What is the best way to disinfect skin?

In our daily lives, there are always times when we don't take good care of ourselves, and some minor bumps are inevitable. At these times, the skin is often broken. When the skin is broken, it is necessary to disinfect it in time to avoid infection of the broken skin wounds. There are many things that can be used to disinfect the skin in daily life, and they can be bought at pharmacies. You just need to buy them according to your situation.

1. Alcohol

Alcohol is the most common disinfectant in hospitals. However, there is often a misunderstanding about home use: some people think that wine is alcohol, so they simply use the Erguotou or even cooking wine at home as alcohol. But in fact, the alcohol with the strongest bactericidal ability is 75% concentration, which cannot be higher or lower. Erguotou still has a little disinfecting effect, but the alcohol content of cooking wine is too low and it has basically no disinfecting effect. But alcohol also has two disadvantages: one is that it is difficult to preserve, as alcohol is volatile and changes in concentration will weaken its bactericidal effect; the other is that it hurts, so it is best not to use it to disinfect skin with wounds such as cuts, abrasions, and burns.

2. Hydrogen Peroxide

The name of hydrogen peroxide sounds like it is rich in oxygen ions, and yes, it is. It is an aqueous solution of hydrogen peroxide, which can immediately produce oxygen ions upon contact with tissue to inhibit or kill anaerobic bacteria in the wound. In addition, hydrogen peroxide has a good hemostatic effect, so it is more suitable for fresh knife cuts, old infected and suppurative wounds, and wounds with tetanus risk. However, since hydrogen peroxide is relatively active, it should be kept as tightly as possible when stored. The correct way to use it is: after flushing the wound with hydrogen peroxide, rinse it again with saline. But like alcohol, hydrogen peroxide can cause severe pain.

3. Iodine

Iodine is also called iodine tincture. It is the colored stuff that the nurse usually applies on the first of the two cotton swabs before giving an injection. This is because iodine has strong bactericidal power but is also highly irritating, so after disinfecting the skin, 75% alcohol (the second cotton swab) should be used to deiodine, otherwise it will burn the skin. Iodine is so irritating that it obviously cannot be used to disinfect broken skin. In addition, it should be used with caution in newborns and those who are allergic to iodine. Because of its strong bactericidal power, iodine tincture can be used to treat bacterial and fungal skin diseases such as paronychia and folliculitis even if there is no injury. But no matter what, after use, wipe it with alcohol to remove iodine.

4. Iodine

There is only one word difference between iodine tincture and iodine tincture. Be sure not to make a mistake when buying them. The difference is that iodine tincture is soluble in alcohol, while iodine tincture is water-soluble, and the active ingredients are also different. Therefore, iodine tincture has low irritation and can be used to disinfect broken skin and mucous membranes, such as small knife cuts, skin abrasions, bruises, and even burns and frostbite. Although iodine tincture is friendly to humans, it is not friendly to bacteria. It has a killing effect on most bacteria, including mold. Because it does not cause pigmentation like iodine, there is no need for deiodine. The nurse only needs to use a cotton swab. Currently, iodine tincture is widely used in hospitals. It is usually used to disinfect the skin in the surgical area, doctors' hand washing before surgery, and surgical instruments. It can also be used to treat fungal skin infections.