Compared to the latest cosmetological developments, balsamic liniment according to Vishnevsky (in common parlance - Vishnevsky ointment) seems like hoary antiquity. With its help, several generations of Soviet citizens got rid of acne, but modern doctors rarely recommend using this remedy, developed at the beginning of the 20th century. Nevertheless, consumers still remember this medicine, and numerous positive reviews about it on the Internet indicate that people still value and love it for its effectiveness in combating skin diseases.
Composition and release form
Vishnevsky ointment is a homogeneous mixture that has a yellow or brown tint and a specific, slightly unpleasant odor.
For external use only. The official name of the drug is Balsamic Liniment according to Vishnevsky. Available in glass jars or tubes.
The components are very simple, accessible and known to almost everyone:
- Birch tar. Has stimulating properties. Promotes a rush of blood and warms up the desired area, which is a prerequisite in order to accelerate the renewal of tissues and cells;
- Xeroform. Acts as an antiseptic in ointments, added in powder form. Xeroform disinfects the skin on which it is applied and kills pathogens, preventing them from entering the skin;
- Castor oil. Acts as a catalyst. Helps soften the top layer of skin, which allows medicinal components to quickly penetrate the skin and act there.
Vishnevsky ointment consists only of natural ingredients that cannot cause harm to health. It is thanks to these components that it helps relieve inflammatory processes, quickly removes acne and promotes wound healing.
Opinion of doctors and cosmetologists
Despite the fact that the ointment really helps many consumers get rid of acne, among dermatologists and cosmetologists Vishnevsky’s ointment is not very popular today. There is an opinion that this tool became widespread because its creator at one time held important positions, and he had the opportunity to “push” his brainchild, which does not represent anything valuable, to the masses.
Some experts argue that balsamic liniment according to Vishnevsky not only does not have a positive effect on the skin, but also promotes the proliferation of harmful microorganisms, creating a fatty film on the surface of the face that interferes with the healing and regeneration processes.
What is tar and how to deal with it?
Natural tar is a byproduct of oxygen-free combustion of wood. Mainly pine or birch. It contains resins, which is why it does not dissolve in water. It’s not for nothing that in the old days barrels and boats were tarred with tar to make them waterproof.
The natural wood product is considered medicinal. Birch has a sharp, characteristic odor that is difficult to get rid of. The well-known proverb “a fly in the ointment” is precisely about birch. Pine smells pleasant, it is even added to desserts and alcohol. But no matter how tasty the pine resin-based balm is, a tar mark on clothes can ruin them forever. How to remove tar?
The black viscous liquid is very difficult to wash off with water, but dissolves in alkalis and alcohol. First aid is to sprinkle with talcum powder, starch, potato flour, white clay or chalk. When the powder absorbs the resin, you need to clean it and only then begin restoring the appearance of the clothes.
Simple chemistry
It is not known how our great-grandmothers dealt with stains from wheel ointment, but household chemicals are always ready to come to the aid of the modern housewife.
After you have cleaned off the remaining tar tar along with the adsorbent, you can remove the contamination in several ways:
- Wipe with alcohol or a universal solvent (eg hydrogen tetrachloride).
- Simple laundry soap, a natural alkali, will definitely give a noticeable effect: just wash the soiled item, put it aside for several hours, rinse it by hand or wash it with powder.
- Purchase a stain remover for tar and grease stains and follow the instructions.
- Moisten the tar trace in one of the liquids: acetone, turpentine or gasoline. You can also mix solvents in equal proportions. Additionally, moisten the swab and wipe the stain. Finally, iron the stained area with a hot iron through the paper.
- Prepare a one-to-one mixture of denatured alcohol and turpentine, treat the stain, cover with a clean sheet of paper and iron.
Contraindications
Vishnevsky ointment is a product that is used only externally on the skin. It is considered a good antiseptic and quickly relieves irritation.
Vishnevsky ointment is used:
- For the treatment of purulent inflammatory processes, carbuncles and boils;
- After surgical interventions. Very effective for skin restoration after surgery, considered absolutely safe;
- Positively affects the affected vessels of the lower extremities;
- Indicated for burns, bedsores, frostbite, diseases of the arteries, blood vessels, veins, ulcers, and also treats psoriasis and inflammation of the lymph nodes.
The remedy is especially popular in the fight against acne and acne. As a result of the fact that the ointment warms up well and stimulates the work of the main components, the pimple matures much faster and the pus comes out.
There are practically no contraindications to the use of Vishnevsky ointment. It should be used with caution only by people who have very sensitive skin.
It is better to consult a dermatologist before use.
The minimum number of contraindications and side effects suggests that this is truly a universal drug.
