Interesting Facts 

Is it possible to treat an open wound with iodine. Why iodine is used to treat bitten wounds

Zelenka or iodine: which is better? This question is asked by everyone who is often faced with trauma.

After all, every person in his life received some wounds that had to be treated with disinfectant solutions.

Usually, in emergency cases, what is at hand is used at the moment.

However, with long-term treatment, when there is a choice, it is worth considering what is best to use for these purposes.

There is a difference between these agents, but from the point of view of disinfection, it seems to be impossible to call it significant. Maybe it makes sense to keep only one of these products in the family medicine cabinet?

The word "green" is called brilliant green solution. This strange name is due to the fact that before the first two words came the word "dye". Initially, this substance was used only as a paint. However, one day, when working with a dye, they suddenly discovered that this dye successfully kills microorganisms.

Despite the fact that the bactericidal effect of this solution was found in Europe, now for medical purposes greenery is used only in the CIS countries... Apparently, all other manufacturers abandoned this drug for two reasons - low aesthetics and a very low price.

In medicine, usually use an alcohol solution of oxalate with a concentration of 1 or 2%... This means that the bactericidal properties of greenery are so great that for the proper effect it can be used in small quantities.

It is important!
Due to the low concentration of greenery, when exposed to an open wound, it does not have a strong irritating effect. This bright green liquid is gentle but reliable.

Unlike green stuff, iodine is used in the state of a five percent solution. This means that as a remedy that must be used as a disinfection of skin lesions, it acts much more strongly than green stuff.

Of course, you can do without green stuff by making iodine a universal disinfectant. However, the difference between these two means can sometimes seriously affect the results of first aid for skin injuries.

It is especially necessary to have both drugs for those who have children. For them, it is impossible to completely replace the green stuff with iodine. After all delicate baby skin can react sharply to the strong effects of iodine.

In addition, for a child, the combination of pain from trauma and burning from disinfection can be a powerful psychological test. And the green is softer, which will reduce stress for children and their parents.

Indications for use

Despite the similar properties, the use of brilliant green and iodine is somewhat different.

Attention!
Zelenka is used to heal small fresh wounds without heavy bleeding. It can be used to treat a cut, lubricate an abrasion, a bruise with a violation of the skin, etc. For this reason, there is a special bactericidal plaster, inside which there is a cloth soaked in greenery.

Iodine is also an excellent bactericidal agent, however, the range of its application is much wider... This brown liquid with a characteristic odor is often used for:

  • disinfection of damage to the skin;
  • healing of purulent wounds;
  • shortening the ripening time of boils;
  • resorption of bruises without damaging the skin;
  • removal of edema with arthropod bites.

Application method

Can a fresh wound itself be smeared with greenery? Yes, this is how it should be processed. Moreover, it is intended only for this.

How to apply brilliant green correctly?

Attention!
To do this, you first need to lightly soak a cotton swab with a solution, and then gently touch this cotton swab to the damaged tissue until the entire wound is treated.
The solution is applied both to the wound itself, unless, of course, there is heavy bleeding, and to intact skin at a distance of about a centimeter from the injury. This is done in order to destroy microorganisms even on the approaches to unprotected subcutaneous tissues.

How to treat a wound with iodine so as not to harm a person?

Attention!
In case of an open injury, the wound itself should be lubricated with another agent - hydrogen peroxide, alcohol (diluted), chlorhexidine, in extreme cases - green.
After that, where the skin is not damaged, you can perform iodine treatment using a cotton swab. You just need to do it carefully. Even in the case of an open wound between the damaged tissues, it is necessary to apply not a continuous layer, but a dense mesh.

With edema, bumps, bites and other traumatic subcutaneous formations, this drug can be used only in limited quantities. It should be applied only in the form of a grid. However, when iodine comes off the surface of the skin, the grid needs to be renewed... The better you follow these rules, the faster your injuries, abscesses, bumps and bites will heal.

Side effects

If the brilliant green solution is applied correctly, then the only side effect will be green skin color... If you overdo it with the amount of green disinfectant, you may get a slight burn. Most often, burns are caused by children and people with very sensitive skin.

The situation with iodine is completely different. This is where the side effects can be more significant. They are as follows.

