The Herbal Library

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Browse every herb in the database by name, category, or the body system it's traditionally associated with.

All categories Aromatic Culinary Medicinal

Filtered by body system:SkinClear

Most minor skin problems can be cared for at home, but see a doctor for deep, infected or slow-healing wounds, serious burns, or rashes that come with a fever. Several of these herbs can cause skin allergies, especially plants in the daisy family such as calendula and mugwort. These herbs are listed because of traditional use or research, not because they're proven treatments.

Results

63 herbs

No. 001Medicinal

Ackee Leaf

Blighia sapida

Leaves of the ackee tree, whose fruit is Jamaica's national dish. The leaves are used in folk medicine for pain, fever and stomach problems. Unripe ackee fruit is poisonous.

Skin Irritation, Rashes and Itching

No. 002Medicinal

Alfalfa

Medicago sativa

A widely used food and animal-feed crop, promoted as a supplement for many uses, including lowering cholesterol. Extracts have been studied on skin cells in the lab, but not on skin in people.

Scars, Wrinkles and Skin Aging

No. 003Medicinal

Aloe

Aloe vera

A succulent whose leaf gel is used on burns and skin conditions. Gel on the skin may speed burn healing; aloe taken by mouth carries real risks.

Skin Irritation, Rashes and Itching · Cuts, Wounds, Burns and Skin Ulcers · Eczema · Acne · Hair Loss · Dry Skin

No. 004Medicinal

Andrographis

Andrographis paniculata

A bitter herb used across Asia for infections and fevers, and traditionally for skin inflammation and wounds. It has mainly been studied for colds and flu.

Skin Irritation, Rashes and Itching · Cuts, Wounds, Burns and Skin Ulcers

No. 005Medicinal

Bai Zhi

Angelica dahurica

Angelica dahurica root, used in China, Korea and Japan for colds, headache, blocked sinuses, toothache and skin sores. Research is in the lab and in animals.

Cuts, Wounds, Burns and Skin Ulcers · Acne

No. 006Medicinal

Batana

Elaeis oleifera

An oil from the nuts of the American oil palm, used for generations by the Miskito people of Honduras to care for hair and skin. There's no good evidence that it regrows hair.

Hair Loss

No. 007Medicinal

Bearded Scutellaria

Scutellaria barbata

Ban zhi lian, a Chinese herb first used for snake bites and now listed for sores, sore throat, swelling and jaundice. In China it's used alongside cancer treatment; most research is in the lab.

Skin Irritation, Rashes and Itching

No. 008Medicinal

Bhringaraj

Eclipta prostrata

A daisy-family plant used in India, Nepal and Bangladesh for jaundice and other liver problems, skin problems and hair loss. Its hair and liver effects have only been tested in animals.

Cuts, Wounds, Burns and Skin Ulcers · Hair Loss

No. 009Medicinal

Burdock

Arctium lappa

A plant whose root has been eaten as food in Asia for centuries. It is traditionally used as a "blood purifier" and for skin problems, but there is little evidence in people.

Skin Irritation, Rashes and Itching · Eczema · Acne

No. 010Medicinal

Calendula

Calendula officinalis

The pot marigold, used in creams and ointments to soothe the skin. It is recognized in Europe for minor skin inflammation such as sunburn and to help minor wounds heal.

Skin Irritation, Rashes and Itching · Cuts, Wounds, Burns and Skin Ulcers · Eczema · Dry Skin

No. 011Medicinal

Castor Oil

Ricinus communis

Oil pressed from castor seeds, a strong traditional laxative also used to bring on labour. The seeds themselves contain ricin, one of the most toxic plant substances.

Hair Loss

No. 012Medicinal

Chamiso

Atriplex canescens

Four-wing saltbush, a shrub of the western US. Southwestern peoples put its leaves on ant bites and used its ashes like baking soda to keep blue corn blue.

Skin Irritation, Rashes and Itching

No. 013Medicinal

Chamomile

Matricaria chamomilla

A daisy-like flower, usually made into tea, traditionally used for relaxation and digestive comfort.

Eczema · Dry Skin

No. 014Medicinal

Chasteberry

Vitex agnus-castus

The berries of the chaste tree (vitex), recognized in Europe for easing PMS (premenstrual syndrome).

Acne

No. 015Medicinal

Chickweed

Stellaria media

A wild weed found worldwide, eaten as a leafy green and traditionally used for skin problems such as burns, cuts and scratches. It hasn't been studied in people.