A little more about the cons
The first and most important disadvantage of Vishnevsky ointment is its unproven effectiveness. It has been used for a very long time, but there are no reliable statistics on recoveries and side effects. In addition, the ointment has never undergone clinical trials. And, of course, no one would arrange a double-blind, randomized, multicenter, placebo-controlled trial for such a cheap and old product.
An unpleasant odor is one of the most noticeable disadvantages of Vishnevsky ointment
Therefore, today we can say with confidence that Vishnevsky’s ointment is an old remedy that is not a medicine, since it has no proven effectiveness. With a stretch, it can be classified as a dietary supplement, which also does not pass tests and is not always effective.
The second disadvantage is the inconvenience of its use. In order to obtain the stated result, you must apply the ointment for at least 12 hours. It’s unlikely that anyone can afford to sit for half the day with a terrible-smelling bandage. To do this, you will have to take sick leave, but with banal acne this is unrealistic. In addition, the fatty liquid liniment permeates everything around. If it needs to be applied under clothing, it will be hopelessly damaged. And it’s not easy to wash it off the skin - you need to use alcohol or another aggressive agent.
Therefore, we can say with confidence that it is not worth using this ointment today, when there are a huge number of modern medications with proven effectiveness.
Milk and butter
Don't trust chemistry, are you afraid of ruining your item? Take a look at a book on home economics, there will be a couple of time-tested recipes for dealing with the insidious wheel ointment.
- After carefully removing any remaining sticky resin, soak the affected item of clothing in milk overnight and wash as usual in the morning.
- Instead of sorbents, you can thickly lubricate the tar stain with butter or other fat. True, then you will have to remove it as fat, using citric acid, soda or vinegar.
- Cover the dirt with soda and salt, set aside for a while, then clean the darkened slurry and wash the clothes.
- Rub the stain with a lemon cut and rinse under running water. Repeat until the dark mark disappears.
- Apply ammonia to the swab and apply to the spot. Rinse thoroughly in warm water.
- For a delicate item, you should prepare a soap solution with a teaspoon of ammonia and a teaspoon of glycerin, carefully apply to the affected area, working from edge to center, then wash by hand with powder.
- For old marks, mix an egg yolk with a teaspoon of turpentine. Let the mixture dry, then carefully scrape it off the fabric, wash with warm water and foaming laundry soap, and rinse. Repeat as many times as necessary.
Expensive, delicate and beautiful things that you especially value are best left to specialists. Experienced employees of Dry Cleaner No. 22 know how to carefully remove the most difficult stains and will cope with the task brilliantly, especially if the stain is still fresh.
Contraindications
Vishnevsky ointment has long been famous for its versatility. It gained the greatest popularity in action in the treatment of pimples, acne and blackheads. Liniment is able to draw out pus, cleanse and restore any problematic skin.
The method of application depends on the stage of the mature pimple, its location and the time available to the patient.
Many people talk about the simple components of the ointment, its versatility, but do not forget that this is a medicinal product.
It is important to know special recommendations for use:
- You can apply the ointment only to well-cleansed skin; you can steam it a little. This will allow the skin to better absorb medicinal components. Be sure to remove makeup.
- To get the desired result, apply the ointment in a thick layer to the pimple. It is important to keep the damaged area warm.
- It is better to use after a pimple or boil has just appeared.
- Basically, the ointment is applied to a mask, which is made from gauze. It is folded in 4-5 layers. After applying the ointment, it is better to secure the mask with a band-aid. This way bacteria will not get into the wound and it will be securely fastened.
- In the morning, the ointment is wiped off the area, and the skin is wiped with lotion that contains alcohol. After cleansing, you can use a light cream.
- If your entire face is affected by acne, it is much easier to make a mask for the entire face, cutting out holes for the eyes, mouth, and nose. Vishnevsky ointment is applied to the remaining gauze. Keep it on your face for about 2 hours. The frequency of repetitions of the procedure is 2-3 times a week.
- A positive property of the ointment is its minimal number of contraindications and side effects. Even with an accidental overdose, you cannot get a skin burn.
- Soreness of the treated area and slight redness are considered normal temporary symptoms. At this time, blood flow to the heated area increases, and the tar exhibits minor irritant properties.
- If there are no contraindications or side effects, it is allowed to use the ointment for therapy until the desired result is obtained.
Detailed studies on the interaction of Vishnevsky ointment with other drugs have not been conducted. Because of this, after the simultaneous use of several types of ointments, a compound may be formed that will have an unknown effect.
Features of treatment
Using balsamic liniment is a simple matter, but there are some subtleties here too. Before use, you need to prepare your skin.
