DMSO-Dimethyl Sulfoxide-Remarkable Health Benefits-Natures Most Valuable Healing Resource?

How to use safely and where to get

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After hours of research on DMSO, I’m convinced that it could be the most valuable tool in our efforts to remain healthy. It is a miracle substance that only God could create!

This is not intended as medical advice. Conduct your own research. This article serves as a solid starting point for your journey in exploring this remarkable substance. You could spend months, if not years, researching the potential uses of DMSO. This is not a complete guide by any means, but I believe it can get you started safely.

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Before using DMSO, understand it is a solvent and a powerful transdermal agent. It should be stored in a glass bottle. Your hands should be very clean before applying DMSO to the skin, as it will carry any toxins on your skin into your body. There is more information below regarding safety.

Have you heard of DMSO?

Despite decades of research and thousands of studies attesting to its health-promoting properties, dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) remains virtually unknown to medical professionals and the public.

This inexpensive compound has potent anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties. It has been shown to relieve painful musculoskeletal and urinary conditions and may even fight Alzheimer’s disease and cancer. It has proven effective, either by itself or in combination with other products, in treating nearly every ailment known. Unfortunately, the FDA and its allies in the pharmaceutical industry have stymied its widespread acceptance and use.

Dr. Stanley Jacob, often called “the father of DMSO”, has been researching DMSO for 40 years. A faculty member at the Oregon Health and Science University in Portland, Dr. Jacob, maintains that DMSO can be an effective treatment for closed head trauma and holds promise for other conditions such as spinal cord injuries and stroke. According to Dr. Jacob, “DMSO is a potent free-radical scavenger and diuretic that reduces swelling and improves blood supply to the brain. This improves blood oxygenation to brain tissue. Injured brain cells often aren’t dead. When these cells get increased blood supply and more oxygen, and when the free radicals are scavenged, dying cells can recover, and brain swelling is reduced very rapidly.”

I read A Midwestern Doctor’s (AMD) substack on DMSO a couple of months ago and recently found some time to do some research. AMD has been pumping out some incredible information about various health topics, but I found that whoever AMD is didn’t provide clear advice for the application of DMSO. Here is an excerpt from one of the articles AMD wrote:

•Dimethyl Sulfoxide (DMSO) is a remarkably safe naturally occurring substance that has a variety of remarkable properties that make it well suited to treating a variety of challenging medical conditions (e.g., pain, injuries, wounds, strokes, spine injuries, autoimmune conditions, cancer, and internal organ diseases).

•DMSO has broad antimicrobial properties, protects the body from microbial toxins (e.g., from C. diff), eliminates antibiotic resistance, and serves as a vehicle that can bring antimicrobials deep into the body and treat otherwise inaccessible infections.

•DMSO significantly enhances the treatment of many common bacterial infections (e.g., of the head, mouth, and skin) and many severe bacterial infections that require hospitalization (e.g., tuberculosis, sepsis, peritonitis, severe lung infections, osteomyelitis). In many cases, this has allowed an individual requiring an amputation of a chronically infected area to instead fully recover.

•DMSO has significant antiviral properties, which have most extensively been studied for herpes and shingles (both of which it excels in treating), but also in a variety of other conditions (e.g., feline panleukopenia, one of the most deadly conditions cats face.

•DMSO has significant value in treating challenging fungal and parasitic infections. Additionally, evidence suggests its utility in treating cancer and autoimmune disorders arise from DMSO’s unique antimicrobial properties.

Here is a link to the article: AMD-DMSO Article

Here are several more links to other articles regarding DMSO written by AMD.

DMSO for Spinal/Brain Injury

DMSO for pain and musculoskeletal pain

DMSO for autoimmune disorders

DMSO for ear, nose, throat and dental issues

DMSO for healing internal organs

Ok, to be perfectly honest, I did not read each of these articles in their entirety, so perhaps there is clear advice for use. Even if there was clear advice, I’m the type of person who needs to do my own research, so I went ahead and bought a couple of books on DMSO. I bought this book and this book. I think the ‘Healing with DMSO’ book by Amandha Vollmer is slightly more informative. Here is a link to a free PDF version of Amandha Vollmer's book.

What is DMSO?