  • Iodine is more likely to burn. They can occur even if the product is applied to intact skin, but in large quantities.
  • Iodine penetrates far under the skin, is carried with the blood stream, which can lead to pressure surges, headaches, etc.
  • Side effects include positive effects on human health. With proper treatment of the wound, you can, without knowing it, remove the edema that has arisen from a long-standing injury, a sore joint, vascular problems, etc.

It is interesting! Find out how you can use regular iodine:
- for
- for
- and its healing properties
- masks and scrubs and acne
- to strengthen them

What is the difference?

Summing up, let us ask ourselves the question again - what is the difference between iodine and greenery? These differences, of course, cannot be reduced only to differences in concentration, color and smell. The main difference lies in the mechanism of action.

Brilliant green solution is used only as a disinfectant for small open wounds. Zelenka stops only mild bleeding, dries the wound, forms a crust, contributing to the rapid healing of injuries. It can cauterize a wound, which is by no means associated with the word "burn".

You need to know this!
Iodine also disinfects well, but its purpose is to affect the deep processes that form under the epidermis. It heals not only open wounds, but also promotes the resorption of closed injuries of various tissues. This remedy is especially in demand in inflammatory processes, including a purulent one.

Thus, both tools complement each other perfectly. At the right time, you may need everything together. You cannot save on emergency assistance. So the problem of choosing between these drugs for a family first-aid kit is not relevant.

In contact with

5% alcohol solution of iodine is a disinfectant, anti-inflammatory and wound healing agent that is used to treat small abrasions, cuts and local treatment around large bleeding wounds.

You will need

  • - iodine;
  • - cotton swab;
  • - gauze swab.

Instructions

1. If you cut yourself, hurt yourself or there is an abrasion on the skin, iodine is the perfect remedy that will help to avoid infection, prevent inflammation and promote the rapid healing of a small wound or abrasion.

2. For a cut or small wound on your fingers, lightly pour iodine over the damaged area. If the size of the abrasion or scratch is rather large, use a cotton swab, gauze pad or cotton pad for processing. Iodine is a necessary remedy for treating abrasion wounds in children over 3 years of age. If your child falls off the bike onto rough asphalt and the skin is only superficially damaged, iodine it. In the evening after water procedures, repeat the treatment. This will help heal abrasions quickly and prevent suppuration.

3. With open bleeding wounds, iodine treatment is allowed only around, in order to minimize the number of bacteria and the likelihood of infection. Wash the inner surface of the wound with hydrogen peroxide or chlorhexidine. If you apply iodine to the exposed surface of a deep wound, it will burn and heal much more slowly.

4. Before treating wounds on hairy surfaces, for example on the head, cut the hair shortly, treat around the wound with iodine at a distance of 3 cm. If a superficial damage to the skin occurs, carefully cauterize the abrasion with iodine. With a deep wound, the treatment of an open wound surface is impossible.

5. The advantages of treating wounds and abrasions with iodine are that the agent has not only a disinfecting, but also a resorbing result, but there are also disadvantages. Some people are intolerant to iodine, and signs of allergy appear. It is impossible to treat large wounds, diabetic ulcers with iodine, and its use is contraindicated in renal failure, thyroid disorders.

Iodine for wound healing is one of the most proven methods. An alcoholic iodine solution should be in any home medicine cabinet for emergencies. It has a pronounced antibacterial effect, dries the skin and relieves inflammation. However, it is worth remembering that an excess of this element can adversely affect the state of health, and in some cases it is contraindicated.

Shulepin Ivan Vladimirovich, traumatologist-orthopedist, highest qualification category

The total work experience is over 25 years. In 1994 he graduated from the Moscow Institute of Medical and Social Rehabilitation, in 1997 he completed his residency in Traumatology and Orthopedics at the Central Research Institute of Traumatology and Orthopedics named after V.I. N.N. Prifova.


Iodine is an excellent first aid remedy. with abrasions and scratches... It is effective when applied immediately after damage. This remedy has several effects:

  • destroys pathogenic bacteria;
  • prevents suppuration;
  • relieves inflammation and promotes rapid healing of skin lesions.

To treat the wound with an iodine solution, you will need a bottle of medicine, a cotton swab and a bandage folded several times. If you don't have cotton swabs at hand, you can form a tampon out of a small piece of cotton wool or gauze.