- If the ointment is applied to the face, it should first be cleaned of makeup and degreased with an alcohol-free tonic.
- The skin must be clean.
- Before applying the cream, it is advisable to steam the skin well. It is optimal to apply liniment after a hot shower: in this case, the pores will be expanded and the medicine will be better absorbed.
There are two ways to apply the product to the skin: spot-on and using a mask.
Spot application on face
If there are single pimples on the face, it is better to apply the product directly to them without affecting healthy skin. Both regular and subcutaneous pimples can be lubricated during the day, and at night it is better to fix the ointment with a bandage or small bandage. Do not be afraid to “overexpose” the drug on your face: it does not cause chemical burns.
At night, it is better to fix Vishnevsky ointment on the problem area with a band-aid
If the pimple has “burst,” the pus must be carefully removed and hydrogen peroxide applied to the wound: this will protect the tissue from further infection and speed up the regeneration process. After such treatment, liniment can be applied again until the problem area is completely healed.
Do not forget to wash off the ointment in the morning with warm running water and soap or lotion. After this, you can apply a moisturizer, since tar dries out the skin.
Using a mask with ointment
If the affected area is quite large, it is better to apply the product in the form of a mask. To do this, gauze folded in 4 layers is soaked in ointment and applied to the problem area. After 2 hours, the mask is removed, the remaining ointment is removed with napkins, and the skin is washed with soap. You can repeat this procedure once every 3 days for 2-3 weeks.
Do not be alarmed if in the first hours you feel some pain or see that the problem area has become even redder. This is a normal skin reaction in response to pus being drawn out and blood flow increasing.
Typically, improvements can be seen the next day, and significant progress is achieved after 3-5 days. During treatment, it is better not to apply decorative cosmetics to your face and not to use creams for problem skin. At the same time, it is worth following a diet, excluding baked goods, sweets, carbonated drinks, fried, fatty and smoked foods from the diet.
After 5 days of using Vishnevsky ointment, the skin takes on a healthier appearance.
Features of the use of Vishnevsky ointment
The method of applying Vishnevsky ointment depends on which problem areas of the skin it will be applied to. It is recommended to use the following methods of applying the product to the skin: making applications from gauze, smearing the ointment on the face, spot application.
For acne
Acne can occur due to hormonal imbalance, skin damage, or strong activity of the sebaceous glands.
Vishnevsky ointment is good at removing acne and cleansing the skin. But you need to be prepared that the first use may not bring the desired effect. This is only the first time, since it will take a long period to “bring” acne to the surface of the skin.
Special masks are prepared to remove acne. A mask of the required size is made from gauze (depending on the area affected by acne). Ointment is applied to it. The mask is applied to the face for 2.5 hours.
Rosacea Blackheads Whiteheads
The product is very effective and quickly gets rid of scars and acne. The drug is applied to the affected area and used until the scars completely disappear.
Treating the wound with hydrogen peroxide can speed up the process. The average period of treatment with ointment is 12-14 days. This time is enough to completely remove the inflammatory process and penetrate the ointment into the deepest outer layers of the skin. In parallel with this, the ointment regulates the metabolic process in the skin.
For subcutaneous acne, it is recommended to lubricate the affected area with a cotton swab. This is the easiest application method. To achieve the effect, the ointment must be on the skin for 45 minutes. You need to rinse off with warm water.
It is prohibited to treat or contact the ointment with the mucous membranes of the body.
After applying, wash your hands thoroughly so that there are no ointment residues on them. If any residual product accidentally gets on the mucous membranes, rinse the area thoroughly with clean water at room temperature.
If after several uses even minimal results are not visible, you should consult a doctor for advice on the advisability of such a drug.
Subcutaneous acne
Scarring
You can get rid of them only if you use the ointment at least 2 times a day. This will provoke a faster release of pus. The main property of the ointment in this case is the removal of pus to the surface of the skin. When treating internal acne, the properties of Vishnevsky ointment are equated to Ichthyol ointment.
For internal acne, use special compresses with ointment. For this you will need a sterile piece of gauze, which must be folded in several layers, and a plaster that will be used to secure the bandage. It is applied at night.
To make the effect more effective, you can simultaneously use products that have a drying and smoothing effect.
During this period, you should pay attention to switching to a balanced diet and taking a course of vitamins.
For boils
The drug for boils is used as early as possible. Vishnevsky ointment accelerates the process of ripening of boils and promotes their exit from the lower layers of the dermis.
To do this, apply ointment to the boil at least 3 times a day. After this, the boil is kept warm. But you need to make sure that it does not overheat.
As soon as the contents of the boil are released, treat the wound with hydrogen peroxide. It is necessary to lubricate the wound with ointment for a few more days to avoid relapse or infection.
