| Hydrogen Peroxide for Wound Cleaning: Water's better! |
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by John Torres, M.D.
A. For years, people have used hydrogen peroxide to clean out wounds. Sometimes it's used straight and other times diluted with water. Either way, its bubbling action makes it look like it's doing its job by loosening up dead material and cleaning out bad bacteria. The problem is that hydrogen peroxide not only does this but also damages the healthy cells trying to heal the wound. It can therefore slow down healing, making the wound stay open longer, which can lead to more infections.
To clean out a cut right after it happens, run it under tap water for a few minutes-until all the debris is gone. Later on, as the wound starts to heal, you can use water or over-the-counter wound cleaners to keep it clean. One is essentially as good as the other on clean wounds or ones with limited scabbing. With extensive scabs, cleaners, like ConvaTec Shur-Clens Wound Cleanser, can help you keep the wound debris-free. Using an antibacterial ointment for the first seven days of healing can also help keep it from getting infected. If you have dried blood around the wound, a solution of half water, half hydrogen peroxide will get it off better than water. Just don't get it in the wound. Of course, see a health-care provider for individual advice or for treatment if the cut is bad.
Last updated and/or approved: February 2010. Article first appeared in the September/October 2009 issue of the former print magazine. YOU MIGHT ALSO BE INTERESTED IN:
 Comments (7)
  written by James Hubbard, M.D., M.P.H. , December 02, 2011 Jay, I'm not sure what you mean. report abuse
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 written by Jay Blevins , November 27, 2011 Right on -wish you the best have you thought about using it in well water (best water and energy) thank you report abuse
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 written by James Hubbard, M.D., M.P.H. , November 01, 2011 Hi, Tommie, I have no idea without seeing the bite. It could be infection is causing much of the damage and the bite was just an entrance for that. Brown recluse spiders can cause a black spot. I suggest to follow the doctor's advice and be sure to follow-up when he/she says. Thanks. report abuse
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 written by Tommie , November 01, 2011 Bite is on my ankle bone. Much swelling with redness, and dark on the edges. Hard black center. Dr. advised not to use peroxide, and neosporin would not help. Just antibiotics. Don't know what kind of bite. Any opinions? report abuse
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 written by Don , June 09, 2011 I had an infection under my fingernail that didn't respond to neosporin or other antiseptics. The only thing that cured it was soaking it in Hydrogen Peroxide for five minutes a couple times a day. report abuse
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 written by Omaha , April 10, 2011 I am an emergency physician and have found hydrogen peroxide to work very well. In follow up have never had a problem with wound healing full thickness dermal lacerations healing well. Used it frequently on both children as they grew up also for scrapes. If overused it can be drying but once a day is not an issue. report abuse
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 written by Ben , July 22, 2010 I am a Dr, and regularly treat wounds. Peroxide is an excellent wound cleaner. I have often used it as part of a regime to cure wounds that other doctors have pronounced incurable. It will burn tissues, but only if used excessively. in the operating room it is still popular for severe wound infections. So called 'wound care experts' have been told that peroxide has been proven to be harmful, and ineffective. This is not fact. I conducted a literature search on this subject in various wound care journals, and found a long running campaign to discredit peroxide, because its not making anybody any money. Some referenced articles state that peroxide is bad for wounds, but when traced back to the source literature which they reference, there is no evidence. The industry just want people to spend $30/day on faddish modern dressings for as long as possible, when they have a wound. [+] Rate this post positively report abuse
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