Best disinfectant for cuts in the out doors?

averageiowaguy said:
One of these days I need to do a video on wound care in the woods. Once you've broken the skin, there is no such thing as a sterile wound, even in surgery. There are bacteria and other organisms on your skin even after we've "prepped" it with betadine, alcohol scrub, chlorhexidine etc. But even though we never get a completely sterile wound, the wound infection rate for a "clean" wound in surgery is only 1-4%. It can be even less depending on the type of surgery and the body part operated on. I have a zero percent infection rate with surgery on the face after 5 years of doing so.

In the woods, you're dealing with a contaminated wound. The thing to do is stop the bleeding with direct pressure and then wash the wound with water that you would drink. If you can drink the water, you can wash a contaminated wound out with it. Get all of the dirt and other debris out of the wound. If it starts bleeding again, hold pressure. Seek medical attention as soon as possible.

Bandage requirements are much too complex for me to get into in a short post, but suffice it to say that the bandage will vary based on the wound itself and the environment you're in. Using no bandage at all is acceptable depending on the wound itself and the environment you're working in.

If you want to put something on the cut, put vaseline on it, unless you're allergic. Do this ONLY AFTER the wound has been cleaned.
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averageiowaguy said:
There is some good information in this thread. There is also some very very bad information in this thread. Reader beware.
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This is the example of good information
 
Here in Isreal we use POLYDINE which is Povidone Iodine IP 7.5% w/v (0.75% w/v available iodine)

It is used for cuts and small burns and forms a skin when dry
You can get it in cream or liquid
Standard is the very small dropper bottle that, after wound cleaning, you drop into the wound
And dressings depend on the wound....
 
Thomas Linton said:
Keeping the wound dry so a good scab can form is what I was taught in First Aid sixty years ago.

That is not the current wisdom.

I already reported the treatment I was given about a year ago by The Cleveland Clinic (interesting name for a world-renown hospital).




The Mayo Clinic suggests "thick layer of petroleum ... to avoid early scab development."



Tulane University:


I did find this interesting:
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It seems to me they are talking about major surgical wounds. I think the OP is talking about minor abrasions/lacerations that do not require immediate medical care. Interesting info I'm gonna have to look into this.
 
folder geek said:
It seems to me they are talking about major surgical wounds. I think the OP is talking about minor abrasions/lacerations that do not require immediate medical care. Interesting info I'm gonna have to look into this.
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Heck, I'd just listen to the doctor from Iowa that is nice enough to give free advise. :)
 
folder geek said:
It seems to me they are talking about major surgical wounds. I think the OP is talking about minor abrasions/lacerations that do not require immediate medical care. Interesting info I'm gonna have to look into this.
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Why don't you read the articles and see what they are talking about? :D
 
Best disinfectant today?

Octenisept, or any other product with Octenidine dihydrochloride.
100% safe, non irritating, don't "burn" wound or skin. Can be used in mouth, open wounds or just skin.
Kills bacteria, viruses, funguses.
 
Do what every little boy has done for centuries: Buck up, slap a bandaid over it, and keep playing. Hell, we're all here still, right? Ooooo, I got me a boo boo, what shall I do? Geez, this is just getting silly. Take a first aid course.
 
jimh0220 said:
Do what every little boy has done for centuries: Buck up, slap a bandaid over it, and keep playing. Hell, we're all here still, right? Ooooo, I got me a boo boo, what shall I do? Geez, this is just getting silly. Take a first aid course.
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Your last sentence makes sense. The rest . . . .
 
folder geek said:
I did a rudimentary search at best to locate these articles. Without a link or specific search words it could take a while.

But while searching the Mayo Clinic I did find this article.

http://www.mayoclinic.org/medical-edge-newspaper-2013/feb-22b.html
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I did not mean to be cryptic

The advice I quoted was for "wounds" or "cuts." They did not specify severity. The advice is consistent, if not identical, with the advice that you located:

. . . After a wound is clean, cover it with a small amount of antibiotic ointment and put a bandage over it. Some people put antiseptics like hydrogen peroxide or alcohol on wounds. That is not a good idea, for two reasons. First, some antiseptics are extremely painful on an open wound. Second, they can actually damage your body's tissue, causing the injury to become more severe. . . .
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No worries!!
Learned a little something myself today. In the past I have always put a little abx ointment on wounds prior to dressing initially mainly to decrease the chance of infection and to keep the dressing from adhering to the wound. So now I can advise my patients its probably a good idea to use abx ointment at least for the first few days. I still won't/don't recommend using an ointment for more than 3 days. I've seen way too many wounds that are not even close too healing after even after 2 wks because people have slathered them with Neosporin or something along those lines thinking they helping the healing process.
Thanks for helping me learn something new T linton. Cheers
 
I think BF is the cat's pajamas. No matter how we slice ourselves (twice in the last three days here - fall landscaping work - ouch), if we read and take from the posts with discretion ... there is clear, valuable information that will lead to good, safe healing. I'm old, but learning as always with thanks to members.
 
Dakin's solution? That's for debriding! If ur that bad off, you need to get to a damn doctor quick. I use triple abx ointment as I'm not allergic. On the oncology floor, a lot of surgical wounds are left open to air. We just have to keep assessing for the usual signs of infection, i.e. redness, swelling, purulent drainage, increased WBCs, fever, etc. Of course, being that a lot of them are on dexamethasone and various chemotherapy meds means their WBCs, and grans are going to be in the toilet, so we hit them with all sorts of IV abx. Obviously not something for the great outdoors. Vaseline is great for making occlusive dressings, if the need arises.
 
Can't believe nobody has said it yet, "Rub some dirt in it and get over it ya sissy!" :)

A lot of the concern depends on your ability to reach medical care. Scrapes and scratches, wash 'em out. I use Dawn dishsoap because it's really good at dissolving Poison Ivy oils and the woods I frequent are full of it. Deeper cuts, clean them out and stop the bleeding. Cover and even immobilize to get the wound to close.

On day trips, you can usually make due until you can get medical attention, if you're days away from civilization, then you really need to know your stuff.
 
Thomas Linton said:
I spent a week in Elko one day (Car broke down on Saturday :eek:)
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Ya, usually people don't come here by choice unless they are part of the gold mining industry. Personally I love living here. I love the outdoors and as far as I am concerned this is one of the best places in the west for being outside.
 
I see I have gotten a lot of shit for my reply. What I was imagining, when the OP, said "Using lot's of water, clean bandages and rubbing alcohol..." are not an option.

1) If you are in a position where you don't have clean water - or any water - to clean out the wounds.
2) You have a wound that you know is highly likely to be infected and you must clean it.

Yes, I am aware of the silliness and counter intuitiveness of urine on a wound. However, Urine, by itself, is sterile. Sure - it can catch bacteria on the way out - however - I don't see this is as any worse than cleaning the wound in known contaminated water supplies.

So - in a pinch - with no other options - I don't think this would be a terrible one. I mean, unless you have fat guys armpit hair to use - then by all means...

I would trust the medical doctor too - and the advice of using copious amounts of water, soap, clean bandages that were advised in the links provided were certainly better advice. Considering the OP's circumstances - I assumed all of these options were out.

This is why I advised, and carry, Iodine in my PSK (As well as a small first aid kit - as laid out by Cody Lundin in 98.6 degrees - as well as some of my own personal preferences).


Sorry for confusion - and I am glad I could offer an easy target for sarcasm. :)

TF
 
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