Boils must be removed promptly. If the situation is neglected, the appearance of boils can become chronic.
The product can cure any types of pimples, acne, boils, as well as spots, marks and scars after them. It is not necessary to increase the amount of ointment to speed up the results. This can only provoke side effects.
Consumer reviews - does the product always help?
As for ordinary consumers, often, having already left adolescence, when they have skin problems, they are not inclined to get to the bottom of the underlying causes of the problem, but simply use old, proven remedies. On the Internet you can find a lot of positive reviews about the use of Vishnevsky ointment for the treatment of acne.
I started having skin problems when I was 10 years old. Pimples covered my entire forehead. Initially, there were few acne, and I did not pay attention to them. But in 5th and 6th grade I started getting bright red pimples!!! It was terrible! I was very ashamed to go out somewhere with such a face! I just sat and cried. Now I'm 14 years old and my skin is just as bad. Constant pimples on the forehead. Occasionally they appear on the cheeks, but this is rare. I constantly read on the Internet about all sorts of ointments and creams for acne. I tried a bunch of different ointments and the result was 0. And then one day I came across such an ointment as “Vishnevsky ointment”. I decided to try it. At the pharmacy it cost about 25–30 rubles. At the time I bought this ointment, I had a subcutaneous pimple on my face right in the middle of my forehead! So, I came home, applied a lot of this ointment to a cotton pad and “glued” it to the pimple. I did the same at night. In the morning the pus was already at the top. That is, I calmly got rid of the pus. This ointment is simply amazing at drawing out pus! If you suffer from subcutaneous acne, run to the pharmacy for this ointment!
Vishnevsky ointment was always in my mother’s medicine cabinet. This is an inexpensive and time-tested remedy. I remember when, as a child, the boys and I fell and tore our knees, we were always smeared with this ointment. Some had boils and ulcers. Those who did not have this ointment opened the abscess. And our mothers smeared this ointment on us. Personally, I have never had ulcers. But this ointment was useful to me too. When I turned 18, I moved to another city for work. Apparently, I’m not quite accustomed to the climate. And acne popped up on my face. I never had anything like this even as a teenager! I bought expensive tonics and lotions. And even after the scrubs there was no point. At the pharmacy, I asked the pharmacist to sell me something very inexpensive and effective. And what was my surprise! She gave me Vishnevsky ointment (if I had known earlier that this ointment could save me from acne, I would have grabbed it from my mother). I would like to note that the acne has become noticeably smaller in size. I won’t say that I completely got rid of them with the help of the ointment, but their number has decreased.
Negative reviews of Vishnevsky ointment are often associated with the unpleasant odor of this product.
I have known this ointment since childhood. Any sores, wounds, abrasions, splinters, etc. were treated with Vishnevsky ointment. And even now, for any skin inflammation, including purulent inflammation, this is medicine No. 1! The ointment is very good, the result will not take long to arrive! The only negative is the smell is unpleasant and very strong and persistent! If I need to apply it, I always do it at night!
However, like any remedy, liniment does not always help get rid of acne for everyone.
The drug works well against boils if used under a bandage. I tried to “treat” acne with it - alas, I didn’t notice a significant effect, but the aroma remains for a long time, and so do the marks on the skin.
However, the drug still helps most consumers, and whether it will be effective for you personally can only be determined through experience.
Side effects
Doctors and ointment manufacturers say that the product has no side effects.
But there are a few exceptions to this statement:
- Individual intolerance to the drug, which can manifest itself in the form of an allergic reaction;
- Do not use on inflammatory areas whose cause is unknown;
- In rare cases, after prolonged use, slight swelling of the area, redness, peeling or itching may occur.
Practical use of the product in the fight against acne - video
The effectiveness of Vishnevsky ointment has been proven by more than one generation of consumers. Therefore, before buying expensive modern cosmetic products, try using the good old liniment. Of course, provided that the problem is really in the skin, and not in hormonal imbalance or disruption of internal organs. In any case, before using the product, it is better to consult your doctor.
It would seem, where can a city dweller get dirty in tar? But a weekend in the village, a breakdown on the road, an unplanned tire repair, even Vishnevsky ointment dripped onto jeans - and now the zealous housewife faces a problem: how to wash dark stains with a characteristic odor from clothes?
Overdose
There have been no cases of acute overdose after even long-term use of Vishnevsky ointment.
Manufacturers state the possibility of such manifestations after applying an excessive amount of the drug:
- Allergic reaction – itching, rash;
- Redness of the area to which the ointment is applied;
- Slight peeling of the skin near the wound.
After such manifestations, it is recommended to temporarily stop using liniment.
