Open wounds are treated with hydrogen peroxide to kill. Is it possible to use hydrogen peroxide to treat various wounds? Treatment with ointments and creams produced by pharmacies

A drug from the group of antiseptics, hydrogen peroxide (or peroxide) has a disinfecting and deodorizing effect. In medicine, hydrogen peroxide is used in the form of a 3% solution. They are used for washing and rinsing for stomatitis and gynecological diseases. As a disinfectant, hydrogen peroxide is used to clean fresh wounds.

The liquid is poured around and into the wound, after which a reaction occurs with a characteristic hissing and the release of grayish foam.
You can use peroxide to treat wounds in children. True, its effect causes a not very pleasant, painful tingling sensation in the child. There is a good antiseptic that will not sting, this is chlorhexidine bigluconate. It is used to treat wounds in very young children. Older guys are calm about both hydrogen peroxide and brilliant green, so you can treat wounds with both.

How to treat a child's wound

The first thing to do is wash the wound. Moreover, it is not recommended to do this with plain water, as this can lead to infection, and this is precisely what needs to be avoided. If there is dirt around the wound, try to remove it with boiled water and laundry soap. It is important not to touch the wound itself. The wound itself is treated with an antiseptic - chlorhexidine or hydrogen peroxide. You can also use a weak solution of potassium permanganate or furatsilin to wash the wound. After rinsing with hydrogen peroxide, you need to carefully remove the resulting grayish foam, and then treat the wound with an antiseptic. This is the most unpleasant moment for a child, because antiseptics can “pinch” a lot, so make sure that the baby will not struggle and try to calm him down.

Alcohol or alcohol solutions of brilliant green and fucorcin can be used as an antiseptic. It is not recommended to treat a wound with iodine; it can burn damaged tissue, so it is applied only to the edges of the wound, making sure that it does not get inside.
A good disinfectant effect is provided by such preparations as “Eplan”, tea tree oil and “Rescuer” balm. In camping conditions, it may also happen that a child gets injured, but there are no antiseptics on hand. In this case, you can make a strong solution of table salt (a tablespoon per glass of water), moisten a clean cloth in it and apply it to the wound.

Hydrogen peroxide is a product that has a bactericidal and antiseptic effect. It is used to treat all kinds of wound surfaces, and it also helps to stop bleeding. Peroxide is used only for external treatment.

Indications for use:

• cut wounds;
• puncture wounds;
• cuts;
• for animal bites;
• purulent-septic wounds;
• gargling for sore throats;
• treatment of the nose for rhinosinusitis;
• destroys old blood residues;
• as an antiseptic, it destroys microorganisms in the wound itself;
• used for rinsing the mouth for diseases of the mucous membranes;
• used for bleeding;
• in gynecological practice for the treatment of various infectious processes.

Treatment of the wound with hydrogen peroxide is done using a napkin or swab. Only a 3% H2O2 composition is used, if the wound is 1-2 cm, you cannot pour the drug solution directly onto the wound area, since with extensive wounds where deep layers are affected, the solution may enter directly into the circulatory system.

Contraindications:

1. Individual intolerance to the drug;
2. Having an allergy to peroxide.

Side effects: Slight tingling and burning sensation in the wound area.

Treatment of a wound with hydrogen peroxide:

• First of all, you need to remove clothing, then wash the wound thoroughly with warm water and soap.
• We wash the wound from the very center, then move to the edges of the wound surface.
• After treatment, you can fill the affected area with hydrogen peroxide, without using cotton pads, as the villi may remain in the wound and cause a secondary process.
• We treat the edges of the wound with iodine solution. This will not contribute to infection of neighboring parts of the skin.

Signs of secondary infection:

1. The edges of the wound become bright red and the edges of the wound surface become swollen;
2. the skin around the lesion becomes purple;
3. body temperature will be high;
4. with a long process, symptoms of general intoxication.

Wound treatment:

Often victims think that they can treat the wound at home and go to the doctor with the presence of pus in it. If it is a small cut, you must first begin hygiene procedures and be sure to wash the wound.

Hydrogen peroxide has useful properties widely used in medicine. It is widely used to treat various injuries and to treat the skin. Is it possible to treat a burn with hydrogen peroxide, and how safe is it?

