butter for burns
When I was a child my mother always put butter on any small burns or scalds we suffered. It seemed to help. Later (sixties) she swore by honey for larger burns, though fortunately I never got to test this one!
For small burns I find homoeopathic _Cantharis _can be quite dramatic – taken internally.
add comment
Do you know of any alternative approaches? Are you aware of any similar ones?
You need to be logged in to comment.
ananeves says:
10 July | 09:42
Yes, my grandma, in Portugal, always used to do that. Either butter or any type of oil. I still do it today. I do not know if it treats the burns as such but it certainly helps with the pain and burning sensation. I know this is also a current practice in Portugal.
ArkAngel says:
17 July | 18:32
Does anyone know how the butter actually works?
ananeves says:
18 July | 09:23
I wonder if it has anything to do with the fat, ArkAngel. I remember my grandma also used olive oil or lard if butter was not readily available. The important thing, she would say, was to apply it immediately after the burn occurred.
Greenflame says:
18 July | 09:33
I would imagine the effect is psychological - though I've read that milk is also recommended by some. Perhaps the vitamin and mineral content of butter helps. (Vits A and D, if I remember correctly) I think there's no substitute for fast action to cool the affected area with cool water before applying anything. This takes the heat out of the affected tissues and stops the damage spreading further.
ArkAngel says:
04 August | 15:04
I've also been told holding the burn under cold running water is number one priority and that's what I do in practice.
04 August | 15:04
A comment was removed from here because it was inappropriate or for another similar reason.