Below is a quick guide to 9 wound healing oils. There are many others but these oils work exceptionally well. For more information on the oils click on the link.

1. Chamomile German (Matricaria recutita)
German chamomile is a blue oil with a sweet herbaceous aroma. The oil is anti-inflammatory, bactericidal, cicatrisant (helps with the formation of scar tissue) and vulnerary (stops bleeding in wounds and tissue degeneration) making her an excellent choice for wound healing in both adults and children.

Use her for inflammation, boils, abscesses, infected cuts, splinters, muscular pain and sprains. Use her also for eczema, psoriasis and itchy dry skin.

German chamomile can be bought in 3% and 5% dilutions in jojoba and applied straight to the wound. If bought full strength dilute in cold pressed vegetable oil before applying to the wound. She can also be used in hot and cold compresses. See Guidelines for Diluting Essential Oils for more information.

2. Bergamot (Citrus bergamia)
Bergamot is well known for her anti-anxiety effect but she is also a wound healer.

Antiseptic, cicatrisant, febrifuge (reduces high body temperature), vulnerary.

Use bergamot for cold sores, shingles, wounds and acne.

Bergamot is photo sensitive and should only be used in dilutions of less than 1%. Avoid exposing the skin to sunlight for 24 hours.

3. Geranium (Pelargonium graveolens)
Geranium essential oil is distilled from the leaves and flowers. She is not the red geranium you see growing in most gardens being much shorter and bushier.

The oil is antiseptic, cicatrisant, haemostatic (stops bleeding), styptic (stops external bleeding) and vulnerary.

Geranium is a good oil to use for burns, wounds, skin abrasions, dry skin, eczema, psoriasis, acne, athlete’s foot and ulcers.

4. Helichrysum (Helichrysum italicum)
Helichrysum is also known as everlasting and immortelle. She is an expensive oil but well known for her ability to heal bruising and may even stop it if applied fast enough.

The flowering tops are steam distilled and the oil is anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, cicatrisant and fungicidal (destroys fungal infections).

Use her to help reduce old scars, eczema, dermatitis and itchy skin rashes.

5. Lavender (Lavendula angustifolia)
Lavender has been called first aid in a bottle. She is a very gentle oil and safe to use on children. There are many different lavenders so please ensure you get Lavendula angustifolia.

Lavender is analgesic, antiseptic, cicatrisant, rubefacient (increases blood flow and warming) and vulnerary.

Use her for wounds, ulcers, cuts, scratches, minor burns, dermatitis, eczema, psoriasis, boils and acne, sunburn, insect bites, muscular aches and pains.

Use her diluted in cold pressed vegetable oil, as a compress or mist spray.

6. Myrrh (Commiphora molmol)
Myrrh is steam distilled from a resin. She has been used since ancient times for wound healing although not as an essential oil.

She is anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, cicatrisant, fungicidal and vulnerary.

Use myrrh for chronic and slow healing wounds and ulcers, weepy eczema and athlete’s foot. She can also be used to heal wounds of an emotional nature.

For mouth and gum infections and ulcers add a drop of myrrh to a glass of water, swish around the mouth and spit out. You can also use myrrh tincture.

7. Patchouli (Pogostemon cablin)
Patchouli was used to protect cashmere shawls from moths in Victorian times.

She is antiseptic, cicatrisant, cytophylactic (encourages the growth of skin cells), febrifuge (reduces high body temperatures), fungicidal and an insecticide.

Use her for rough cracked skin, sores, wounds, eczema and fungal infections

8. Tea tree (Melaleuca alternifolia)
Tea tree is well known for her ability to clean and heal wounds.

She is antiseptic, cicatrisant, fungicidal and an insecticide.

Use tea tree for wounds, skin abrasions, minor burns, weeping ulcers, nail infections, athlete’s foot, mouth ulcers (see myrrh above), infected rashes and muscular aches and pains.

9. Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)
Yarrow like German chamomile is a blue oil and has a similar aroma.

She is also distilled from the leaves and flowering tops.

Yarrow is anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, cicatrisant and haemostatic.

Use for wounds, open sores and eczema.

Sources: Battaglia S, The Complete Guide To Aromatherapy. The Perfect Potion, Australia (1995)
Mojay G, Aromatherapy for Healing the Spirit. Hodder and Stoughton (1996)