Bloodroot Paste: Uses, Benefits & Safe Application

Bloodroot's scientific name is sanguinaria canadensis. Bloodroot is an herb that is native to Canada and the northern United States. It can be made into a powder or a paste, and is often used for the removal of skin growths, such as moles, warts, and skin tags. It is also an ingredient in some herbal preparations for treating skin cancer. You should be aware that bloodroot will attack healthy tissue as well as skin growths.

Things You'll Need

• Bloodroot paste
• Bandages
• Cotton swabs
• Hydrogen peroxide

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Instructions

• 1

  Check with your doctor before applying bloodroot paste. If you are applying it to a skin growth, you'll need to be sure that the growth is benign. Dr. Andrew Weil recommends using bloodroot paste for skin tags or moles, but not as a treatment for any cancerous growth. (See Reference 1)

• 2

  Stir the paste. With a finger, apply a small amount of the paste to the area. Affix a bandage over the area.

• 3

  Wash your hands thoroughly after applying the paste. Be sure that you did not accidentally apply the paste to any other area of your skin. As an added precaution, you could use a cotton swab to dab the paste on the area rather than your finger.

• 4

  Remove the bandage on the following day. Clean the area of skin with hydrogen peroxide. Apply more of the bloodroot paste and cover the area with a fresh bandage. Repeat this procedure again the next day, for a total of no more than three days.