgio (New York) on 07/19/2016
Regarding the cell phone? I would say maybe it's the bacteria on the cell phone? We put our cell phones down in all sorts of places.... I try to disinfect mine frequently, but still.... it picks up bacteria and germs.
Heat
Posted by Jessicai (Springfield, Mo) on 11/29/2012
★★★★★
I got caught up in a vicious 9 week battle with impetigo and am just now getting over it. It has finally started to recede after 2 rounds of antibiotics (bactrim and bactroban included), as well as several different bacteria fighting herbs, probiotics and topicals. Everything helped but nothing worked until I started taking grapefruit seed extract internally and topically. For months I have been undergoing laser hair removal treatments. The last round, the technician suggested the heat may kill the bacteria. I was skeptical but she had to hit some of the infected areas anyway and BOOM, within a couple days the infected areas she hit started to finally heal. The one tiny area under my lip that she didn't hit lingered on for an additional 6 weeks until I went back again. I asked her to hit it too. She did, and also mentioned that a lot of younger doctors are starting to recommend lasers like the ones they use for laser hair removal because the heat knocks out the bacterial infections in the skin, several skin layers deep. Anyway, it's been two days and the stubborn bit of it is barely visable. I know GFS extract has been helping a lot too and I will continue to take it for 10 full days just like I would an antibiotic.
Echinacea
Posted by Annie (London, Uk) on 10/04/2012
★★★★★
Hi, I would like to tell you that I find that echinacea taken in tablet form, as soon as I feel it starting(often with a chronically itching inside of the nose, similar to the feeling of coming down with a cold), or under the skin swelling, has worked wonders in stopping it in its tracks. Its stopped it actually appearing anywhere. I take up a large dose(6-8 tablets) straightaway. Keep taking it, paying attention to diet, early nights and rest. Echinacea tincture/vodka sterilises the site of it. Make sure you wipe vodka inwards. It works just as well as fucidin. Although, that helps to soften the lesions. I strip off old dead skin, with tweezers, applying more vodka/echinacea tincture. It stings but its works. Lots of sterilising needed throughout the day of skin, hands tweezers etc.
Heat
Posted by Kxcakes (Indianapolis, In) on 08/24/2012
I need to clarify something in my post about HEAT. Please understand: my Impetigo is CURED. The heat took care of it super fast - in about 6 days.
Black Walnut
Posted by Herbal (Cedar Rapids, Iowa Usa) on 08/12/2012
★★★★★
Black Walnut tincture works very quickly for impetigo. I learned this from other herbalists. You can use the green or black hulls, infuse them with alcohol (vodka works well) and then apply twice daily. You can also purchase it in health food stores. It appears impetigo is making the rounds again and very common.
Over the Counter
Posted by Marlene (Morgan Hill, Ca) on 08/06/2012
★★★★★
I just bought Campho-Phenique Drying Gel for my imetigo, as suggested by another blogger. What a relief! Initially it burned a little but w/i minutes I had relief from the pain and itch and it does appear to be drying the lesions already. The mupirocin was buring and causing incessant itching! I've only had impetigo one other time, 4 yrs. Ago, and I suffered for almost 3 mos. I am also cleaning my lesion and the rest of my face with a chlorohexadine wash. Will keep you posted.
Coconut Oil
Posted by Chema (San Diego, California) on 01/19/2012
★★★★★
I went and bought some Coconut Oil worked fantastic!
EC: For medicinal purposes, use Extra Virgin Coconut Oil, the kind that smells like coconut.