Minor abrasion or cut on your toe


Fresh cuts and abrasions that are not accompanied by profuse bleeding are recommended to be treated with iodine immediately. To do this, just apply a small amount of it to the scratch. The procedure may be accompanied by a burning sensation, but it goes away after a few minutes. It is recommended to apply a bandage on the wound surface, after placing a piece of cotton wool or a cotton pad under it.

To reduce the concentration of the active substance, you can prepare an alcoholic or aqueous solution. This reduces the likelihood of getting a chemical burn, even on sensitive skin.

Open bleeding wound

The basic rule of using the drug- it is not suitable for treating open wounds.

It can be applied gently around the damaged area. The active substances are well absorbed into the skin and penetrate into the bloodstream. This way, bacteria can be prevented from entering the wound and the development of purulent complications.

For the inner surface of the wound, chlorhexidine or other antiseptic solutions are suitable. It is not recommended to apply iodine directly to open wounds - its concentrate can cause chemical burns, due to which they will take longer to heal.

Cuts on hairy surfaces

Small cuts on the scalp can also be treated with iodine. To do this, you need to take a cotton swab and apply a small amount of the concentrate directly to the abrasion.

For wounds with a large wound surface and profuse bleeding, the drug is contraindicated.

You can shave off the hair around the damage and apply it at a distance of 2-3 cm.

The speed of wound healing depends on their type, size, and the presence of complications.

Small scratches and shallow cut injuries are healed in 4-7 days (provided that they do not fester). Bitten, lacerated, crushed wounds will take longer to heal

Contraindications for use

Iodine is not only an antibacterial substance. It participates in several processes in the body and is part of the thyroid hormones. An excess of it can disrupt the functioning of the organ and the natural secretion of these substances.

The tool has several contraindications to use:

  • allergic reactions to iodine;
  • diseases of the thyroid gland;
  • children's age up to 3 years;
  • the period of pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Iodine-based ointment can be used to treat burns and purulent wounds. This group includes drugs such as Povidone-iodine, Yodiskin, Yodocar other. They contain the main active ingredient in the form of chemical compounds, which also have a pronounced antimicrobial activity.

How to launder leftover funds

There are several ways to clean iodine from the skin after the wound has healed. It cannot be rubbed off with ordinary water and soap, because it reliably stains the skin in a yellow-brown color. You can try one of the methods:

  • apply a greasy cream or natural oil to the skin so that the drug is absorbed faster and the stain disappears;
  • take a bath with the addition of sea salt - the skin will soften, and it will be easier to remove the substance from it.

Iodine is one of the earliest antiseptics to continue to be used at home. It kills bacteria, relieves inflammation and dries wounds. This drug has several contraindications, so it should be used with caution. Iodine ointment contains a similar substance in a lower concentration, which significantly reduces the risks from its use.

Povidone iodine. Differences from regular iodine. Why is it better and more convenient?

Abrasions, scratches, bruises, splinters and all kinds of other "surprises" can be found anywhere. The simplest and most effective means in such cases are iodine and brilliant green to this day. Someone considers them relics of the Soviet past, but they still remain the basis of every home and travel first-aid kit.

It is generally accepted that they are used in the same cases and do not differ in the way they affect the wound. But this is far from the case, none of these tools are universal. It is necessary to carefully study both drugs in order to know which of them to give preference in this or that case.

Iodine

Iodine is a chemical element, its excess or deficiency in the human body leads to disease, it is also an excellent antiseptic, which has been for many years. Iodine prevents microbes from entering and is applied around the wound, and not, as many are accustomed to, directly into its epicenter.

Iodine should be used very carefully, it severely burns the skin... This product is perfect for treating scratches, drying acne, boils and rashes, as well as recovering from bruises, bumps, swelling, sprains, dislocations, swelling, swelling, and even arthropod bites. In this case, the iodine mesh will facilitate blood flow and accelerate the recovery process. For treating an open wound, it is suitable when mixed with water and only in an emergency, when there is nothing else at hand.

The usual form of iodine is a 5% brown solution in a vial, but now the drug is also produced in the form of a pencil, which is very convenient when traveling. But do not forget that in this case only one person can use the antiseptic, because the pencil is in direct contact with the wound surface. In the standard case, the used cotton swab is simply thrown away immediately after use.

Zelenka

A weak solution of brilliant green is an excellent gentle preparation that acts gently, does not dry out the skin, protects against the formation of suppuration and stimulates healing. It can be smeared on the wound itself, without fear of burns, but in everything it is worth knowing when to stop.

