Monday, January 5, 2009

A 200 Year Old Anti-Aging Cream: Witch Hazel

By Julie Samtsonn

Many Indian tribes used Witch Hazel as a medicinal treatment. It is one of the few medicinal treatments allowed by the Federal Drug Administration today, as a topical treatment. There are many other herbal extracts allowed as dietary supplements, but witch hazel is one of the few still allowed in topical treatments. It was widely used topically for hemorrhoids, insect bites and stings, skin ulcers, tumors, boils and other rashes, such as chiggers or poison ivy.

Witch Hazel, is native to America and Europe and its medicinal qualities have made it highly valued over the years. Some early treatments involved it's branches and flowers being steamed and the results mixed with alcohol then used for astringents and topical medication. Nowadays, its uses vary greatly from mouthwashes (using distilled witch hazel) to anti-aging creams and anti wrinkle creams (using witch hazel oil). Some witch hazel formulas have been used by home remedy skin care products, which claim to work as a skin anti-aging process.

In those anti aging treatments, it is particularly useful because it has been found to have capillary constricting effects that reduce inflammation. It also has topical antioxidant properties and is considered a safe, affordable home remedy. Witch Hazel Oil is cheap and can be purchased for under a couple dollars in the pharmacy section of most retail stores. It is a very useful ingredient in skin care lines, specifically anti aging creams and anti wrinkle creams, where it may be found in a more concentrated level and promotes cell turnover as well as cell moisturizing by using the oil concentrates to moisterize the skin cells, keeping them plump and hydrated.

It was in the 1840's that Theron Pond learned from the Oneida Indians, the medicinal benifits of Witch Hazel. The shrubs are common in the New York and Connecticut areas and these regions still supply much of the witch hazel on the market today. After years of learning from the Oneida Indians, Theron Pond brought the healing powers to mass market, selling it commercially under the name of Golden Treasure. After the death of Theron Pond, the name of the product was changed to "Pond's extract".

Witch Hazel production is still alive around Connecticut and the region is one of the leading manufacturers of witch hazel extract. The bulk of harvesting is done in Northwestern Connecticut. Here, property owners harvest from the shrubs every few years, they re-branch and sell directly to distributors. From here, it is then sold for pharmaceutical uses.

Witch Hazel has been confirmed as many things. An antioxidant, a radiation protective aa well as an anti-inflammatory. It has been approved as an astringent and external analgesic and has many internal medicinal uses. This is why it is an ingredient in anti aging creams and anti wrinkle creams. - 15438

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