Is Calendula Antifungal?
Calendula flowers are easy to grow and they have got many uses in medicine, cosmetics, and food. It’s one of the most popular herbal remedies used to treat different skin conditions and at the same time, it’s so gentle it can be used in babies to treat nappy rash.
Calendula is used to relieve symptoms of the following conditions:
- Viral and bacterial infections
- Muscle spasms
- Gastric ulcers
- Hemorrhoids
- Menstrual cramps
- Constipation
- Ear infections
But is it Also Good for Yeast Infection?
Let’s look at what science has found out about the antifungal properties of calendula:
- A 2008 study looked at how calendula essential oil affects different Candida strains. They found that it is more effective than Nystatin (a common antifungal drug) in inhibiting the growth of seven different Candida strains: Candida albicans, Candida glabrata, Candida tropicalis, Candida dubliniensis, Candida parapsilosis, Candida guillermondi and Candida crusei.
- A 2012 study found that the antifungal activity of ethanol and methanol calendula extract is comparable with that of Fluconazole, an oral medication for yeast infection.
- A 2016 study compared calendula with clotrimazole in treating vaginal yeast infections. They found that although calendula took more time to relieve vaginal yeast infection symptoms, its effects were more lasting. It means that there were significantly fewer cases of recurring yeast infections in the group of women treated with calendula cream than those who used clotrimazole.
Calendula cream vs. Calendula Salve
If you want to use calendula on your skin to relieve yeast infection symptoms I recommend calendula salve. Let me tell you why. A salve is using calendula oil and beeswax as a natural preservative.
It doesn’t contain water meaning it will stay longer on your skin and it’s got a long shelf life. The fact that it contains beeswax makes calendula salve a more antifungal because beeswax, like many other bee products, is able to kill Candida cells.
A calendula cream contains water and it needs to use artificial preservatives and other fillers to prolong its shelf life and improve texture. You don’t need all that.
Some fillers and preservatives may be irritating to your skin, so in the end, they’ll do more harm than good. Stick with calendula salve, its antifungal effect is much more potent than that of cream and it’s 100% natural.
How to use Calendula for Yeast Infection?
If you’ve got a vaginal yeast infection, you can relieve the itching by applying calendula salve on your vulva as often as you need. You’ll still need to use an antifungal treatment to get rid of the infection. If you want to use a natural treatment, use homemade aloe vera suppositories or coconut oil suppositories.
If you want to get rid of skin yeast infection, apply calendula salve on the affected skin as often as you need to relieve itching. You can also drink calendula tea to make the most of its antifungal effect and use it to supplement your Candida diet. For the best quality tea, use dried calendula flowers.
Place two spoons of calendula flowers in a teapot and fill it with boiling water. Let it brew for 20 minutes and drink throughout the day. Make sure you prepare a new infusion every day.
Is Calendula safe?
Calendula is considered safe, but there are some points you should take into consideration before using it:
- This herb can stimulate menstruation, so it’s not recommended to pregnant women and those trying to conceive
- People who are allergic to plants from the aster or daisy family should avoid calendula because they may also be allergic to it
- In order to check if you’re allergic, apply a small amount of calendula salve or calendula essential oil on a small patch of your skin before you start applying it to your vagina or yeast-infected skin.
Conclusion
Calendula is a herb with that offers many benefits to our health and it’s got a scientifically documented antifungal effect.
The best way to make the most of its antifungal properties is to apply calendula salve on affected areas. Make sure you don’t use it inside the vagina or in your mouth.
Have you ever used calendula salve to treat a yeast infection? Please share your experiences and questions in the comment section below.
Do you think calendula oil would be just as good as the salve or would this be too strong for the vulva area as it is 100% pure?
P.S. Thank you for this really helpful site – I refer to it a lot!
Hi BumbleBee, try mixing a few drops of calendula oil with a tablespoon of a carrier oil: coconut oil or olive oil. Apply it on a small area on your vagina and see how your skin reacts. If there is no itching or burning, it should be fine. Unfortunately, I don’t know if this treatment works as I’ve never used it. I can vouch for tea tree oil and lavender oil, but not calendula oil at the moment. Please let me know how it goes!