Topical application of turmeric gel to treat burns and scalds.

In a recent research paper published in the open access journal BioDiscovery, researchers stress that use of topical curcumin gel for treating skin problems, like burns and scalds, is very different and appears to work more effectively, when compared to taking curcumin tablets by mouth for other conditions. Curcumin is an ingredient found in the common spice turmeric. Turmeric has been used as a spice for centuries in many Eastern countries and gives well known dishes. The turmeric gel appears to work much better when used on the skin because the gel preparation allows curcumin to penetrate the skin, inhibit phosphorylase kinase and reduce inflammation. The study shows that the use of curcumin after burns and scalds were found to reduce the severity of the injury, lessen pain and inflammation, and improve healing with less than expected scarring, or even no scarring, of the affected skin.