How to Make Your Own Comfrey Salve

May 26, 2024 by Jennifer Truong

Making your own comfrey salve may seem a bit daunting and time-consuming, but I promise you, it couldn’t be easier! It only requires 3 ingredients and about 20 minutes of hands-on time in total.

I began making comfrey salve for my mom after I learned about its ability to reduce the inflammation and pain that comes with arthritis. By the time I was finished making an infusion for the salve, it was close to Christmas, so I decided to make several jars and give them to friends and family who I thought would benefit from using it. One friend of mine finished her jar in no time and was asking for another. You see, her mom had fallen recently and suffered some fractured bones. Knowing that comfrey has traditionally been used to speed the healing of broken bones (which gave it the name “knit-bone”), my friend applied it to the skin over the areas where the fractures had occurred and found it quite effective.

So why should you consider making – and using – your own comfrey salve? Well, as a medicinal herb, comfrey has an impressive range of health benefits. As mentioned, in times past it was used to speed healing of broken bones when applied as a poultice, but it was also used to treat fever and lung infections when consumed as a tea or tincture. As a salve, comfrey is useful for a variety of complaints including wounds, joint pain, skin irritations, dry skin, minor muscle tears, and scarring.

Read on to find out what makes this herb such an effective healing agent!

Heals Wounds

One of the amazing benefits of comfrey is its ability to speed up wound healing. Comfrey contains allantoin, a compound which supports collagen production, key to healing wounds. Applying comfrey salve can promote faster healing of bruises, cuts, and mild burns, and it also prevents infection by creating a barrier over the area.

A word of caution: do not use comfrey on deep cuts/wounds as it will tend to heal the outside of the wound before the inside has time to heal.

Reduces Inflammation

Comfrey salve has anti-inflammatory properties which can provide relief for those suffering from arthritis, tendonitis, and muscle soreness. Simply rubbing comfrey salve into aching muscles and joints decreases swelling and pain and reduces stiffness. Applying comfrey salve every day can help alleviate the discomfort and mobility issues associated with joint pain and inflammation.

If your joint pain and stiffness are more acute, remember to consistently apply it at least twice a day.

Soothes Skin Irritations

Another great use of comfrey salve is for soothing skin irritations. If you’re suffering from eczema, dermatitis, or insect bites, applying comfrey salve can provide relief. Since comfrey has anti-inflammatory properties, it allays the inflammation and the redness associated with skin irritations.

Comfrey salve is also moisturizing, giving it the ability to heal dry, broken, itchy skin. I often use it when I have a flare-up of eczema on my hands, and with good results.

If you have chronic skin irritations, you can help manage them with comfrey salve.

Relieves Muscle Soreness

We all suffer from sore muscles from time to time, and yes, comfrey salve can be used for this too. As mentioned, comfrey brings down inflammation, but also works by increasing blood flow to muscles. More blood flow means muscle tears and strains heal faster, cutting down on recovery time. So remember to rub some comfrey salve into your muscles after your next workout.

Heals Cracked Skin

If you live in an area where the winters are cold and dry like I do, then you are likely no stranger to dry, cracked skin. Or maybe you need to wash your hands frequently throughout the day. In my experience, this is where comfrey salve shines.

My husband was suffering from fairly deep fissures on both thumbs from washing dishes. He applied lotion, vaseline, and a few other treatments, but nothing worked. I told him to try the comfrey salve, and within two days the fissures had closed! Amazing!

Both the comfrey and olive oil in comfrey salve deeply hydrate, while comfrey closes up fissures and cracks. This makes it ideal to use on all sorts of problem areas including chapped lips, cracked heels, and split thumbs.

Minimizes Scarring

Another superpower of comfrey is its ability to reduce the appearance of scars. If applied to a wound while it is healing, it will promote the growth of new skin and allow the wound to heal more evenly by preventing the buildup of excess collagen. This means scars are less noticeable and smoother. However, the salve needs to be applied consistently to get the best results.

Precautions

Comfrey salve is generally safe to use, particularly on the skin, but caution should always be exercised. If you have an open wound or broken skin, comfrey salve may cause an allergic reaction or irritation, and be more likely to if your salve is contaminated with bacteria which can happen if not using a clean applicator. And as with many herbs, a healthcare professional should be consulted before using comfrey salve while pregnant or breastfeeding.

How to Make Comfrey Salve

Making comfrey salve sounds difficult, but it couldn’t be easier. The only speed bump is making the infusion, but there is a shortcut if you prefer.

making an infusion (slow cooker method)

To save time, you can make an infusion in a slow cooker. This method still takes an entire day, but it’s much shorter than 2 weeks.

To make your infusion, simply fill a mason jar 2/3 – 3/4 full with dried comfrey leaves or root. Cover the herb with olive oil and place in a slow cooker. Add 1/2 cup of water to the bottom of the slow cooker, and cover it with a lid. Set it to warm and wait 24 hours. Let the jar cool before straining out the comfrey, and reserve the oil for the salve.

Making a solar infusion

This is the more traditional method and uses the energy of the sun to release the active compounds in the comfrey. Fill your mason jar 2/3 – 3/4 full of dried comfrey and cover with olive oil. Cover tightly with a lid and leave it in a warm, sunny spot for 2 weeks. Don’t worry, your oil won’t go rancid. The anti-oxidants in the comfrey will prevent it from oxidizing.

After 2 weeks, you can strain the comfrey from the oil, reserving the oil for the salve.

Making the Salve

Once your comfrey-infused oil is ready, you can make the salve. Add water to a double-boiler (or pot with a metal bowl fitted on top). Add the comfrey oil and beeswax pellets to the double boiler/bowl. Stir continually until all pellets have melted. Once you have a homogenous mixture, you can pour it into sterilized jars ( 2 oz or 4 oz). Use a funnel for easier transfer.