DMSO is a colorless, slightly oily fluid derived from trees as a by-product of pulping or paper production. It is a tiny molecule that is very unique. It can attach to water-soluble and oil-soluble molecules and is a powerful transdermal agent, meaning it can easily pass through the skin. It can also be both hydrophobic and hydrophilic, depending on its application. There are two ‘grades’ of DMSO: industrial and pharmaceutical. You need to get the pharmaceutical grade if you’re planning on using it for your health. As with any natural or unpatentable product that has amazing health benefits, the corrupt medical cabal has done everything it can to keep this fantastic health remedy out of our hands. They need to sell us expensive drugs, so they gaslight and feed us full of bullshit so that we don’t use natural products.

Before I go any further, I need to mention the fact that DMSO acts as a catalyst for other pharmaceutical medications and can drastically increase their absorption and effects, so if you are on any big pharma meds, you should use caution when using DMSO, or maybe not use it all. One way of mitigating this risk would be to utilize the DMSO hours apart from when you take your meds. You should be extra cautious using alcohol while also using DMSO. I would highly recommend against it. DMSO can increase the absorption and effects of alcohol and could cause liver damage.

DMSO Safety

There is only one case of a DMSO-related human death on record. In the 1960s in Ireland, a woman who had been on a course of antibiotics was also on anti-anxiety medication and had an anaphylactic reaction to DMSO but continued to take it despite her adverse reaction. 22 Her resulting death was a lamentable and preventable tragedy; her histamine reaction should have been a clear signal to stop her dosage. Although pairing DMSO with any pharmaceutical should generally be avoided and, if done, should be done with only the utmost caution, DMSO should absolutely not be taken with diuretic drugs. This is because DMSO is also a diuretic, and pairing two diuretics is dangerous. Because DMSO has an affinity for water, any medication that alters kidney function should not be used in conjunction with DMSO.

I tried DMSO for elbow pain and…

I have been spending hours upon hours splitting wood, and my right elbow has paid a price. I think what I have is a form of tennis elbow. It’s funny because I’ve played tennis my whole life and never got tennis elbow. I got ‘tennis elbow’ a couple of years ago from pounding rebar into the ground to support campaign yard signs when I ran for office. It took nearly a year to resolve, and I needed to get physical therapy to get rid of the pain. After splitting wood for hours last week, my elbow was aching pretty badly. It was bad enough that it was difficult to sleep. I decided to try DMSO, and holy crap. The pain was almost gone overnight. There is still a slight ache, but I can continue working like a dog splitting more wood. I honestly believe that without the DMSO, I’d have been in the same ‘year to heal’ boat that I was the first time I injured my elbow.

Where to get DMSO

DMSO typically comes in either a 70% or 99.9% solution. Both have their uses, and starting with the 70% solution might be wise. I purchased 70% gel for topical use, which I used for my elbow. DMSO is a solvent that can make the skin tingle or sting, so many people will dilute this 70% solution further to a 30-50% solution using sterile water. Simple enough: do the math. I used the 70% gel solution on my elbow, and it did tingle and sting for a few minutes, but it was easily tolerable.

For oral ingestion, I purchased a bottle of 99.995% pure liquid from Amazon. This liquid can be mixed with sterile water and ingested (we’ll discuss this later) or combined with various herbs for many applications. Here are some other options for purchasing DMSO: 70% liquid and 70% gel. 

Do a spot test

Do a spot test if this is your first time using DMSO. Wash the elbow crease thoroughly with Bronner’s soap or another type that doesn’t contain toxic ingredients. To do the spot test, prepare a solution of 70% DMSO concentration by combining water with the DMSO in a glass bowl or container. This solution should contain seven parts DMSO and three parts water. If you mix a smaller quantity for the spot test, you could combine 7 drops of 99.99% DMSO with three drops of water to achieve the necessary 70% concentration. Dab the mixture on the elbow crease and then wait for 24 hours. If you experience prolonged redness, liver pain, or other unpleasant symptoms, do not use DMSO or try another spot test at a lower 40-60% concentration.