Skin Irritation, Rashes and Itching · Cuts, Wounds, Burns and Skin Ulcers

No. 016Medicinal

Cleavers

Galium aparine

A sticky, fast-growing plant traditionally used to increase urination and relieve bloating, and for swollen glands, fever and wounds. In the lab, an extract helped skin cells heal a scratch.

Cuts, Wounds, Burns and Skin Ulcers

No. 017Medicinal

Common Garden Moss

Brachythecium rutabulum

Rough-stalked feather-moss, a common lawn and garden moss probably used in 17th- and 18th-century Europe for dressing wounds and stopping bleeding.

Cuts, Wounds, Burns and Skin Ulcers

No. 018Medicinal

Cornelian Cherry

Cornus officinalis

Shan zhu yu, the sour fruit of an Asian dogwood, used in Chinese medicine for about 2,000 years as a liver and kidney tonic and for dizziness, ringing in the ears, frequent urination and heavy sweating. Research so far is in the lab and in animals.

Hair Loss

No. 019Medicinal

Emu Bush

Eremophila spp.

A group of about 200 Australian desert shrubs, many of them traditional medicines of the First Australians for colds, flu, wounds and skin infections.

Head Lice and Scabies · Cuts, Wounds, Burns and Skin Ulcers

No. 020Medicinal

English Plantain

Plantago lanceolata

A plant (also called ribwort plantain) whose leaves are recognized in Europe as a traditional medicine for coughs, sore throats and minor skin inflammation.

Skin Irritation, Rashes and Itching

No. 021Medicinal

Evening Primrose

Oenothera biennis

A plant whose seed oil, rich in the fatty acid GLA, is promoted for eczema, PMS and breast pain. A Cochrane review found it doesn't help eczema.

Eczema

No. 022Medicinal

Fenugreek

Trigonella foenum-graecum

A maple-scented seed used as a spice and traditional medicine for about 6,000 years. It may lower blood sugar in type 2 diabetes, but it isn't safe in pregnancy beyond food amounts.

Skin Irritation, Rashes and Itching

No. 023Medicinal

Fo-Ti

Reynoutria multiflora

He shou wu, a popular Chinese root traditionally taken to darken graying hair, as an anti-ageing tonic, and for dizziness and constipation. Hundreds of cases of liver injury have been linked to it, a few of them fatal.

Hair Loss

No. 024Medicinal

Ginseng

Panax ginseng

A root long used in traditional Chinese medicine as a calming herb and an adaptogen. Research on its effects is mixed.

Hair Loss

No. 025Medicinal

Goldenrod

Solidago virgaurea

European goldenrod, recognised in Europe as a traditional remedy to increase urine flow alongside treatment for minor urinary complaints.

Cuts, Wounds, Burns and Skin Ulcers

No. 026Medicinal

Goldenseal

Hydrastis canadensis

A North American plant with a bright yellow root, used by Native Americans on wounds and for skin and eye conditions. There isn't enough research to know whether it helps any health condition.

Skin Irritation, Rashes and Itching · Cuts, Wounds, Burns and Skin Ulcers

No. 027Medicinal

Gotu Kola

Centella asiatica

A plant used in traditional medicine for circulation, wounds and memory. Small studies suggest possible benefits for anxiety and thinking, but the evidence isn't strong.

Cuts, Wounds, Burns and Skin Ulcers

No. 028Medicinal

Guava Leaf

Psidium guajava

The leaves of the guava tree, widely used as a tea for diarrhea in the Caribbean, Latin America, Africa and Asia. Small trials have tested it for diarrhea, blood sugar after meals and gum inflammation.

Skin Irritation, Rashes and Itching

No. 029Medicinal

Guggulu

Commiphora wightii

The resin of the guggul tree, used in Ayurveda for thousands of years for arthritis, skin diseases and more. Studies on whether it lowers cholesterol are mixed, and it may make some medicines less effective.

Acne

No. 030Medicinal

Honeysuckle

Lonicera japonica

Japanese honeysuckle, or jin yin hua, is a widely used herb in traditional Chinese medicine, taken for fevers, sore throats, skin sores and infections. Most research so far is in the lab and in animals.

Skin Irritation, Rashes and Itching

No. 031Medicinal

Horsetail

Equisetum arvense

A plant recognized in Europe as a traditional medicine for minor urinary complaints and, as a wash or dressing, for superficial wounds. One small trial found a horsetail ointment helped episiotomy wounds heal.