Treating a burn with peroxide is not the only way to use the drug correctly. Due to its oxidizing and reducing properties, it can be used as a bactericidal drug and antiseptic. Low cost in combination with beneficial properties make the drug used in the treatment of many diseases. Here is not the entire list of when H 2 O 2 can be useful:

• disinfection of damaged surfaces;
• treatment of open wounds, scratches;
• treatment of ENT diseases;
• stopping nosebleeds;
• stopping capillary bleeding;
• preventing blood loss from scratches and abrasions.

Is it possible to wash a burn with peroxide?

Before assistance begins, you must:

• The first degree is the mildest: the skin may turn red and swell. All symptoms pass fairly quickly.
• Second: blisters are added to the symptoms of the first degree. On the second or third day, the blisters burst and skin restoration begins. It is impossible to burst such “burn” blisters, so as not to introduce an infection into the wound. Treating burns with second degree hydrogen peroxide is acceptable.
• Third: severe damage with blisters, possible tissue detachment. With this degree, you should not self-medicate; you must contact a burn center to see a combustiologist - a doctor specializing in burns.
• Fourth: the most dangerous degree, tissue death occurs. After damage, the skin turns black and peels off. Urgent hospitalization is required. Rinsing the burn with hydrogen peroxide at this stage will only cause harm.

To treat first and second degree burns, use a one percent peroxide solution. There is usually a 3% solution in the pharmacy; it can be diluted a little with water to reduce the concentration. Soak a bandage in peroxide, fold it several times, apply carefully, covering the surface of the injury. Leave this bandage for 10 minutes, then remove it, apply a healing ointment on top, and keep it on for several hours. The procedure must be carried out for several days. If there is no improvement, you should consult a doctor. If you treat a burn with hydrogen peroxide or Chlorhexidine, this will speed up the regeneration of damaged tissue, remove swelling and stop pain.

Can you get burned by hydrogen peroxide?

According to doctors, many people get burned using peroxide. About 5% of all chemical injuries are the result of his work. We regularly use a three percent solution of H 2 O 2; it is quite difficult to get burned with it. You can get a burn wound from peroxide if high concentration perhydrol - 28-31% - gets on your body.

You can get burned by peroxide:

• working with high concentration solutions (chemical laboratories);
• violating safety rules: lack of overalls, gloves, glasses;
• after the drug gets into the mouth, onto the mucous membrane;
• violating technologies for working with cosmetic products (lightening, hair dyeing).

The main signs of skin damage from concentrated H 2 O 2 include:

• change in color of the site of action (redness or whitening);
• severe swelling;
• the appearance of blisters.

If the eyes are burned by concentrated peroxide, there is a high probability of complete loss of vision.

Help for burns with peroxide

Burn injuries can lead to irreparable consequences. What should an adult do after being injured:

• contact of peroxide with the mucous membrane of the eyes: it is necessary to urgently rinse open eyes with water, drip Levomycetin or other drops containing an antiseptic. Cover the damaged area with sterile material and immediately consult an ophthalmologist;
• scalp damage: rinse the damaged area with warm water. If there is a hair loss and prolonged pain, you should consult a doctor;
• impact on the organs of the digestive system: before the doctor arrives, you need to drink something enveloping - jelly, milk.

Peroxide is a remedy in the fight against many diseases. It is important to remember that the benefit or harm of a medicine directly depends on its dosage. At a 3% dilution it will help you cope with a burn, and at a 30% concentration it will kill you.

Hydrogen peroxide is an antiseptic drug that painlessly cleans open wounds. For a long time, the product was considered absolutely safe and was used very widely. However, peroxide Not suitable for all types of wounds.

Photo 1. Hydrogen peroxide is used to treat wounds all over the world. Source: Flickr (brelvidge).

What is hydrogen peroxide

The correct name of the product is: hydrogen peroxide – H2O2. This is one of the simplest representatives of peroxides: it appears as a colorless liquid with a slight metallic taste. Soluble in water, ether and alcohol.