Various applications and dosing

• Analgesic Drops (pain relief): You’ll need a 50 ml glass dropper bottle, 30 dried cloves, a mortar and pestle (or a plastic bag and rolling pin), and 99.995% pure pharmaceutical-grade DMSO. Break up the cloves into small pieces with the mortar and pestle (or put the cloves in a bag and smash them with a rolling pin) and put the cloves into the glass bottle. Fill the bottle nearly to the top with the liquid DMSO (leave enough room to shake/agitate the bottle’s contents). Shake the bottle a couple of times per day for 7 days. After 7 days, strain out the cloves and put the liquid back into the bottle. Feel free to top off the bottle with more DMSO. Place 2-3 drops on the affected area two or three times daily for tooth pain. Place 14 drops into a glass bowl for muscle or nerve pain and add six drops of sterile water. Apply this mixture to the affected area up to 4 times per day.

• Ear Drops: You’ll need a 50-ml glass bottle, 5 ml of 99.995% DMSO, and 45 ml of 15ppm colloidal silver. This will make a 10% DMSO solution, with the remainder colloidal silver. Add the DMSO and colloidal silver to the clean glass bottle, put the lid on, and shake. Wait a few minutes for the exothermic reaction (heat producing). Add one to two drops to the affected ear 1 or 2 times per day and continue for a couple of days after symptoms resolve to ensure they don’t recur.

General instructions for oral administration

It is nearly impossible to overdose on DMSO. Researchers have shown that test subjects given 1 gram of DMSO per kilogram of body weight experienced no adverse effects from taking DMSO. So, if you wish to use DMSO as an oral medicine, simply put the dose you want to take in water. Don’t take it without mixing it with water because DMSO is very drying and can cause irritation in the digestive system if you take it without water. As a stand-alone medicine, start with 100 drops in 4 to 8 ounces of water taken 3 to 5 times daily. Double the dose within one week if you haven’t experienced the results you were hoping for, but remember–DMSO takes time to work. Many patients must take DMSO for up to 6 weeks before they experience relief from their symptoms. Increase the dose by another 100 drops weekly until you take 300 drops per dose. If desired, you can continue to increase the dose up to 1 gram of DMSO per 1 kilogram of body weight.

Other ways to administer

Topical / Skin Administration

When applied topically, DMSO enters the human blood within about 5 minutes. It does not immediately pass through the liver as it does with oral administration. Because of this, topical administration results in a more prolonged medicinal action than oral administration.

Below are recommended dilutions for the topical administration of DMSO to different areas of the body. Use an 80-90% concentration for warts.:

• Arms or Legs - 60-80% DMSO

• Torso - 40-70%

• Face - 25-50%

Administer the recommended concentration of DMSO at the recommended dose to the skin by repeatedly applying it to the skin using either your hand or a safe DMSO administration tool. Read this article to understand how to safely administer DMSO without introducing toxins to the body.

Eye Administration

Administer DMSO at a concentration of 25% as eye drops. Use a sterile saline solution to dilute the 99.99% DMSO down to a 25% concentration. Administer 1-2 drops of this 25% DMSO saline solution to the eyes once or twice daily as a natural eye treatment.

Ear Administration

Ear drops should be prepared at a 0.1-0.25% concentration. Higher concentrations may damage the hair cells in the inner ear. At this low concentration, no damage occurs, but DMSO can still be administered to the ear to provide nerve protection and anti-infection treatment. To prepare this concentration, put 2.5-5 drops of DMSO with 75-50 drops of water in a brown glass bottle with a glass pipette. Begin with the lower concentration of DMSO. If 0.1% DMSO concentrated drops do not cause discomfort, you can increase the concentration of the ear drops up to 0.25%.

Nose and Sinus Administration

Nose drops should be prepared at a 25%-90% concentration of DMSO. To prepare this concentration, combine 25-50 drops of 99% DMSO solution with 75-50 drops of clean water. These drops should be prepared with a glass pipette in a brown glass bottle. Start with the 25% DMSO concentration (25 drops of DMSO to 75 drops of water) and increase the concentration gradually so long as the DMSO solution doesn’t cause irritation. Put your head back, administer 1 drop of the DMSO-water mixture just inside the nostril, and inhale powerfully to administer the DMSO to the nose and/or sinuses. Inhale 1-3 drops in each nostril up to 3 times per day.

DMSO for Strokes

The following is from an article written by the “Yummy Doctor.”

