Impetigo

Impetigo is a highly contagious skin infection caused by either streptococcus or staphylococcus bacteria. Direct contact with fluid from the infected area or contaminated clothing can transmit the disease. Inadequate hygiene does not cause impetigo. Although good skin hygiene is important, a child who contracts impetigo is not necessarily unclean.

The infection first appears as a rough, cracked, reddened area, commonly on the face or legs. The redness gives way to itching lesions ranging from pinhead to bean-sized. The fluid-filled blisters quickly form the telltale honey-colored crusts that are typical of the disease. When the crusts are removed, another crust quickly forms. The fluid from the blisters spreads the condition.

Impetigo occurs in a variety of forms and among all age groups, but it is most prevalent in children. In newborn infants, impetigo is a disease of great toxicity and requires prompt treatment. Ecthyma is a virulent or untreated form of impetigo, characterized by large, angry-looking boils, thick golden-yellow crusts, and sores encircled by red skin.

Supplements and herbs

See age-appropriate dosages of herbal remedies

• Goldenseal powder applied topically as a paste is very effective in drying up and healing impetigo.
• Calendula is a mild disinfectant and is soothing to the skin. Apply calendula tincture, oil, cream, or gel to the rash twice a day.
• Grapefruit seed extract has antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral properties. Choose a highly concentrated form, such as Citricidal, Nutrabiotic, or Paramicrocidin, and give your child 5 drops in a glass of juice, three times a day, for up to one week. This liquid has a very bitter flavor that some children may not be able to tolerate, however.
• Tea tree oil has strong antibacterial and antifungal properties. Dilute 8 to 10 drops of tea tree oil in 1 quart of warm water, and apply the mixture to the infected area twice a day.
• Garlic has antibacterial and detoxifying properties. Give your child a garlic supplement, following the dosage directions on the product label, until the impetigo heals.
• Give your child an Echinacea and goldenseal combination formula. Echinacea has antiviral properties; goldenseal has antibacterial properties and is soothing to mucous membranes. Give your child one dose, four times a day, for ten days. It can also be applied topically to the affected area, three times a day, for ten days.
  Note: You should not give your child Echinacea on a daily basis for more than ten days at a time, or it will lose its effectiveness.
• Usnea moss is a very effective topical agent. Apply usnea salve to the affected area once or twice a day. One recommended product is Super Salve, which contains a combination of usnea, Echinacea, chaparral, and hops, and helps to fight infection and soothe irritation.

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