A lot of recent medical advice says that hydrogen peroxide in first aid is counterproductive. Of course, what I’m about to say is one person’s anecdote. But I find that if I just leave the occasional cut or scrape alone or wash it with soap and water, it’ll tend to get a bit inflamed (very locally) and hypersensitive, which is very annoying when it’s on my hands. On the other hand, If I just rinse it out and slather some H2O2 on the wound, it kind of chemically “cauterizes” the wound, prevents irritation later on, and heals just as well.
Am I just doing it wrong, or does anyone else find that hydrogen peroxide is good on minor wounds, despite recent medical findings? I don’t mean to cast doubt on legitimate medical research, but I’d like to understand why H2O2 seems to work for me when research says it should be counterproductive.
It’s practically untrue. The size of the wound required to introduce enough hydrogen peroxide into your bloodstream to produce a problematic amount of gas would be a much more pressing issue. Unless you’re pouring large volumes into a gaping wound, the positive pressure of your cardiovascular system will keep the majority from finding its way into your blood.
Thanks, that’s a load off my mind. It doesn’t really sound true but the bubbling action of peroxide always seemed a little ominous. Easy to see how this rumor started, it could be generations old.