At the first signs of a stroke, if the patient is conscious, administer by mouth (P.O.) a 50% solution of DMSO in water with a little honey or juice every 15 minutes for two hours and then every half hour for two hours. 1/2 ounce (15 ml or approximately 1 tbsp) DMSO (99.995% adjust accordingly if you have a 90% DMSO on hand) in 1/2 ounce distilled or RO water (if you don’t have it use what you have available, even juice, just no tap water) mixed with 1 tsp of honey or other natural sugar, immediately. Give no higher a percentage dose than 50% total concentration of DMSO. Wash the skin with a clean cloth. Rub 1 tablespoon of 80-90% DMSO over the neck, chest, and back, concentrating over the spine, as well as over the temples and scalp if possible. It is also advised to apply magnesium oil over as much of the DMSO-covered skin as is feasible to assist the detoxification effect of the DMSO. If the patient is unconscious, apply the DMSO and magnesium topically and bring some with you to the emergency room to apply more within the next 30 minutes topically. A 50% mixture of DMSO with magnesium can also be applied every hour for the next 3 hours after the first 2 steps of the protocol have been given. More details are below.

Scientific evidence supporting the use of DMSO for stroke

Click here for a link to the study.

Dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) is an amphipathic molecule able to solubilize polar and nonpolar substances and to cross hydrophobic membranes, is widely used to solubilize therapeutic drugs, and it has pleiotropic actions; it has mainly anti-inflammatory, anti-edematous, and anti-oxidant effects, but also produces vasodilation, muscle relaxation, inhibition of platelet aggregation, has analgesic effects, inhibits cholinesterase, modulates cholesterol metabolism, and the action of other medications, and offers overall cellular protection against ischemic injury. In the USA, DMSO is FDA-approved for human use in chronic interstitial cystitis, and in the EU, it has orphan drug status from EMA for treating traumatic brain injury where it reduces brain edema, increases neuronal oxygenation, and lowers the activation of sodium channels involved in excitotoxicity. Dimethylsulfoxide is widely utilized to protect and maintain the vitality of transplanted organs and stem cells during transport and cryopreservation. Its pharmacokinetics is well-known for its use in stem cell transplantation. In our combination, we used lower concentrations than commonly used in stem cell transplants, practically eliminating most adverse reactions when concentrations of 40% or higher are administered intravenously, or transient encephalopathy, cardiac and gastrointestinal toxicities when much higher volumes are administered to immunosuppressed, oncological patients in advanced stages of disease.

Its concentration determines the cellular actions of DMSO through three main mechanisms, which were observed empirically and characterized more recently at the molecular level: Low concentrations produce cell membrane thinning and increased membrane fluidity; higher concentrations of DMSO induce transient water pores into the membrane, while at even higher concentrations (above 20% v/v), the bi-layer structure of the membrane disintegrates after individual lipid molecules dissociate from the membrane.

DMSO is a potent molecule in biological systems; it was reported that even at very low concentrations–between 0.00025%-0.1% v/v-it stimulates neuronal mitochondrial respiration and brain metabolism. In motor nerve endings, DMSO has fusogenic activity, and it facilitates the release of neurotransmitters from the vesicles in the synaptic space; recently, it was reported that it induces the fusion of cytoplasmic vesicles with the cell membrane. It was also shown that DMSO has an antiepileptic effect by reducing the glutamatergic excitotoxin phenomena and that it reduces lipid peroxidation as well as protein carbonyl produced by ferrous chloride/hydrogen peroxide oxidative system in the rat brain. DMSO inhibits platelet aggregation by reducing thrombin formation, inhibits the proliferation of vascular endothelial cells, and increases their apoptosis. These actions may restrict the expansion of ischemic vascular beds and help with re-permeabilization in the early stages of thrombosis. DMSO was recently shown to increase the expression of transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) on the surface of cellular membranes by 3-4 fold; a molecule with potent anti-inflammatory cytokine and anti-apoptotic activity, and which was also shown to increase survival of different cell types, a very useful action in the ischemic neurons.

