Consumer Guide Online

While it is important to prevent harmful bacteria from entering a cut where they may cause infection, most doctors agree that ordinary soap and water are sufficient to remove these bacteria from the skin, and any germs that do enter a small wound will probably be killed more effectively by the body s natural defenses than by an antiseptic. If you do wish to use an antiseptic, doctors say, choose isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol—it is just as effective as any other antiseptic and is less likely to cause an allergic reaction. Be sure to apply it to the skin around the wound, rather than on the wound itself. The body naturally sheds dirt and germs to the surface of a wound, and any antiseptic applied directly to a wound may seal germs in rather than keeping them out. In the case of a large or deep wound there is, of course, a much greater risk of infection, and such wounds should always be treated by a doctor.