TCM Surgery Master Zhao Bingnan's "Black-Cloth Plaster" for Skin Scar Carcinoma

Dr. Zhao Bingnan was a renowned contemporary expert in TCM dermatology and surgery in China. Among his experience formulas is a "Black-Cloth Plaster" (Heibu Yaogao) for treating skin scar carcinoma.

The composition is: aged black vinegar 2.5 kg, Galla Chinensis (Wubeizi) 740 g, golden-headed Scolopendra (Jintou Wugong) 10 pieces, honey 180 g, Borneolum syntheticum (Meihua Bingpian) 3 g. The preparation method is: boil the black vinegar in a clay pot for 30 minutes, add honey and boil again until it bubbles; then slowly sprinkle in Galla powder through an iron sieve, stirring constantly while sprinkling. After all has been added, simmer over a low heat until it becomes a plaster-like consistency, then mix in Scolopendra powder and Borneolum and stir well.

The finished plaster should be glossy, black and moist, and stored in a sealed porcelain or glass jar for later use. For use, take the plaster with a tongue depressor or other non-metallic utensil and apply a layer about 2-3 mm thick to the affected area, then cover with black cloth or thick cloth; change the dressing once every 2 days.

Nowadays, one can prepare the plaster according to the above recipe and then load a small amount of it into empty plaster patches (the patch size can be chosen according to the size of the lesion, preferably slightly larger than the lesion; plaster patches of various sizes are sold online), spreading the plaster evenly to a thickness of 2-3 mm with a tongue depressor or bamboo strip, and apply it to the affected area. Change the dressing every 2 days; before each application, clean the skin.

If the skin is prone to dryness and cracking, one may first apply some skin-care treatment such as Vaseline, vitamin E skincare products, or zinc oxide ointment before applying the medicine.

The Galla Chinensis (Wubeizi), golden-headed Scolopendra (Wugong) and Borneolum (Bingpian) in this formula all have a certain anti-cancer and swelling-reducing effect and can also relieve pain. They not only have a certain inhibitory effect on skin scar carcinoma but also on superficial metastatic lesions of other tumors, and can reduce the pain caused by the lesions. The Galla Chinensis (Wubeizi), Borneolum (Bingpian) and Scolopendra (Wugong) in this formula are not highly toxic medicines; made into an external plaster, the side effects are even smaller and the safety is very high. Patients with no history of skin allergy can basically all try it.