Excerpts from Amandha Vollmer’s Book

DMSO with alcohol and pharmaceuticals

For the most part, a holistic approach to health and the use of prescription drugs are at odds with each other. A holistic approach works with the body, aiding it, listening to it, fueling it with nutrition, helping to direct what it already wants to do, detoxing, and supporting the organ systems. A conventional approach works against the body, working hard to stop its processes, mask symptoms, and cover up problems. Mixing pharmaceutical drugs with natural remedies can pose many risks either because they are working in opposite directions or their synergistic effect is too extreme. For example, compare taking the pharmaceutical drug metformin for type 2 diabetes while detoxing the pancreas and liver (treatments in a holistic setting). Metformin damages these organs, but detoxing helps to repair them; these are conflicting, incompatible actions. Or compare taking antihypertensives to lower high blood pressure with taking vitamin C, omega-3 fatty acids, and magnesium to accomplish the same goal. These nutrients naturally reduce blood viscosity, thereby lowering blood pressure in a gentle and natural way. However, mixing the antihypertensives with the nutrients may lower the blood pressure too much. DMSO allows anything you are eating, drinking, or taking greater access inside the body. We don’t yet know everything about this substance so we must always err on the side of caution, specifically when we are blending it with a pharmaceutical drug. On the other hand, blending DMSO with natural medicine seems to enhance the actions of vitamins, minerals, botanicals, and homeopathics, which are time tested as extremely safe. However, pharmaceutical drugs damage organ systems like the liver and kidneys as well as deplete nutrient resources, so this is where we tread lightly.

First, I want to emphasize how important it is not to consume alcohol when using DMSO. Alcohol is a known carcinogen (class 1) and toxic to the liver, so drinking it is antithetical to the goal of improved health. Still, there is much to learn about DMSO in studying its interaction with alcohol. A study conducted in the 1960s tested the effects of alcohol and DMSO in various combinations and found vastly different results based on the time in which each was taken. 61 This time, relationship is not only fascinating but also greatly informative. When alcohol and DMSO were taken at the same time, the DMSO protected the body from the damaging effects of the alcohol. In mice, lethal doses of alcohol were given simultaneously with DMSO, which reduced mortality from 50 to 37 percent. However, alcohol did not affect the lethal dose rate of DMSO when the tables were turned. So, the DMSO acted in a protective manner in the simultaneous time relationship. However, when the body was given DMSO first, letting an hour pass before administering the lethal dose of alcohol, mortality was doubled. When alcohol was given first and DMSO an hour later, there was a four-fold increase in mortality. Timing is everything. In another study, when DMSO and a small dose of cognac were taken at the same time, the garlic-like taste of the DMSO was completely gone. 62 This accidental finding led the researchers to understand that alcohol hampers the expiration of the metabolite DMS, inhibiting its formation when DMSO breaks down in the body. DMS is what causes breath odor. When alcohol was consumed one hour after DMSO was applied, it had the opposite effect—the odor and taste were even more pronounced. When alcohol is consumed and time passes before DMSO is taken, the odor of the alcohol dissipates from the respiratory air even though chemically it can still be found in the air. When DMSO is used first and then alcohol is taken, the DMSO inhibits liver alcohol dehydrogenase, an enzyme that breaks down the alcohol. 63 DMSO has been used in veterinary medicine since the 1960s. 64 In fact, veterinarians were quite fascinated with the substance when it first arrived on the scene. There is a story from the late 1990s of a farm worker in my home province of Ontario, Canada, who used his bare hands to apply copious amounts of DMSO to horses over two days. Afterward, he consumed six to seven bottles of beer during a six-hour period. Normally, his body would have been able to break down the alcohol over those hours, but instead he was stopped by police for driving erratically and failed a Breathalyzer test. If this young man had been drinking more heavily, he could have experienced alcohol poisoning. 65 The moral of this story is, don’t drink and use DMSO! Note that DMSO affects other drugs, including insulin, corticosteroids, and atropine, in this same manner. When blended correctly, however, positive drug interactions can occur, requiring less drug and more access to the goal tissue or organ system.

Dose precision

With DMSO, the dose does matter and successful use takes some self-education. I can imagine, as you read this book, that you already have gathered that notion. The percentages and applications of DMSO vary depending on the condition being treated. I have had clients tell me they were taking 3 drops of DMSO in a glass of water every day and not noticing any difference. Of course, they wouldn’t see a difference; that dose is far too low. Drops are used in this manner only to enhance chlorine dioxide (CDS) absorption, as I will discuss later. I also have had people tell me they were using 99.995 percent DMSO on their skin and not seeing changes. This is because it is not the correct manner of application. For topical application, a dilution of 40 to 80 percent DMSO in pure water is needed for effect. For some disease states, the dose is lower while in others it is higher. This depends on the amount of water required for the DMSO to move into the tissues. For parts of the body with less water content, such as tendons, it is best to dilute DMSO further. I will help you sort out dosages in other chapters of this book. In our modern, materialistic world, we tend to think that more is better. I ask you to put aside this thinking when it comes to certain medicines. Homeopathy is a classic example of “less is more,” but this concept also applies to DMSO when it comes to percentages and dilutions. Remember, coming up with the correct dosage for your specific health concerns and being consistent will get you the best outcomes.