Hydrogen peroxide is powerful oxidizing agent, which instantly reacts with many substances, including those of biological origin. This property determines the use of the drug not only in medicine, but also in industry. However, the concentrated solution is explosive.

And on tissues of biological origin, peroxide acts as disinfectant.

Is it possible to treat wounds with peroxide?

Doctors recommend using hydrogen peroxide for disinfecting minor damage, since the product destroys harmful bacteria. It is also allowed to use peroxide to cleanse the skin if there is no soap at hand, because it dissolves particles and dirt foreign to the body.

In addition, hydrogen peroxide can be used:

• , since the drug inhibits the growth of bacteria;
• , if it is superficial– foam that forms upon contact with the skin, as if clogs damaged small vessels;
• for treating ulcers, because peroxide stops the growth of bacteria in them and prevents the development of infection;
• for removing dried bandages or bandages from the skin: comes out painlessly and effectively.

You can use peroxide to treat the oral mucosa, for example, for stomatitis or purulent sore throat.

But use peroxide for washing bedsores or treating the skin of a bedridden patient it is forbidden. The fact is that the drug is abrasive, i.e. it stops tissue regeneration and overall wound healing.

For the same reason, it is also impossible to use this remedy too often or for a long time.

Note! Hydrogen peroxide has a drying effect on the skin, and with frequent use, the skin around the wound itches and changes color.

Effect of the product on wounds

The tissues of the human body contain the enzyme catalase. Upon contact with it, hydrogen peroxide begins to instantly decompose, forming molecular oxygen. This is a very rare substance that is almost never found in nature, but is a powerful antiseptic.

Molecular oxygen oxidizes the organic components of cells, destroying all microorganisms that fell into the zone of its influence. And the foam is formed because when the peroxide solution decomposes, oxygen is released very vigorously.

The foam, in turn, mechanically cleanses the wound surface: along with it, particles of dirt, dead tissue, pus, etc. go away.

How to treat wounds with hydrogen peroxide

A concentrated peroxide solution is not only explosive, it causes burns to the mucous membranes and skin. Therefore, they are used for medical purposes 3% solutions and tablets where hydrogen peroxide is combined with hydroperite (35%). A 3% solution is used to treat wounds. Before use, you should wash your hands thoroughly.

The product is used in the following ways:

• Moisten a cloth without lint in a solution of hydrogen peroxide so that it does not remain inside the damaged area (therefore, you cannot use cotton wool for this purpose), and blot the wound surface with light touches. It is important that the entire wound area is treated.

Note! It is prohibited to pour the product directly from the bottle! Because if the wound is deep, atomic oxygen can enter the blood, and this is life-threatening.

• If you need to treat suppuration in the throat with a sore throat or inflamed areas with stomatitis, the solution must be diluted with water (1:11) so that there is no burn left on the mucous membrane.
• To separate a dried bandage from the skin, peroxide is injected under the bandages with a syringe, and when the reaction begins and foam starts, the bandage is removed. After treatment, the wound surface must be covered with a clean bandage and secured with a bandage.

When using peroxide Do not use alkalis, acids or penicillin at the same time. And it is forbidden to mix peroxide and iodine, because during the reaction free iodine is formed, which can cause a chemical burn.

If the wound has already begun to heal, treating it with a solution is also not recommended. This will not only slow down regeneration, but can also cause burns to young skin.

Contraindications for use

If the patient allergy on the drug, it is better to avoid using it.

For gargling or mouthwash peroxide cannot be used pregnant women, because there is no data on whether the drug affects the fetus. But there is no prohibition on treating minor wounds for pregnant women.

It is not advisable to use the product children under 12 years of age.

Note! Under no circumstances should peroxide be taken orally, since the gas that is released during the formation of molecular oxygen clogs the blood vessels: this inevitably leads to death.

Analogs

Treatment of a wound with hydrogen peroxide is an excellent first aid method for skin injury, disinfection of postoperative sutures and elimination of infection. The solution has a hemostatic, antibacterial, bactericidal effect.

Hydrogen peroxide is widely used in medical practice to cleanse the skin. The widespread use of the drug is due to the minimal risk of side effects and the safety of use in childhood and pregnancy.

