Potato skin refers to the outer skin of the potato tuber, which belongs to the Solanaceae family and the Solanum genus. The external use of potato skin has anti-inflammatory, analgesic, anti-swelling, acne-reducing, and hair dyeing effects. It can also assist in the treatment of small burns, external swelling and pain, and acne.
Anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects
Potato skin has anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects. For small burns, applying potato skin boiled in water to the affected area can prevent inflammation and reduce pain.
Anti-swelling effects
The potato skin peeled from raw potatoes contains solanine, a steroidal alkaloid derivative, which can penetrate subcutaneous tissue and blood vessels, promoting blood circulation and exerting strong effects in promoting blood circulation, removing blood stasis, reducing swelling, and relieving pain. When the body experiences swelling and pain, applying raw potato skin can not only reduce swelling, but also speed up the reduction of swelling.
Acne-reducing effects
Potato skin has acne-reducing effects due to its rich content of vitamin B2. Vitamin B2 can participate in the metabolism of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. Applying potato skin to acne can relieve skin inflammation caused by acne and accelerate the disappearance of acne.
Hair dyeing effects
Brushing potato skin boiled in water onto the hair can darken white hair. This is because potato skin contains tyrosine and tyrosinase. Tyrosine undergoes a browning reaction under the catalysis of the enzyme, ultimately resulting in the formation of melanin, which dyes the hair black. However, this type of melanin is water-soluble and will wash out, so it does not stay on the hair for a long time. It is also recommended that individuals with allergies do not attempt this method.
