As a first aid instructor for over 25 years, one of the things I share with all my classes is that in an emergency, your actions should make things better, not worse.

Wound care and treatment is one of those areas where we see a lot of mistakes made.

So watch this video on the safest treatment for wound


3 Most Common Mistakes on Wound Treatment:

1. Hydrogen Peroxide, which is a staple in most homes medicine cabinet. We now know this antiseptic actually does more harm than good. Because it is an oxidizer it damages tissue and capillaries, thus slowing down the healing process.

2. Alcohol is also something that is commonly found in most commercial first aid kits, yet it also damages and burns tissue and is painful. In the form of wipes, alcohol is normally used in the cleaning of skin before a needle stick by a doctor or paramedic. It should never be used on injured tissue.

3. Of course iodine, betadine should also not be used for wound care.

A good antiseptic alternative is BZK (benzalkonium chloride) wipes when soap and water is not available, because they do not contain alcohol they are safe to use on injured tissue. These wipes are a great addition to any real first aid kit.

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