Using DMSO with other herbs, vitamins, and supplements

As we learned earlier, DMSO is absorbed rapidly through the skin. Because the skin has both water- and oil-soluble barriers, DMSO’s bipolar nature allows it to traverse those layers quickly. That being said, the absorption rate depends on the individual, and people with fair skin tend to show greater sensitivity, redness, and itching when DMSO passes through the barriers. DMSO paves the way for bigger molecules, such as essential oils, to pass through by “making inner skin layers and underlying tissue reversibly accessible, sometimes even on a nanoscale level.” This means that DMSO makes the skin accessible for materials to pass through and out from within (i.e., to push out or expel toxins). The nanomolecular scale is a very small particle size. Because DMSO assists nanoparticles through the cells, it is used in research to transfer tiny DNA particles into cells. Given DMSO’s special traits, combining it with natural substances like vitamins, minerals, botanicals, and even homeopathic remedies opens up a whole new level of therapeutic value than DMSO on its own. In my opinion, the sky’s the limit for creating useful DMSO combinations to heal all sorts of health conditions.

Vasodilation

One of the important properties of DMSO is its exothermic reactivity, meaning it produces heat when it comes into contact with other substances, particularly water. Not all exothermic reactions are considered therapeutic, but DMSO’s reactivity may be significant. A study found that topical application of DMSO increased skin temperature, as well as the temperature of the layers of tissue beneath the skin. The researchers deduced that this was a heat liberating reaction by cells and tissues, and could signify vasodilation. So too, the redness that we generally see with topical application of DMSO is an indicator of vasodilation. So what is vasodilation and why is it so important? As mentioned, vasodilation is the widening (a.k.a. dilation) of blood vessels. This happens naturally when you exercise, when you are in a hot environment, and even when you drink alcohol. Vasodilation is important because it can lower blood pressure while increasing blood flow to different parts of your body. With such promising properties, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that DMSO can be used as a powerful stroke preventive treatment, as well as first aid in an emergency. Indeed, this particular action of DMSO is what makes it so well loved in the treatment of both headaches and strokes. Many cardiac problems stem from a lack of oxygen delivery to tissues, and vasodilation and oxygen delivery go hand in hand. This can be due to a low oxygen level (hypoxia) or no oxygen delivery at all (anoxia). There are different types of strokes. An ischemic stroke is caused by low blood supply or oxygen delivery; a hemorrhagic stroke is caused by a bleed-out. In the case of ischemic stroke, DMSO should be used as first aid and given in a high dose by injection or orally. It has been proposed that DMSO may reduce oxygen use by an inhibiting effect on mitochondria, little organs inside the cell that make energy in the form of adenosine triphosphate (ATP). 51 In one experiment, an increase in glycolysis, or cellular respiration, compensated for energy loss due to the slowing down of oxidative activity after brain tissue was perfused with DMSO. The body starts to burn more glucose to make more energy and encourage more oxygen in the bloodstream. So the DMSO makes the body think it doesn’t have enough oxygen and the body gets moving to give it more!

