Wednesday, August 8, 2012

Black Salve


Before you read this post, please let me emphasize my disclaimer.  I am not a medical professional and this blog is not written to offer any medical advice.  I am simply a guy that shares links, articles, information and occasional opinions as it relates to melanoma and skin cancer awareness, all in honor of my brother who passed away after battling melanoma.  For medical advice, please consult your physician or dermatologist.  With that being said, read on:


One doesn’t often hear the term “surfing the internet” as much anymore.  Most people browse, but I still like to surf.  I might find a neat article which has a link to another article which might connect to a video which might have similar videos listed and so on and so on.  My original search might have been for sunscreen and the next thing you know my mouth is watering over a recipe for lemon broccoli chicken.  “Surfing” is neat that way.  But sometimes, it just pisses me off.

I was searching for a video I recently posted on Facebook.  It was the one about bad golfers and how the most common hazard is sun exposure.  I thought it was one of the more humorous PSAs and I was impressed with its efforts to make us stubborn men more aware of sun safety.  After I watched it on YouTube, I noticed links to other melanoma-related videos.  There was one that caught my attention…the still photo was of an intelligent looking woman with a caption of “Dermatologists Hate This Video (natural skin cancer cure).”  Notice…CURE.  I had to watch.

I won’t get into all the details.  You can find it and watch it if you’d like…I won’t link it here because I simply cannot endorse it.  Of course, those that would support the video would claim that I’m a pawn of “Big Pharma” or perhaps supporting the wallet-wasting world of modern medicine.  I’m not…but I’m sure I couldn’t convince such people otherwise, so I won’t try.  Anyhow, what pissed me off was the statement that “Skin cancer is curable.  100%...whether it’s basal cell or squamous cell or melanoma, it’s curable…naturally.”

The lady goes on to describe the two natural cures, but I was drawn to the first.  It’s called Black Salve.  (The other is called Hemp Oil).  Black Salve is an escharotic which is defined as a corrosive substance that forms a black, dry scab on the skin from burning.  It’s basically a caustic paste consisting of bloodroot, zinc chloride, and other non-regulated ingredients.  The video goes on to explain that after applying this salve onto a cancerous lesion, the paste will “draw the cancer cells out…including the roots.”  You see, if legitimate surgeons try to cut out the cancer, they might miss some of the root.  And besides, “cutting into a cancer only makes it angry.”

Hmm.

I decided to read other articles related to this magic wonder acid.  Not surprisingly, the FDA (aka, “Big Pharma” as the video gal proclaims) has deemed Black Salve as a “fake cancer cure” and has essentially banned it from the US.  Not surprisingly, the people who sold Black Salve under the brand name of Cansema fled to Ecuador to market their product from there.

Hmm.

 So what I found out in a nut shell (nut-case shell?) is that Black Salve CAN be obtained (or made at home…I found a video with the recipe) and in some instances is approved for use on animals (although there is a drive to ban such use). Proponents of Black Salve claim that the caustic paste only attacks the cancerous flesh and leaves the normal skin alone.  Medical personnel would agree with half of this…but the problem is that it’ll eat through pretty much ANY flesh, including healthy skin.  There are documented reports of a woman applying some on her nose to address “a bump”…only to have her nose and much of her cheeks literally fall off her face within a week!  No, I won’t attach the photo, but it ain’t pretty.

I guess the reason I’m posting this is that many folks will try many methods to eradicate their cancer, and my fear is that some folks will become desperate enough to try Black Salve.  Truthfully, the escharotic was used in the past…WAY in the past.  But nowadays, Mohs surgery and other methods are far more regulated and less risky.  I understand that radiation, chemo, and other medical treatments can cause serious side-effects, but at least it’s regulated, monitored and controlled.   If you buy Black Salve or Cansema today, you have no idea what’s really in the paste…it’s not regulated, by anyone!  Some pastes have been found to have sulfuric acid within.  Also, it seems that the concentration of zinc chloride is very important.  A 40% concentration can pretty much guarantee significant disfigurement and burning pain.  A 30% concentration is better controlled but still very risky and painful.  It is simply not worth it…and it’s illegal to use for a reason.

Remember, I’m not a medical professional, so you should seek out your own answers.  To find out more about Black Salve, you can start with our favorite Dr. Mercola watch dog site, Quackwatch.  They have quite the dissertation on the history and evidence against Black Salve.  If you feel their view is slanted too far away, then I suggest you search legitimate medical sites from which you’ve learned to trust information regarding melanoma.

In my unsolicited and unsponsored opinion…stay away from the stuff!

15 comments:

  1. Wow! Just the word 'black salve' sounds scary...

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  2. I agree--the name alone sounds scary. EEK!

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  3. I use Black Salve and work for me in a BCC in my face . I preferred use Black Salve to have Mohs surgery .