In medicine, a solution of oxalate is used with a concentration 1-2% , which means that its disinfecting properties are very high. Zelenka can safely treat large skin surfaces (wounds with a diameter of a coin or more), it is also perfect for owners of sensitive skin and babies. This antiseptic, unlike iodine, prevents suppuration. It destroys microbes on the approach to unprotected subcutaneous tissues, and is applied, capturing 1 cm of intact skin around the wound. It is convenient to take on the road a bactericidal plaster containing a cloth soaked in a solution of brilliant green.

Zelenka is used not only in medicine, but also in industry; it is used to paint paper and wood. It is a green powder in consistency and is soluble in water or alcohol. Initially, its name contained the word "dye", later it was found that the liquid perfectly destroys microorganisms.

Common features of drugs

The main function of drugs is disinfection, but it happens in different ways. Both are based in one way or another on alcohol, which makes the process of treating a wound painful and unpleasant.

It is undesirable to treat deep wounds and cuts with iodine or brilliant green, which should be examined by a doctor. This can adversely affect the diagnosis of damage, in this case it is better to prefer treatment with hydrogen peroxide, but more often to treat the wound.

Differences

Many of us are sure that the only difference between drugs is their color, concentration and smell, but this is far from the truth. It is important to remember that using iodine is moxibustion, and its misuse will lead to disastrous consequences. Interestingly, iodine can be used to treat nail fungus, gargle, masks and acne scrubs are made from it.

The task of brilliant green is mainly to protect a fresh wound from moisture for a long time (for example, lymph stagnation can form an abscess).

Zelenka has no side effects, which cannot be said about iodine, it can be burns, pressure surges and headaches (it gets under the skin and spreads with the blood stream). However, with correct disinfection of the wound with iodine, it is possible, without knowing it, to reduce swelling, joint pain and problems with blood vessels.

It is worth noting that brilliant green is used only in the CIS countries, in the West it is simply not available in pharmacies. Although the bactericidal effect of brilliant green was discovered in Europe, it is believed that its properties have not been fully investigated, and after its use, the "patient" has a very unaesthetic appearance for a long time.

To everything else, it should be added that if the iodine stain on the fabric, if desired, can be removed with elementary hydrogen peroxide, then special stain removers will be required to remove the brilliant green.

What, when and for whom is best suited

Let's summarize all of the above. Iodine is undesirable for people with allergies, because it can cause a reaction. Allergy sufferers and young children are better off choosing brilliant green, moreover, it is less painful. Falling for children is already a lot of stress, and disinfection is always a strong test for both children and their parents.

Zelenka during disinfection stops light bleeding and dries the wound, contributing to the formation of a crust. It is applied directly to the wound and prevents suppuration by inhibiting the flow of lymph.

Iodine is applied not in a continuous thick layer, but with a mesh, avoiding direct contact with an open wound in order to avoid chemical burns. It is not for nothing that the term "iodine grid" has been used in medicine for a long time. Promotes the resorption of closed damage to various tissues, helps with bruises and injuries.

It turns out that both of these funds are irreplaceable and, if used correctly, can perfectly complement each other's action.

In medicine, iodine has been used for many years as a remedy for treating the skin for injuries and wounds. In addition, iodine nets are used in the treatment of certain diseases by applying strips to individual parts of the body with an iodine solution. Does this drug really help with colds and diseases of internal organs? What effect does it have on the skin and internal organs?

Iodine treatment - the origins

Iodine was discovered in the 19th century. During the study of its chemical activity, anti-inflammatory and antiseptic activity was revealed. Earlier, at the dawn of its medical use, there were attempts to use iodine as a drug for inhalation or ingestion. It was expected to fight pathogens and suppress inflammation. But such experiments ended in disastrous consequences for mucous membranes and tissues, and therefore its use was banned. Iodine has been forgotten as a medicine for a long time. In the last century, it began to be actively used as an antiseptic; alcohol or water solutions are used.

In our time, the drug has not lost its relevance. So, iodine in the form of a solution (Iodopiron or Iodonate) is used today in surgery to treat the operating field before the start of the intervention. Most people keep in their first-aid kit a small bottle of dark glass - an alcoholic 5% solution of iodine. It is used to treat minor wounds and bruises, abrasions and cuts.

