Skip to main content
Log in

Cosmetic disfigurement from black salve

  • Commentary
  • Published:
Drugs & Therapy Perspectives Aims and scope Submit manuscript

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1

References

  1. Croaker A, Lim A, Rosendahl C. Black salve in a nutshell. Aust J Gen Prac. 2018;47(12):864–7.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Eastman KL, McFarland LV, Raugi GJ. A review of topical corrosive black salve. J Altern Complement Med. 2014;20(4):284–9.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Department of Health and Human Services. Food and Drug Administration. Code of Federal Regulations 21CFR201.117. https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfCFR/CFRSearch.cfm?fr=201.117. Accessed 10 Mar 2020.

  4. McDaniel S, Goldman G. Consequences of using escharotic agents as primary treatment for nonmelanoma skin cancer. Arch Dermatol. 2002;138:1593–6.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Nehal K, Lee E. Mohs surgery. Miller S, Corona R, eds. UpToDate. Waltham, MA: UpToDate Inc. https://www.uptodate.com. Accessed 9 Mar 2020.

  6. Saltzberg F, Barron G, Fenske N. Deforming self-treatment with herbal “black salve”. Dermatol Surg. 2009;35(7):1152–4.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Osswald SS, Elston DM, Farley MF, et al. Self-treatment of a basal cell carcinoma with “black and yellow salve”. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2005;53(3):509–11.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. US Food and Drug Administration. Company announcement. McDaniel Life-Line LLC Issues Voluntary Worldwide Recall of Indian Herb. February 08, 2019. https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/mcdaniel-life-line-llc-issues-voluntary-worldwide-recall-indian-herb. Accessed 17 Aug 2020.

  9. Saco M, Merkel K. Extensive full-thickness chemical burn caused by holistic hazard black salve [abstract no. 2331]. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2016;74(5 Suppl 1):AB54.

    Google Scholar 

  10. Worley B, Nemechek AJ, Stoler S, et al. Naturopathic self-treatment of an atypical fibroxanthoma: lessons for dermatologic surgery. J Drugs Dermatol. 2018;17(6):683–5.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Duncanson A, Kopstein M, Skopit S. Advanced presentation of homeopathically treated giant melanoma: a case report. J Clin Aesthet Dermatol. 2019;12(1):28–31.

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  12. Laskey D, Tran M. Facial eschar following a single application of black salve. Clin Tox. 2017;55(7):676–7.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Robbins A, Bui M, Morley K. The dangers of black salve. JAMA Dermatol. 2018;154(5):618–9.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Brennan R, Costley M, O’Kane D, et al. Use of black salve for self-treatment of basal cell carcinoma. Clin Exp Dermatol. 2019;44(8):947–8.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Ma L, Dharamsi JW, Vandergriff T. Black salve as self-treatment for cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma. Dermatitis. 2012;23(5):239–40.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Cienki JJ, Zaret L. An internet misadventure: bloodroot salve toxicity. J Altern Complement Med. 2010;16(10):1125–7.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Sivyer G, Rosendahl C. Application of black salve to a thin melanoma that subsequently progressed to metastatic melanoma: a case study. Dermatol Pract Concept. 2014;4(3):77–80.

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  18. Bozung AK, Ko AC, Gallo RA, Rong AJ. Persistent basal cell carcinoma following self-treatment with a “natural cure,” Sanguinaria canadensis. Ophthalmic Plast Reconstr Surg. 2020. https://doi.org/10.1097/IOP.0000000000001784[Published online ahead of print, 21 Jul 2020].

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Eastman K, McFarland L, Raugi G. Buyer beware: a black salve caution. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2011;65(5):e154–5.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Yeon J, Fernandez-Penas P. Case study: potential side effects of black salve. Aust J Dermatol. 2019;60(Suppl 1):104.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Karen Konkel.

Ethics declarations

Conflicts of interest

Lopa Thambi, Karen Konkel, Ida-Lina Diak, Melissa Reyes, and Lynda McCulley have no conflicts of interest that are directly relevant to the content of this article.

Funding

No sources of funding were used to assist in the preparation of this study or this manuscript.

Availability of data and material

Not applicable.

Consent to publish

The patient has consented to the submission of the case report to the journal and to publication of their data and photographs.

Code availability

Not applicable.

Ethical approval

FDA is permitted to disclose personal information with written consent of the person identified in an adverse event report. The authors have written documentation of consent for use of submitted photographs. Additional ethics approval is not considered necessary.

Consent to participate

The photographed individual has provided written consent for use of the submitted information.

Author contributions

Lopa Thambi, Karen Konkel, Ida-Lina Diak, Melissa Reyes, and Lynda McCulley were involved in the concept and analysis. All authors were involved in the interpretation of the data. Lopa Thambi and Karen Konkel wrote the first draft of the manuscript, and all authors contributed to subsequent drafts.

Additional information

Disclaimer: The views expressed are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the US Food and Drug Administration.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Thambi, L., Konkel, K., Diak, IL. et al. Cosmetic disfigurement from black salve. Drugs Ther Perspect 36, 526–528 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40267-020-00775-1

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40267-020-00775-1

Navigation