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  4. I was sceptical about the claims plus the conspiracy of big pharma efforts to quash or debunk black salve - it all sounded all too good to be true... I thought if it is a scam then it hasn't cost me muh to try it so I went for it and it worked exactly as the many other positive results published on the internet. It did not burn half my face off as in that scare site and it appeared to just go after the affected tissue... Now I am seriously thinking that big pharma IS actively trying to remove this inexpensive competitor that threatens their products... So when big pharma is not interested in carrying out any research - I suspect they already know the answer - because it works!

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  5. you just need the get black salve WITHOUT the bloodroot, do your research ppl, the only reason the fda does not like it is because it takes money out of doctors pockets, my friend had a tumor on his face and he bought yellow and black salve, and put it on for 3 weeks and tumor came out and fell off. Salves derived from bloodroot cannot be relied on to remove an entire malignant tumor. my friend didnot have bloodroot in his salve.

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  6. I had many people recommend this to me when I was diagnosed, they had either used it themselves or knew somebody who had, all reported success, ironically,my docs never found a primary mole on me when i was diagnosed with Melanoma in a lymph node, the old timers around here call it "black mud" and it appears to have been accepted and widely used and people, in fact, seemed surprised that I had not heard of it before, I'd give it a shot if I had some

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  7. I have used Black Salve with the Blood Root many times and it has worked wonders for both my wife and I. I have treated at least 12 or more places on my body and not one spot ever returned. I have also used the other so called Black Salves that do not use Blood Root and they did nothing. Its Blood Root for me or BUST.
    Steve

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  8. A healthy dose of skepticism is always good and when dealing with something as potentially dangerous as cancer only a fool acts without doing there research first. What amazes me, including in the above comment, is how bad people are at doing that research.
    Did it occur to you to check out the quack-watch guy 'Dr Stephen Bennet' and just how credible he is? This guy is a shakedown merchant that continually writes scandalously insulting articles on alternative practitioners provoking reactions he then sues them for. Because of the cost of court cases he makes a very nice income from settling out of court. Of the few (4 to date) victims who have actually spent the money to fight the charge he has each time had his case thrown out and substantial judgements made against him of up to $400,000.
    Skepticism is a good thing, but why not check you are not quoting a shakedown merchant as thoroughly as you check the other side.

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  9. I love the replies. You truly have done 0 research on the subject besides reading what you want to hear. Please get your facts straight. You are simply re-posting information the FDA and other profit-driven "professionals" have drummed up in an effort to keep their pockets fat.

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  10. I know I'm a little late into this debate but I would like to point out that Dr Mohs, the originator of Mohs surgery, actually started out using bloodroot paste on his patients as a pre-surgery preparation.

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  11. i am at the stage of researching this product for use internally since all my cancer is in my lymph node,
    i am also stage 4, and but the more i read, I THINK NOT
    even though i seem to be getting surgeries every 4 months now
    I am however , taking more supplements and herbs, to boost my overall health and immune system, so for the most part i feel great, and i have cancer

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  12. There is NO debate, there is NO evidence Black Salve works as advertised.

    If you used it and you THINK it worked then what shape is the earth, is it flat because it looks flat to YOU or is it round because there is evidence it is round?

    Your story is worthless against all the evidence that Black Salve does NOT work.

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  13. I have no idea where my parents got the stuff, but this is nothing new to me, when I was a kid and got a cut, it was always the black salve that my mother would use on it, never had any bad reactions to it

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  14. Honestly, I see your part that has been what you form your opinion on, but in the full picture all medical treatments have the same bad side and those who do the self treatment jump up from being common person to know-it-all expert and risk sever injury not knowing the amounts, the ingredients or need to know details for what they are dealing with. I do not say either way, just feel my heart safer to be natural due to my Native American Blood and not one to use medical things much in my life. Meaning, pills, treatments or doctors visits just because my nose has a discharge with a cough. All should seek deep understanding with any illness and feel sure of the treatment choice or the failure will be the out come of it more times than not. Remember your heart must support it and be happy no matter what you do, and my ancestors had less illness using natural healing.

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  15. The thing I dont understand about their claims is, it says it cures melanoma. HOW do you know it is melanoma if you never had it cut out and biopsied in the first place? You may have removed a mole but how do you know it was cancer. And how do you know all the cells are really gone unless you have it biopsied again. It has to be diagnosed microscopically. Which would you rather have, a scar, or gamble with the chance of it spreading internally months or years later. It can lay dormant and spread even 15 years later. And once it spreads internally, melanoma is one of the most malignant and incurable of all cancers. The statement “Skin cancer is curable. 100%...whether it’s basal cell or squamous cell or melanoma, it’s curable…naturally.” Is so misleading and a slap in the face to anyone who is battling melanoma or has lost a loved one. The researchers have loved ones who have died from cancer or have gotten it themselves. Do you really think they could or would keep a "100% cure" from humanity and not research it? It just doesn't make sense rationally or scientifically.

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