Skin irritation and the necessity for clean skin with application

The most common issue with DMSO that I hear about is the temporary warmth, redness, peeling, itching, swelling, or burning it can cause to the skin. As far as side effects go, most of these are quite minor. To diminish them, you can reduce the percentage of DMSO you use. When it comes to the suggested percentages in this book, always adjust them for your own unique skin type and body, depending on the reactions you see. Remember that DMSO can also react with the dyes in tattoos, so it must not be applied on a tattoo site. It can take the dyes deeper into the body, which is not desired, as most tattoo inks are toxic. A natural partner for DMSO is the succulent plant aloe vera. You’ve probably seen aloe vera used for sunburns, and it is also known for its anti-inflammatory properties. Its cooling effect balances out the heat and redness that DMSO can cause. Often this combination is sold as a DMSO gel containing a ratio of 90 percent DMSO to 10 percent preservative-free aloe vera gel juice. Although some people can tolerate 90 percent DMSO, I find that this dilution is not necessarily ideal. Generally, between 40 and 80 percent DMSO is best for topical applications. The lower end of that range is advisable for animals or on sensitive skin like the face, while the higher end of the range is suitable for thicker or tougher skin, like on the soles of the feet. We’ve learned that DMSO increases blood flow to the skin (vasodilation), which explains the redness that occurs when using the substance at the proper dosage. The redness soon fades afterward, generally within anywhere from 5 to 20 minutes. Keep in mind that I do not generally recommend using DMSO in dilutions higher than 80 percent repeatedly on the skin. Higher percentages can cause a different kind of redness due to swelling and thickening of the skin. This unwanted side effect will calm, and the skin will return to normal a few days after the usage of high-percentage DMSO is stopped. Using 99.995% strength DMSO on the skin does have its place, and from time to time I do apply it in this manner, especially in the treatment of small wounds, pimples, or scar tissue. I have had much feedback about using it full strength and many people use it this way with great effectiveness. However, to keep the skin from peeling and thickening, I advise against applying full-strength DMSO repeatedly on the same patch of skin. Individual sensitivity to DMSO can vary considerably. I have customers and clients tell me that higher percentages of DMSO caused them no irritation, while others say they had a very hard time with tingling, burning, and itching. I have found that hormones can dictate sensitivity. The higher the estrogen levels, the more sensitive the individual. For example, women may notice different sensitivities at different times of their menstrual cycle. If you find that a 70 percent solution is too irritating for you, then decrease it by 10 percent and test it, and keep testing until you find a percentage you can tolerate. A 40 percent solution is the lowest you should go for topical use. However, keep in mind that in cases of extremely sensitive skin, a percentage lower than 40 might be necessary. With any new substance, it is always wise to apply a small amount as a test patch, usually on the inside of the wrist. This will give you feedback on how sensitive you are to DMSO and to the percentage you are using. Any redness, itching, tingling, or burning sensation should fade after about 10 minutes or so, although redness can take up to 20 minutes to fade completely. This is the average time it takes for DMSO to cross the skin barrier. I have not read about or heard of anyone who experienced a long-term rash from using DMSO. Clean Skin When using DMSO topically, make sure that the area of application is clean and there is nothing else on the skin, for whatever DMSO makes contact with potentially can be carried into the body. So, either wash the skin with a clean washcloth and soap and water, or take a shower before use. A good wash should always be your first step before using DMSO. After exercising and if sweating, wash the sweat residue off the skin first before applying DMSO. The skin is porous and is an organ of elimination. Many wastes are removed through the skin, especially through sweat. You can assume that sweat contains toxins that should not be reabsorbed. To be on the safe side, shower after intense sweating before using DMSO. I had a case of a woman who had a reaction to my DMSO hair regrowth spray (see Scalp Care and Hair Growth Formula in Chapter 6) after intense exercise. She had been using it with no concern for five days but then came back from a run and decided to use it while still sweating. She contacted me after her eyes became itchy and slightly swollen. After I ruled out other concerns, I deduced that she must have reabsorbed toxins through the skin from applying DMSO to her hair after sweating from exercise. It was a good lesson to understand both the power of the body to eliminate wastes and that of DMSO to carry them back in! Mechanics who get grease on their hands, or anyone who works in an industry where residue can end up on the skin, must take great care to clean their hands properly. Washing with a pure coconut oil soap is very effective at cleaning grease, soot, or other grime from skin. If you prefer not to touch the DMSO directly or are applying it to someone else or to an animal and don’t want to absorb any yourself, apply it with a natural bristle paint brush or organic cotton batten. Just make sure the paint brush bristles are natural and not synthetic, as DMSO dissolves many synthetic materials.

More information!

Here are some links to some good articles discussing DMSO and how to use it

Article 1, Article on chronic pain, DMSO protocols.

As I stated earlier, this is not medical advice. Hopefully, it will encourage you to do some research and implement this amazing substance into your wellness regime. I will do a lot more research on DMSO and report my findings in a future Substack. Happy healing. Stay free and stay healthy!

Don’t tread on me, and don’t shed on me!

Mark Bishofsky-Registered Respiratory Therapist-Activist-Host of The Truth Expedition