Cuts, Wounds, Burns and Skin Ulcers

No. 032Medicinal

Jack in the Bush

Chromolaena odorata

One of Jamaica's most popular bush teas for colds and flu, also used in Africa and Asia for fever, wounds and diabetes. Research so far is in the lab and in animals.

Cuts, Wounds, Burns and Skin Ulcers

No. 033Medicinal

Jamaican Rat Ears

Peperomia pellucida

A small weed of damp, shady places, also called shining bush, used in Caribbean folk medicine as a cooling remedy and for skin sores. Research so far is limited and often weak.

Skin Irritation, Rashes and Itching

No. 034Medicinal

Jewelweed

Impatiens capensis

A North American wildflower crushed into a mash by Native American tribes for poison ivy rash. Studies are mixed: fresh mash helped prevent a rash, but soap worked better.

Skin Irritation, Rashes and Itching

No. 035Medicinal

John Charles

Hyptis verticillata

A Caribbean bush in the mint family, used since Maya and Aztec times for breathing, digestive, women's health and skin problems. It hasn't been tested in clinical trials.

Skin Irritation, Rashes and Itching

No. 036Medicinal

Licorice

Glycyrrhiza glabra

A root used since ancient times in Egyptian, Greek, Chinese and Indian medicine for coughs, asthma and wounds. Recognized in Europe for cough with a cold and for indigestion, but too much can raise blood pressure and upset heart rhythm.

Eczema

No. 037Medicinal

Lodgepole Pine

Pinus contorta

A western North American pine whose trunks were used as tipi poles. Its pitch was a favorite Native American remedy for colds, coughs, sore throats and sores.

Cuts, Wounds, Burns and Skin Ulcers

No. 038Medicinal

Manjistha

Rubia cordifolia

A climbing plant with long red roots, used in Chinese medicine to stop bleeding and in Ayurveda for inflammation, skin problems and menstrual pain. Most research is in labs and animals.

Cuts, Wounds, Burns and Skin Ulcers

No. 039Medicinal

Marigold

Tagetes erecta

The orange-flowered Mexican marigold, or cempasúchil, used in folk medicine from Mexico to India for fevers, colds, stomach upsets and skin sores. It's a different plant from calendula (pot marigold).

Cuts, Wounds, Burns and Skin Ulcers · Eczema

No. 040Medicinal

Marshmallow Root

Althaea officinalis

A root recognized in Europe as a traditional medicine for mouth and throat irritation with a dry cough, and for mild stomach and gut discomfort.

Eczema

No. 041Medicinal

Mormon Tea

Ephedra trifurca

A jointfir shrub of the Southwest, drunk as a tea by the Navajo for stomach and kidney troubles. It's thought to lack the ephedrine in Chinese ephedra, but this is uncertain.

Cuts, Wounds, Burns and Skin Ulcers

No. 042Medicinal

Mugwort

Artemisia vulgaris

A common plant called the "mother of herbs" in the Middle Ages, when it was used on wounds. It is also used in Chinese moxibustion. Mugwort is a major cause of pollen allergy and can cause skin allergies.

Skin Irritation, Rashes and Itching · Cuts, Wounds, Burns and Skin Ulcers

No. 043Medicinal

Neem

Azadirachta indica

A South Asian tree used in Ayurvedic medicine on the skin and for oral hygiene. Neem works against lice, and a small trial found a neem lotion worked as well as standard treatment for scabies.

Head Lice and Scabies · Skin Irritation, Rashes and Itching · Acne

No. 044Medicinal

Nettle

Urtica dioica

A stinging plant eaten as a spring vegetable and traditionally used for joint pain and urinary complaints.

Skin Irritation, Rashes and Itching · Cuts, Wounds, Burns and Skin Ulcers · Hair Loss

No. 045Medicinal

Ophiopogon Root

Ophiopogon japonicus

Mai dong, the small tuberous roots of a clumping plant, and one of the three herbs in the classical Chinese heart formula sheng mai. Its main compound has been studied in the lab and in animals.

Eczema

No. 046Medicinal

Pepper Elder

Piper amalago

A plant in the pepper family whose leaves are made into a Jamaican bush tea for colds and flu. Research so far is mostly in rats.

Cuts, Wounds, Burns and Skin Ulcers

No. 047Medicinal

Rehmannia Root

Rehmannia glutinosa

Di huang, a Chinese medicine root used raw or steamed black, recorded in the Shennong Herbal Classic for injuries, joint pain and as a "kidney" tonic. Research is in the lab and in animals.

