You may already have it in your medicine cabinet. Some of you may also have a box of the small single-use alcohol pads, the same as those used to swab the skin before a vaccination or blood test. Isopropyl alcohol is a useful substance and, in the small packages, portable as well.
Benefits
Isopropyl alcohol is the main active ingredient in most sanitizing hand gels and can be used alone to sanitize small areas of skin and other surfaces. Being antiseptic and astringent as well as drying, isopropyl alcohol can both clean and help stop bleeding in minor cuts. Cleaning around the injury with alcohol will also help the bandage tape stay on. Use a new swab and allow the skin to dry before applying the tape.
You may find that itching of insect bites is relieved more quickly with alcohol than with other products. If the itching recurs, the solution can be reapplied as needed. The single-use pads should always go camping with you. Try dabbing it on cold sores to speed the drying and relieve the itching and burning.
Considerations
Keep a bottle of isopropyl alcohol at home to be used with cotton balls or cotton swabs and carry the singles with you for emergencies. They can prevent wound infection and contagion.
The most effective of the strengths commonly sold is the 70-percent solution. Some water content is necessary, but the 50-percent mixture is too weak for general medical use.
The 70-percent alcohol hand gel is available in small bottles. Although an effective hand sanitizer, it has added ingredients that reduce the drying action of plain isopropyl alcohol. In an emergency, it can be used as an antiseptic to help prevent wound infection.
Prevention/Solution
Prevent infection by wiping surfaces with alcohol. Think of door handles and shopping cart handles, sticky fingers and questionable bathrooms. A dozen of the single-use pads will easily fit in your purse or pocket. They're available in all drugstores as well as many supermarkets and are not expensive.
History
Many brands of isopropyl alcohol are still labeled as "rubbing alcohol." Traditionally, this form of alcohol has been used to help reduce fever by repeatedly rubbing it on the skin or using a sponge or cloth soaked in isopropyl alcohol. Alcohol evaporates quickly and will lower the temperature of the skin. However, isopropyl alcohol is toxic, and when used in large amounts, it can be absorbed by the skin. A cool-water rub or a lukewarm bath is recommended instead.
Warnings
As with any antiseptic or disinfectant, keep out of the reach of children and read the label for warnings. Isopropyl alcohol is toxic when taken internally, inhaled to excess or absorbed in large amounts by the skin. It irritates the eyes and mucous membranes, and the liquid is highly flammable.
References
- "PEDIATRICS"; " The Use of Folk Remedies Among Children in an Urban Black Community: Remedies for Fever, Colic and Teething; Smitherman, Janisse, and Mathur; March 2005
- Scorecard
- "Clinical Procedures for Medical Assistants" Third Edition; Sharron M. Zakus, RN, BA, MS, CMA; 1995
- "Clinical Nursing Skills & Techniques" Fifth Edition; Anne Griffin Perry, RN, MSN, EdD,FAAN, Patricia A. Potter, RN, PhD, CMAC ; 2004
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