The effect of the drug is due to the chemical reaction of the solution coming into contact with the damaged surface - the formation of foam from white bubbles of atomic oxygen.

The risk of negative reactions is eliminated as much as possible, but there are contraindications to the use of antiseptics and recommendations to replace hydrogen peroxide for wound treatment. Injuries for which the medicine is used:

• small cuts on the fingers of the upper and lower extremities, abrasions on the torso, cracks on the feet;
• treatment of animal bites;
• for the purpose of hemostasis during nosebleeds, nasal tamponade is used;
• for rinsing the mouth for stomatitis, sore throat, periodontal disease, ulcers on the oral mucosa;
• disinfection of the burn surface with mild damage;
• Hydrogen peroxide is used to treat weeping wounds and ulcerative lesions of the feet due to diabetes mellitus;
• with open capillary bleeding of different localization;
• with purulent discharge;
• when getting rid of a tick;
• the drug actively helps to peel off dried blood clots and elements of dressing material without physical impact.

The influence of the percentage of solution on its effect

A 3% solution can be used to treat the damaged area. A higher concentration can lead to burns of tissues and mucous membranes.

If it is necessary to use hydrogen peroxide to rinse wounds in the oral cavity, the percentage of medication is reduced to 0.25%. You will need to dilute 1 tablespoon in a glass of water - 250 ml.

A 6% solution is used exclusively for disinfecting medical instruments.

Processing rules

1. Before handling, wash your hands thoroughly, then put on sterile gloves.
2. You need to lubricate it using a bandage swab generously soaked in the prepared solution. It is not recommended to use cotton wool to prevent lint from getting in. With light touches, the damaged surface and skin around the periphery are cleaned.
3. The swab soaked in hydrogen peroxide is taken with a clamp or surgical tweezers. It is necessary to avoid contact of hands with the wound.
4. Wash the cavity from the center to the edges; the edge of the injury and adjacent skin can become a source of bacteria.
5. The resulting bubbles are carefully removed with a dry, sterile cotton ball after treatment.
6. The procedure is carried out 1-2 times a day for 3-4 days. Hydrogen can greatly dry out and loosen tissue.
7. You can only use fresh hydrogen peroxide for processing with an acceptable shelf life and compliance with storage conditions - a dark, cool place. An open jar can be stored for no more than 1 month.
8. Dry dressings should be removed after abundant wetting.

Features of treating an open wound

It is unacceptable to pour hydrogen peroxide in a stream onto an open wound. The bubbles bind particles of dust, dirt, and bacterial components and, during the cleansing process, penetrate deep into the tissues and then into the bloodstream, which can cause blood poisoning.

There is a risk of developing sepsis, which poses a threat to human health and life.

Side effects from use and overdose

When using peroxide, side effects may occur due to: individual intolerance, an open deep wound with the formation of cavities, a highly concentrated solution.

Possible consequences when treating wounds with hydrogen peroxide:

• allergic reaction;
• when rinsing the mouth, swelling of the tongue and redness of the papillae of the tongue may appear;
• itching, peeling;
• in case of an overdose of the drug, the process of fusion of connective tissue slows down, the regeneration process of the affected area is disrupted;
• burn when used to treat a 6% solution.

What can be substituted if there is no hydrogen peroxide?

Analogues of hydrogen peroxide are widely used to provide an antiseptic effect and disinfect wounds. Often used means:

1. Zelenka, Fukortsin, iodine are alcohol-based antiseptic dyes that help dry and disinfect the edges of the damaged surface. Due to their coloring properties, they can mask the inflammatory process. Use with caution on umbilical wounds.
2. Alcohol with a concentration of up to 70% is used to treat the skin around the injury. Do not apply to the wound itself; it may cause a burn.
3. Furacilin. For disinfection, use 9-10 tablets per 1 liter of drinking boiled warm water. Treat the surface with a gauze or cotton swab.
4. Chlorhexidine. It is used as a strong antiseptic after cleansing for the purpose of bactericidal action. Has a pronounced antibacterial and antiprotozoal effect.
5. Miramistin. Has antiseptic, antifungal and anti-burn effects, for rinsing. Actively helps get rid of pathogenic microorganisms that are dangerous due to the occurrence of suppuration.