DEUse of cosmetic products with a high fat content or comedogenic – pore-clogging – ingredients
Drawing ointments are special ointments used for inflamed skin areas with pus formation – e.g., for small abscesses, pimples, or ingrown hairs. Their goal: to “draw” the pus to the surface so that the inflammation can often drain by itself.
the nape of the neck
How do purulent skin inflammations develop?
Purulent skin inflammations occur when bacteria (e.g., staphylococci) penetrate through small skin injuries, clogged pores, or ingrown hairs. The body reacts with a local inflammation and forms pus to encapsulate the pathogens and curb further spread of the infection.
Typical symptoms:
- Redness and swelling
- Feeling of tension or pressure pain
- Visible or palpable pus accumulation
Common forms:
- Small abscesses*
- Inflamed pimples
- Ingrown hairs and folliculitis**
- Inflammations around the nail
- Foreign bodies like splinters under the skin
Skin inflammations can fundamentally occur anywhere on the body, so to speak, from head to toe. A drawing ointment can therefore be used on numerous body parts.
Skin inflammations often occur in hairy areas of the body or in areas with many sweat glands – such as on the buttocks, thighs, armpits, or in the intimate area. Even the smallest injuries, for example from scratching or shaving, can be enough for germs to penetrate the skin and trigger a painful inflammatory process in the tissue there.
* What is an abscess? An abscess is an inflammatory accumulation of pus under the skin, usually caused by bacteria. Typical signs include redness, swelling, pressure pain, and a palpable lump that can eventually drain outwards. Small, superficial abscesses can often be treated well with an ointment like ilon Classic
. However, for larger, severely painful, or deep-seated abscesses, as well as for additional symptoms like fever, affected individuals should definitely seek medical advice
.
** What is folliculitis? Folliculitis is an inflammation of the area around a hair – usually caused by bacteria that penetrate through small skin injuries or friction
. A small, reddened elevation with a pus point develops, similar to a pimple. Common areas include the neck, back, buttocks, intimate area, or after shaving. Such
inflammation can itch, burn, or be sensitive to pressure. An anti-inflammatory ointment like ilon Classic can help soothe the inflammation.
How to apply a drawing ointment correctly?
For a drawing ointment to fully unfold its effect, it is recommended to cover the affected and inflamed skin area with a plaster or a bandage. Daily changing and removal of ointment residues with some water is also advisable.
Furthermore, patience pays off with many skin inflammations: It can take a few days until pus becomes visible on the skin surface and drains from the pimple or abscess. The feeling of tension and warmth then subsides, and the healing process begins.
If your skin inflammation does not noticeably improve after three days of regular application of the drawing ointment, or if it even worsens, or if additional symptoms such as redness, swelling, severe pain, or fever occur, you should definitely consult a doctor.
Drawing ointment for subcutaneous pimples:
First aid for inflammations
They often appear on the face, back, or in the intimate area and cause pain when pressed: subcutaneous pimples. Unlike normal pustules, these are not visible from the outside. Many only notice this small, pus-filled bump under the skin surface when touched. Subcutaneous pimples can be effectively treated with a drawing ointment.
The cause of subcutaneous pimples is often clogged skin pores or excessive sebum production. Pimples under the skin also arise from:
With subcutaneous pimples, quick action is required. You should under no circumstances prick them yourself with a needle or treat them by squeezing. This can further worsen the inflammation and, in the worst case, lead to blood poisoning.
Black drawing ointments, green drawing ointments…
What types of drawing ointments are there?
Most people have probably had contact with drawing ointments. The mechanism of action and the effect of different drawing ointments are similar, as every drawing ointment, so to speak, “draws” the pus associated with a skin inflammation to the skin surface. However, their active ingredients and thus some other properties differ significantly in part.
The most significant and striking differences between black and green drawing ointments are the different active ingredients, the visually very divergent color, and the distinctly different smell.
The main active ingredient of black drawing ointments is based on sulfonated shale oil (official designation of the pharmaceutical active ingredient: ammonium bituminosulfonate). The shale oil gives black drawing ointments their black color. The active ingredient of black drawing ointments is thus, in a way, also their namesake. Furthermore, the shale oil gives them their characteristic smell.
Drawing ointments with herbal active ingredients mostly contain a combination of herbal active ingredients, especially based on essential oils, which are primarily extracted from conifers. The use of these active ingredients gives them a pleasant, fresh scent and a transparent-greenish color.
ilon Classic –
the “green drawing ointment”
When the skin is inflamed, throbbing, tense, or painful, we desire quick, reliable relief – preferably in a herbal way. This is exactly where ilon Classic comes in: The “green drawing ointment” combines proven natural knowledge with modern pharmaceutical quality – and has been available in German pharmacies for generations.
From pitch ointment to modern plant power
Pitch ointments have a long tradition in folk medicine in the Alpine region. Made from natural resins such as larch or spruce resin, they were used for purulent skin inflammations or to remove splinters. Their “drawing” effect, which brought pus, inflammations, or foreign bodies to the skin surface – thus supporting the healing process – was highly valued.
Also in Tyrol, where larch resin for Ilon is still harvested today, its application was an integral part of healing for centuries. Ilon took up this traditional knowledge in 1929 and developed a unique herbal medicine from it that is still available today: the ilon Abscess Ointment – now known as ilon Classic.
Naturally strong for skin inflammation
ilon Classic offers a natural solution for skin inflammations and reliably relieves typical symptoms such as redness, tension, pain, and swelling – even with pus formation. Its unique herbal
active complex of larch balsam1, essential oils of maritime pine and eucalyptus powerfully supports healing.
ilon Classic – with the power of nature
Herbal active complex with the power of Tyrolean larch balsam
- anti-inflammatory
- Antibacterial
- promotes blood circulation
Gently resolves inflammations from the skin and thus promotes
natural regeneration.
1 The term larch balsam is an alternative name for larch turpentine, an active ingredient obtained by purifying and filtering larch resin. 1 g of ointment contains: larch turpentine 54 mg, turpentine oil of maritime pine type 72 mg, eucalyptus oil 12 mg. Other ingredients: white petrolatum, yellow wax, stearic acid, oleic acid, polysorbate 20, rosemary oil, thyme oil, thymol, chlorophyll-copper complex (E141), butylhydroxytoluene (E321).