The standard method for making a herbal ointment is as follows:

Combine 1 part of powdered plant with 4 parts of softened lard or vegetable fat or petroleum jelly or mutton fat or melted beeswax or soft paraffin wax etc. Store for up to 3 months.

For a herbal cream:

Combine 1 part of powdered plant with 4 parts of softened lard or vegetable fat or petroleum jelly or mutton fat or melted beeswax or soft paraffin wax etc. Store for up to 3 months.

Frankly, I wouldn't use comfrey in this situation. It's not recommended for broken skin. Use something more soothing like chickweed leaves or calendula petals instead. Follow the directions above, or simply make a tea and use it to bathe the area.

Juniper berries, lavender, rosemary can also be used.

From the symptoms, ANY moisturizing cream would help.

Start with a non-medicated lotion that is heavy on the lanolin.

Thank you for responding. All of the oral and topical medications the doctor has given has not helped. It will take more than a moisturizing cream, she's already been that direction.
I assume it would be okay to use the comfrey as long as there are no open wounds?
I'll talk to her about using rosemary or lavender.
Thanks again.

Anything with jojoba oil in it will work. Jojoba oil is the closest to the natural oil of human skin, so it is more readily absorbed. I use cold pressed, but any type will work, either by itself or in a cream. Cocoa butter, mango butter, avocado oil, and aloe are great as well.

You could also try tea tree, diluted in a salve.

How certain is the doctor of his diagnosis? Is he a specialist (that is, a dermotologist)? If not, it may be time for her to see one.

This is probably not the case with your MIL, but there are some unusual conditions making the rounds these days, and a specialist might immediately have an answer. Sounds like a very painful condition.

For example, the media recently announced that there are approx. 7000 cases of leprosy in NY. Apparently some doctors in other countries have been telling folks to come to this country for a cure. There have also been some drug-resistant bacterial infections circulating at some of the hospitals. Additionally, the use of large amounts of an antiviral substance that our own bodies manufacture in small amounts as a last resort during viral infections, has developed viral infections that are more difficult for people to throw off.

eibren, This skin condition showed up after having a hip replacement. She sees her orthopedic surgeon and an internal specialist. I don't recall her seeing a dermatologist though. Do you recall what herbs have been claimed to cure these drug-resistant bacterial strains?

daisyduckworth seems to be mentioning what i would,
i don't mean to point out the obvious but when making this have you checked whether she is alergic to anything u kight put in it? i know someone who is allergic to lanolin so to make a salve for them using lanolin as a base wound't work too well.

try incorperating napy rash cream into the mix as the base for the salve. i have a skin condition (dermatitis) cauused by licking my lips too much, while unrelated i use a napy rash cream for my lips as a lot of the damage in rashes is caused by the broken skin losing water from it drying them our making the skin crack more and causing more pain.

u cud add one or two pleasant smelling herbs to the mix, in moderation, as well. just check they wont iritate the skin.
asfter all if ur gonn smear your body with lotion for pain you might as well smell nice.

lavender is a possibility, i don't think it would cause pain to broken skin, but someone plaese correct me. the svcent of lavender is relaxing as as a result your MIL may well heal faster as the lotion is relieving stress as well thus promoting faster healing.

just a thought, hope it helps.

Most major hospitals have a department that specializes in unusual infections. Just call around until you find the right department and then ask for advice. If your MIL's condition is indeed an infection, by now a culture should have been taken, I would think.

Usually hospitals don't release patients with infections of hospital origin until they have cleared up, because it adversely affects their stats. Did this show up before or after she was released? None of my business-- but the reason to know the answer is that the hospitals exert major efforts to treat these things if it can be considered their responsibility; ditto for the physicians treating the patient. No procedure is foolproof, but in our area there was recently a news article listing one hospital as having more of these infections, and one particular surgeon, who is now leaving the area, apparently, as having a higher rate than others (these ratings are not always fair, as hospitals and surgeons who take on more difficult cases can get higher ratings because of that).

You could look under cellulitis on Google for more specific treatment suggestions, but without knowing the name of the organism of concern it would be difficult for anyone to give better suggestions than others on this thread have already done. Additional things you could do would be to ascertain that your MIL is eating nourishing and well- balanced meals; that she is handling any other health concerns , such as diabetis, carefully; that her fluid intake, exercise, and elimination is all adequate; and that she is in a nonstressful environment and on a regular, healthy schedule. Fresh air and about 15 min/day of sunshine would also be helpful.

If the condition is caused by a fungus, antibacterials might not work too well, another reason to consult a dermatologist or infection dept at a medical center. Ask the doctors already working with her if the condition is caused by infection, and if so what is the organism. If they say it's a common organism but she has it because of decreased resistance, it will probably resolve itself as she builds herself back up. A dermatologist would definitely know of some salve that would help to keep her comfortable; I'm surprised her doctors have not made a referral for her to one.

In medical treatment, as in everything else these days, it does not pay to suffer in silence. Your MIL must put her foot down and insist that she receive appropriate treatment for this condition--which is probably going to mean seeing another specialist.

In the meantime, she could play around with applying some distilled, white vinegar to a small spot, to see if that had any effect (besides stinging!) Is she able to take showers or tub baths yet? Her bathtub should be cleansed carefully and she needs to use a fresh towel each time she dries her legs. A tiny jot of iodine or other water purifier in her bath water (oil of thyme or tea tree, for example) might also be worth a try. I don't know if hot soaks would be detrimental or not, but a dermatologist would know.

Don't bother diluting the comfrey. Apply the goo out of the stems straight from the comfrey plant. A good way to release the goo is to freeze the stems and scrape it out. Put it on the skin, cover with seran wrap and put on an elastic bandage to keep in place.