Posted on 11/13/2025 9:30:21 PM PST by ConservativeMind
The social media trend touting rosemary and rosemary extract as part of skincare routines is now backed by science. A compound found in rosemary leaves may significantly improve the healing of skin wounds and reduce scarring, according to research.
Said Thomas Leung, MD, Ph.D., "Our findings suggest that rosemary extract, and specifically the antioxidant, carnosic acid, can shift the healing process from scarring to healthy skin regeneration. We don't have proven ways to consistently do that in humans."
Conducting the research in mice, the researchers made a cream with carnosic acid, a naturally occurring antioxidant mostly existing in rosemary, to accelerate wound closure and restore hair follicles, oil glands, and cartilage. They also found that a particular nerve sensor in the skin previously identified as essential to scarless healing, TRPA1, was critical for stimulating the healing in this instance, too.
When tested in mice without the TRPA1 sensor, which previous research from Leung showed is responsible for scarless healing, carnosic cream lost its impact.
"We also identified other herbs, such as thyme and oregano, that may activate TRPA1. But rosemary stood out for its potency and safety," said Rapp Reyes, co-lead author of the study.
"Other natural ingredients, such as mustard oil, or the topical medication imiquimod are known to also stimulate the TRPA1 receptor, but unlike rosemary, those can cause irritation and inflammation,"
The researchers also found a localized effect from rosemary; scarless healing only occurred when carnosic acid cream was applied to the site of the injury but not when it was applied to skin far from the wound.
Nevertheless, given rosemary's accessibility and low cost, the researchers hope their findings will inspire further investigation into its use in human wound care, especially for patients at risk of excessive scarring.
(Excerpt) Read more at medicalxpress.com ...
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People could make a poultice of rosemary and apply that.
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