Pomornik, tranek, kupalnik - these dialectical names of arnica are not more widely known, unlike the herb itself, because the arnica has always used folk medicine, and now - it does both herbalism, pharmacology and the cosmetics industry.
In folk medicine, Arnica was once one of the cough medicines; herbalists recommended smoking dried aromas and wrapped in flower paper. Wraps with the use of this herb have been used to treat pains of various origins, from post-traumatic, rheumatic or rheumatic to back pain. Wraps of arnica were also used to disinfect the skin around wounds and other skin damage, because it has bactericidal and fungicidal properties, accelerates the healing of wounds, sores and boils and regeneration of the skin. In addition, it reduces swelling, bloody, subcutaneous ecchymosis and seals blood vessels, so it is useful in the case of sprains, contusions, dislocations, bruises.
This unusual richness of arnica applications is possible due to the fact that it contains numerous active ingredients; they are flavonoids, lactones, essential oils, triterpene, iridoid, phenolic acids, amines, photo-sterols ... It is thanks to them that arnica is effective in many health problems, not only in the skin, but also in diseases of the heart and circulatory system.
Seals and strengthens
However, arnica is today not only a valuable herbal raw material. Due to the same properties for which it is used as a painkiller, disinfectant or for edema, also cosmetic companies reach for the aroma, offering more and more formulations containing it.
On the market there are, among others, creams with arnica. It is recommended to use them for capillary skin; The main task of the arnica is in this case sealing, strengthening and shrinking subcutaneous, small blood vessels, which under the influence of adverse external factors, but also due to skin aging, become more pronounced and sometimes break, which reveals itself in the form of fine, red - purple threads visible on the skin. These are well known to all adults, "spider veins", especially intensely occurring, inter alia, in people with hypertension or alcohol abusers.
Preparations with arnica are supposed to reduce redness of the skin and also prevent the formation of new "spider veins". These are the already mentioned creams, but also skin care gels and soaps. In the gels, next to the arnica, we find, for example, acerola extract, which causes it to simultaneously relax, strengthen and seal the effect, eliminates red discoloration on the skin, moisturizes it, improves its tension and elasticity.
The same properties are used in eye creams, addressed to people with bags and bruises under the eyes - creams with arnica will reduce and swelling and discoloration.
Carefully, as the pharmacist advises
Arnika is in nature in Poland. It has nice, yellow-orange flowers, which are the basic herbal raw material obtained from this plant, much less often root and herb. It is a plant under total protection, so it is not allowed to break it, to prepare a brew for yourself, for example for a compress for eyes. What's more, such a compress could harm us, because the arnica is really a potent herb, and therefore its too long keeping on the skin can cause irritation. Also, the use of arnica on large surfaces of the body is not the best idea - it can lead to an increase in temperature. Under no circumstances should the arnica compresses be applied on open wounds.
For this reason, arnica packs should always be used with caution, if only we have any doubts or fears reaching for ready-made cosmetic preparations, which it is a component. It is also worth taking advantage of the knowledge and experience of pharmacists who will advise you on how to safely and with the greatest benefit to use arnica for cosmetic and therapeutic purposes.
