Perrigo Ichthammol Ointment 20%, 1 oz

I ordered this product on May 7th 2013. Since it is not due to arrive until approximately no later than May 15th. And I was in so much pain with the boil under my left arm I decided to call around to the local drug stores where I live. Like (CVS and RITE AID) And I was able to go and buy it myself on May 8th. Oh my, I am so happy that I did. I started using it that day after I got home and I knew that I would not be going out into the general public. I washed with warm soapy water and sterilized under my arm with Hydrogen Peroxide. I made sure the area was completely dry before I applied the salve. Now it does not smell that great and if you know what Tar smells like, that is the best way to describe how it smells. I really did not care about that because I knew that the odor that would come from the boil under my arm would smell a heck of a lot worse and I was just simply tired of being in pain and not being able to sleep well at night.When you apply this salve you can put it on a piece of sterilized gauze or a couple cotton balls and tape it in place. And please make sure that you clean and sterilized the area each time before you apply this salve or any type of topical cream or ointment over the counter or one that prescribed by your Doctor to avoid further infection to the infected area.Depending on the size of your boil and location I prefer using the sterilized gauze because seems to stay in place lot better. I would used the medical paper tape that is used in Hospitals and Nursing homes by Nurses and Doctors. Because some of the other medical tapes may tear or irritate your skin and the fact that you are already in pain from having the boil itself, and you most certainly do not want to add to your discomfort. You can also purchase which ever medical tape you prefer at your local drug store as well. Word of caution it will stain your clothes or bedding so be sure to wear a shirt or other clothing you will not mind getting stained. Now after just using this salve for two days and two nights straight along with alternating warm compresses as warm as I could tolerate them. I am now as of today pain and boil free!!!! After taking my bath today and while drying myself off I noticed the boil under my left arm had come to a head, (which is the exact stage you need the boil to be so that you can expel the infection out of your body). So I took a clean paper towel and applied just a slight bit of pressure. And I was able to expel all of the infection out the boil. I washed under my arm again with warm soapy water and sterilized it again with more Peroxide and applied antibiotic cream and cover it with a piece of sterilized gauze. I will continue to repeat this process at least 2 to 3 times a day by keeping the area clean and sterilized until the area is completely healed. I'm a retired Nurse's Aid of 23 years and I have worked very closely with a lot of very well trained Nurses and Doctors, so I felted okay with treating my boil at home. And I have use this product before some years ago when I had a boil. So I already knew what to expect and I knew that it would work. But if you are not sure or comfortable with self treating a boil or any other type of skin infection at home. I strongly recommend that you consult with you own personal Physician or healthcare provider before you just start using this or any other product that you are not familiar with. It is better to be safe than sorry. Best wishes to you .Sincerely,very happy pain and boil free consumer.

No it does not really 'draw out' splinters, what it does is soften the surrounding skin, making it easier to pull out or work out naturally. It does not 'draw out' a boil, pimple, or infection. It softens the skin making the infection seem closer to the surface, and in addition it has antiseptic, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, bactericidal and fungicidal properties, so it helps heal and keeps things from getting worse. Made from sulfur-rich shale, it's considered a safe and effective natural product. Stinky? Yes. But not overpowering. One of the best ointments for minor skin issues, be it people or animals. There is a reason why Great Grandmother had it in the medicine chest. Why isn't in more medicine cabinets today? I suspect it has something to do with company profit or advertising, as it really SHOULD be in your first aid arsenal, in my opinion. It works. UPDATE 8/4/13: I took a video of my finger slathered with this stuff after picking a weed with 'stingers'. Within a few minutes the stinging stopped. I didn't wind up bandaging, just rinsed it off after a few hours. No stinging on that finger, yet on my RIGHT hand where I did NOT apply the ointment, I still had mild stinging.

I received fresh and good quality Ichthammol. I highly recommend it for lots of skin treatments and even acne (which is what I use it for now). Will help draw out the infection so your skin can start healing. Leave it on cyst undisturbed for at least 2-3 hours, once a day. Repeat until infection is gone. Wash with a face cleanser before AND after. It has anti-bacterial action as well. You can also put a dab on a band aid and leave it for 8-10 hours with no issues. Change the bandage and re-apply the next day, if necessary. Do not go to bed with the Ichthammol on as it will terribly stain any sheets, pillows, fabric, etc. I few years ago I used the band-aid method to painlessly "dissolve" a skin tag on my neck. I changed the bandages everyday and it started to drain the liquid and completely disappeared within 10 days (it's possible that it was gone before that, but I forgot to remove the last bandage for 3-4 days). Note that if you are using ANY type of strong retinoid creams or acid peels, this can cause an interaction and chemically burn your skin. Remove immediately if any burning sensation is felt, itching however is normal.