Acne

No. 048Medicinal

Rosehips

Rosa canina

The fruit of wild roses such as the dog rose, rich in vitamin C. Rosehip seed oil and powder have been studied for scars and wrinkles in small trials.

Scars, Wrinkles and Skin Aging · Eczema · Acne

No. 049Medicinal

Sarsaparilla

Smilax ornata

A plant whose root is boiled into Jamaican roots tonics and used for colds and flu. Research on sarsaparilla plants is mostly preliminary lab and animal work.

Skin Irritation, Rashes and Itching

No. 050Medicinal

Saw Palmetto

Serenoa repens

A small palm whose berries are promoted for urinary symptoms of an enlarged prostate. A 2023 Cochrane review found little or no benefit over placebo.

Hair Loss

No. 051Medicinal

Scarlet Globemallow

Sphaeralcea coccinea

A mallow of western and central North America. Plains and Southwestern peoples chewed it into a cooling salve for sores and wounds.

Cuts, Wounds, Burns and Skin Ulcers

No. 052Medicinal

Shame O' Lady

Mimosa pudica

The sensitive plant, whose leaves fold up when touched. TRAMIL, the Caribbean traditional-medicine network, recommends it as a tea for period cramps.

Cuts, Wounds, Burns and Skin Ulcers

No. 053Medicinal

Snakeroot

Ageratina pichinchensis

A plant native to Mexico, known there as axihuitl, long used in traditional Mexican medicine for skin problems and wounds. Small trials in Mexico have tested extracts for fungal skin and nail infections and leg ulcers.

Cuts, Wounds, Burns and Skin Ulcers · Fungal Skin and Nail Infections (Athlete's Foot, Nail Fungus)

No. 054Medicinal

Southern Magnolia

Magnolia grandiflora

A large evergreen magnolia tree from the southeastern United States. The Choctaw and Koasati used its bark as a wash for heat rash and sores, and one small trial tested a bark mouthwash against tooth-decay bacteria.

Skin Irritation, Rashes and Itching · Cuts, Wounds, Burns and Skin Ulcers

No. 055Medicinal

Sphagnum Moss

Sphagnum spp.

Peat moss, a very absorbent bog moss used in Europe for centuries as a wound dressing and as nappies and bedding for babies.

Cuts, Wounds, Burns and Skin Ulcers

No. 056Medicinal

St. John's Wort

Hypericum perforatum

A yellow-flowered herb traditionally used to support mood. It interacts with many common medicines.

Eczema

No. 057Medicinal

Stemona Root

Stemona species

Bai bu, the root of Stemona plants used across South and East Asia for cough and asthma, and to kill lice and other pests.

Head Lice and Scabies

No. 058Medicinal

Tea Tree

Melaleuca alternifolia

An Australian tree whose leaves Aboriginal Australians used for wounds, burns and insect bites. Its oil, used on the skin, may modestly help acne. Never swallow it.

Head Lice and Scabies · Fungal Skin and Nail Infections (Athlete's Foot, Nail Fungus) · Acne

No. 059Medicinal

Tepezcohuite

Mimosa tenuiflora

A tree from southern Mexico to Brazil whose bark is used on wounds and burns. Two small trials of a bark gel for leg ulcers disagreed.

Cuts, Wounds, Burns and Skin Ulcers

No. 060Medicinal

Vervain

Stachytarpheta jamaicensis

Called vervain in Jamaica and vervine in Antigua and Trinidad, a weedy plant whose leaves make a "cooling" tea used for the stomach, colds and coughs, and to clean wounds.

Cuts, Wounds, Burns and Skin Ulcers

No. 061Medicinal

Witch Hazel

Hamamelis virginiana

A North American shrub whose leaves are recognized in Europe as a traditional medicine for minor skin inflammation, itchy piles and mouth inflammation.

Skin Irritation, Rashes and Itching · Eczema

No. 062Medicinal

Yarrow

Achillea millefolium

An herb recognised in Europe as a traditional remedy for loss of appetite, mild digestive problems, period cramps and small wounds.

Cuts, Wounds, Burns and Skin Ulcers

No. 063Medicinal

Yerba Mansa

Anemopsis californica

A plant of the Southwest and California, one of the region's most used Native American remedies for wounds, colds and sore throats. Its root compounds stopped some germs in lab tests.

Cuts, Wounds, Burns and Skin Ulcers