How to Make a Charcoal Compress

Charcoal is an anecdote for various creature bites, stings and toxic ingestion. A charcoal compress is easy to make and can be kept on hand for treating bee and wasp stings, wound infections and abscesses. Skin has the ability to allow poison and bacteria to be drawn out of the pores and into a poultice or compress which enables healing if the compress is kept moist and warm.

Things You'll Need

• Activated Charcoal, water, paper towel or other porous material, plastic wrap and adhesive tape.

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Instructions

• 1

  Purchase Activated Charcoal from a drug store.

• 2

  Mix only enough water with the charcoal powder to make a paste. Don't start with too much water. It should be moist but not crumbling or dripping.

• 3

  Spread the paste on one side of a creased paper towel (or other porous material) and fold the other half of the paper towel over the top of the paste. Fold all of the edges and tape them closed to prevent paste from falling out. The compress should cover the entire afflicted area of skin.

• 4

  Position the compress over the afflicted area and cover it with plastic wrap to keep in moisture. If the charcoal dries out, it will not be able to adsorb, which means to store a substance on a surface.

• 5

  Secure the compress with the plastic wrapping to the skin with surgical tape or other adhesive tape.

• 6

  Leave the compress on the skin for 2-4 hours or overnight for more severe afflictions.

• 7

  Change the compress often depending on the severity of the affliction. Corn starch may be used with charcoal to hold in moisture for long-term compresses. Compresses can be made ahead of time and frozen for emergencies.