Can You Soak An Open Wound In Epsom Salts?

Can you soak an open wound in Epsom salts? In day-to-day life, cuts and bruises are all part of the norm. Life does not come in bubble wrap and those little badges of experience can carry with them lessons that last a lifetime.

That said, there needs to be an effective method for treating those open wounds. For smaller cuts and scrapes, it is simply a matter of putting an antibacterial cream on it and throwing a Band-Aid over the top of everything.

But what about Epsom salt? There are so many stories out there about the benefits of Epsom salt and all that it can do. Is it a good idea to soak your wound in Epsom salt? Here is all that you need to know on the matter.

Can You Soak An Open Wound In Epsom Salts?

The short answer is “no.” Epsom salt, as will be discussed further on in this piece and is recommended by some healthcare providers for a litany of things. Primarily it is used to relieve psoriasis and help relax sore muscles.

That said, open wounds, things such as scrapes, cuts, and puncture wounds, should be treated with cool water. When done using cool water, the site should be covered with some sort of antibacterial cream and then covered with a bandage.

Exposure can lead to infection and the last thing anyone needs is to get an infection. Using Epsom salt is not ideal for open wounds.

The magnesium sulfate compound could potentially irritate an open wound, creating a discomfort at best and a painful experience at the worst. There is a reason why the phrase “salt in the wound” exists.

Of course, there are some who recommend it and suggest that the wound could begin feeling better within a few hours with its implementation.

The method calls for mixing a cup of Epsom salt with eight cups of hot water. Depending on your specific needs, you can always increase the mixture. Just make sure that the ratio stays eight cups water to one part Epsom salt.

Stir the mixture together until the Epsom salt completely dissolves. When the water is particularly hot, the salt should dissolve in under 30 seconds.

Submerge the wound if possible; if it is on a part of the body that can’t easily be submerged, you can soak a washcloth and press it up against the wound.

Give it about 10 minutes or so. Soaking for too long can potentially dry out the wound. Repeat the process daily three times until the wound has healed.

What Does Epsom Salt Do When You Soak in it?

When in water, Epsom salt breaks down into sulfate and magnesium. The idea being that, when you soak in the tub, they both get into the body through your skin.

While there have been few studies proving that, it has shown to help with stiff joints and to relax muscles. Moreover, Epsom salts have been shown to have positive impacts on a litany of other things.

Arthritis swelling and pain, sprains and bruises, ingrown toenails, insomnia, sore muscles post-workout, soreness from chemotherapy, swollen and tired feet, and even sunburn redness and pain.

If that weren’t enough, Epsom salt has also been known to help with fibromyalgia. Fibromyalgia is a condition that makes ligaments, tendons, and muscles hurt, while also causing tender points all throughout the body.

It is important to note that all of these claims are not scientifically verified. They are basically folk remedies, though there are many people who swear by Epsom salt as an effective means for treating everything listed above.

You can read up about a variety of treatment options online and give it a shot yourself. If you have more sensitive skin, consider just using it on your body and not on your face, at least not at first.

The face is more prone to irritation and redness than other areas of the body.

How Does Salt Water Affect Skin?

While there is a bit of a taboo about consuming salt, it can be quite good for the skin. Whether swimming in the ocean or using a homemade concoction, it can be a great addition to your skincare routine.

For one, it’s great for a variety of skin conditions. Calcium, magnesium, and potassium are all quite friendly to the skin and all of them are found in sea salt.

All three minerals have been shown to combat things such as skin infections, acne-causing bacteria, and even speed up the healing process.

If you have oily skin, washing in a saltwater solution is a great way to control that excess oil. Excess oil can lead to clogged pores and other skin conditions if left uncared for over time.

Those with eczema can benefit from adding salt water to their skincare routine. That’s because magnesium has anti-inflammatory properties and is an antimicrobial mineral.

If you struggle with itching, magnesium can help to reduce it and even reduces moisture from fungi and bacteria that ultimately causes eczema. Salt water also makes for an excellent gentle exfoliant.

Since it has a natural coarseness, it is great for getting a deeper clean, opening up pores, increasing blood circulation, and even allowing your skin to absorb other moisturizers and treatments more effectively.

If you have more sensitive skin, stick to using salt water on your body, not your face. The skin on your face is generally thinner and tends to get irritated quite a bit easier.

Thought that we had covered all of the benefits of salt water? Think again. It also works as an excellent rejuvenating scrub.

Those who don’t have particularly sensitive skin and are looking to make their skin softer should consider implementing sea salt into their routine.

One of the many benefits of salt water on the skin is that it helps with skin cell turnover. That ultimate helps achieve an overall softer texture for your skin.

Finally, sea salt works well as an anti-dandruff treatment. Salt water has been shown to help not only loosen but remove dandruff.

At the same time it stimulates blood circulation to make your scalp healthier than ever before. The sea salt also helps to keep any fungal growth away by absorbing excess moisture and oil.

Conclusion

Epsom salt has been shown to have a plethora of positive uses, though few of them have been tested out and proven. That said, if you are looking to treat sore and aching muscles, people have sworn it to be effective.

Implementing salt water into your skincare routine has also been shown to have a litany of benefits. Whether treating dandruff, using it as an exfoliant, or treating eczema, salt water has shown itself as a versatile and effective treatment.

When it comes to the matter of soaking an open wound in Epsom salt, however, there is some conflict. Some recommend avoiding it given the fact that it can irritate the wound further.

When you are already in pain, the last thing most of us want is to make it more painful. Others swear up and down that soaking a wound in Epsom salt three times per day heals the wound far quicker than other methods.

It is not completely unsafe to try, so trial and error may be the best recourse if you have never done it before.