A poultice of figs is a warm dressing made from cooked figs, mashed or halved and wrapped in cloth, laid on the skin. It is one of the oldest remedies on record – the phrase comes to most people from the Book of Isaiah, where it is applied to a boil. Here is what it is, how it was made, what the fig itself actually contains, and where the line falls between a household comfort and something a doctor should see.
A poultice is any soft, warm mass held against the skin by a cloth. The fig version simply uses figs – boiled in water or milk until soft, then mashed or halved, wrapped in gauze, and applied warm.
Its fame is literary rather than medical. In Isaiah 38:21 and again in 2 Kings 20:7, the prophet has a lump of figs laid on King Hezekiah’s boil, and the king recovers. That single passage is why the expression survives in English at all, and why most people who search for it want a definition rather than a recipe.
The tradition is far wider than one text: fig poultices appear in Greek, Roman, Arab and mediaeval European practice, almost always for boils, abscesses and swellings.
Something, yes – but probably not because of the fig.
Moist heat applied to a simple boil is genuinely useful, and remains the first thing any doctor will suggest: it increases blood flow to the area and helps the boil come to a head and drain on its own. A warm poultice of any kind delivers that heat and holds it there, which a dry flannel does poorly.
Figs bring two plausible extras. Their flesh is mucilaginous, so it stays soft and holds warmth well. And the latex contains ficin, an enzyme that breaks down protein, which is the usual explanation offered for the poultice’s reputation. That explanation is traditional rather than demonstrated: there is no clinical evidence that a fig poultice outperforms a plain warm compress.
Treat it, then, as what it is: a pleasant and harmless way to apply warmth, with a long history behind it.
Stop after three days. If nothing has changed by then, the poultice is not the answer.
A small boil on an otherwise healthy adult usually settles on its own with warmth and time. Do not treat these at home – see a doctor:
And a dental abscess is always a matter for a dentist, without delay. Older herbals recommend fig decoctions as a gargle for it; a dental infection can spread to the jaw and beyond, and no poultice or rinse will treat the cause.
This part needs no tradition to defend it. Figs are genuinely rich in fibre and potassium – and drying concentrates everything, including the sugar.
| Per 3½ oz (100 g) | Fresh figs | Dried figs |
| Calories | about 74 kcal | about 250 kcal |
| Fibre | about 3 g | about 10 g |
| Sugars | about 16 g | about 48 g |
| Potassium | about 230 mg | about 680 mg |
| Calcium | about 35 mg | about 160 mg |
| Best for | eating fresh, in season, as fruit | a concentrated source of fibre – in small quantities |
The practical consequence: figs are a good way to add fibre, which is why they have a long-standing reputation for easing occasional constipation. Two or three dried figs deliver a useful amount. A whole bowl delivers as much sugar as a bar of chocolate.
Figs bruise easily and keep two or three days at most once ripe, which is why so much of the crop is dried or preserved.
Older sources – including, until now, this page – recommend applying the milky sap of fig leaves and stems to warts and corns. Do not do this.
Fig latex contains furocoumarins, compounds that make skin acutely sensitive to ultraviolet light. The result is phytophotodermatitis: redness, then blistering and burns that can be severe, appearing hours after exposure to sunlight and leaving marks for months. Fig pickers wear long sleeves for exactly this reason.
If sap gets on your skin, wash it off with soap and keep the area out of the sun for a day or two. Warts and corns are better handled by a pharmacist or a chiropodist.
If you want figs to hand, the tree is undemanding. Full details in our guide to growing a fig tree, but in short:
If you are reaching for a fig poultice, reach for the warmth first. A clean cloth wrung out in hot water, held on for fifteen minutes several times a day, does the same work and is always to hand. The figs are tradition, and pleasant tradition – but the heat is the medicine.
A warm dressing made from figs boiled until soft, then mashed or halved, wrapped in gauze and laid on the skin. It is one of the oldest recorded remedies: most English speakers meet the phrase in Isaiah 38:21, where a lump of figs is applied to King Hezekiah’s boil.
From the Bible – Isaiah 38:21 and 2 Kings 20:7, both describing the same episode, in which figs are laid on the boil of King Hezekiah, who then recovers. Fig poultices also appear in Greek, Roman, Arab and mediaeval European medicine, almost always for boils and swellings.
Boil whole figs in water or milk for no more than five minutes, halve or mash them, wrap them in one or two layers of gauze, and test the temperature on your wrist before applying. Leave it on for 15 to 20 minutes, three or four times a day, using a fresh poultice each time.
The warmth does. Moist heat increases blood flow and helps a simple boil come to a head, and it remains standard self-care advice; the poultice is a good way of holding that heat in place. There is no clinical evidence that figs work better than a plain warm compress.
If it is on the face, nose, lip or spine; if you have a fever or the redness is spreading; if it is bigger than an inch (2.5 cm) or several appear at once; if you have diabetes or a weakened immune system; or if the pain is getting worse after two or three days. A dental abscess always needs a dentist, without delay.
They serve different purposes. Fresh figs are about 74 kcal per 3½ oz (100 g) with 3 g of fibre; dried figs are about 250 kcal with 10 g of fibre and three times the potassium. Dried figs are a concentrated source of fibre – and of sugar, so a small handful goes a long way.
No. Fig latex contains furocoumarins, which make skin acutely sensitive to sunlight and cause phytophotodermatitis – blistering burns that appear hours later and can mark the skin for months. Wash any sap off with soap and keep the area out of the sun. See a pharmacist or chiropodist about warts and corns.
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This page describes traditional uses and general nutrition. It is not medical advice and does not replace consulting a doctor, dentist or pharmacist.