Using iodine solution

Nowadays, iodine solution is sold in every pharmacy, it is used at home and in clinics. Its main application is skin treatment for small wounds or abrasions, bruises. On the Internet, you can find a lot of dubious recipes that involve taking iodine inside. It is advised to dissolve it in milk or water, thus eliminating the deficiency of this element. But doctors warn - the use of iodine solution inside is prohibited due to its chemical effects. It has the properties of a powerful oxidizing agent, which leads to the destruction of the membranes of actively working living cells. In addition, it forms strong insoluble complexes with the proteins of the body, leading to irreversible denaturation of the protein. Therefore, a strict restriction was introduced on the use of iodine solution - especially alcohol: only for external and local use. That is, it is permissible to apply the solution to the skin surface or only antiseptic treatment of small wounds. There are options for local therapy - a drop of iodine tincture is added to solutions for rinsing the throat (salt and soda) for infectious and inflammatory lesions (tonsillitis, pharyngitis, stomatitis).

How to treat wounds, are iodine nets needed?

In addition to the ban on the use of iodine inside, there are certain rules for using the drug to treat injuries, especially if it is a standard 5% alcohol solution of iodine. Even if these are small wounds, cuts or abrasions with slight bleeding or loose skin, they should not be filled with iodine. First, it irritates tissue receptors and causes severe pain and burning. Secondly, alcohol in combination with iodine leads to severe tissue necrosis of the wound. Therefore, it is permissible to apply the solution only along the edges of damaged and bleeding tissues. If it is a bruise without damaging the tissues, it is possible to apply an iodine mesh, regarding which there is also a lot of controversy and misconceptions.

At the beginning of the last century, treatment with iodine nets applied to different parts of the body became popular. The strips of solution were believed to help treat internal diseases and metabolic disorders. The founder of the technique of painting patients with iodine solution was St. Petersburg doctor N. Kolbasenko. He used iodine nets to treat various respiratory and other diseases in children and adults, wrote many articles in support of his method, emphasizing its effectiveness. But most doctors did not share the idea of ​​such therapy. The effectiveness of the technique is questionable and has not been proven by research data. Therefore, doctors do not advise treating internal diseases with iodine grids, neglecting the recommended methods of therapy.

Do iodine mesh cures disease?

Despite the skeptical attitude of doctors towards him, iodine nets have become a popular means of treating diseases among patients. They are used as an inexpensive and affordable remedy for pathologies of soft tissues, skin, in the elimination of colds or problems of the musculoskeletal system. In the minds of patients, the myth stubbornly stuck that drawing an iodine grid eliminates the iodine deficiency, which is characteristic of many regions of the country, without the use of tablets. But medicine has not found evidence of this fact. Iodine is indeed inactively absorbed through the skin, but its effect is limited only by local effects in the area of ​​application. The concentration of the drug when applied topically is insufficient to replenish iodine deficiency.

In addition, the rate of disappearance of streaks on the skin also does not reflect the degree of iodine deficiency. It is mistakenly believed that against the background of a shortage of this substance, the mesh disappears from the skin for 3-6 hours, and if there is enough iodine, it lasts up to a day. In reality, the rate at which the stripes disappear from the skin depends on its fat content, the amount of clothing worn, or the rate of blood circulation in the subcutaneous layer.

Similarly, it is ineffective to treat diseases of the thyroid gland and internal organs by drawing nets on the skin.

Effects when applied to the skin

In addition to its main antiseptic effect, iodine has a weak anti-inflammatory, locally irritating property. It stimulates capillary blood circulation in the skin. These effects are the main ones when drawing iodine grids. When an alcoholic solution of iodine gets on it, the skin forms a response of the vessels and receptors. Due to this, blood flows faster, circulates more actively in the area of ​​application, metabolic products are removed, and immune cells are brought into the affected area. This helps in relieving puffiness and pain, in the fight against inflammation.

But if it is children's skin or especially sensitive and delicate skin, an alcoholic 5% solution can, when applied abundantly, provoke dermatitis and burns, and this must always be taken into account. In this case, weaker solutions or other antiseptics will be needed.

Iodine nets are used in the treatment of acute respiratory viral infections and infectious and inflammatory diseases of the respiratory system. Basically, this measure has the same effect as mustard plasters, it is a distracting procedure. Meshes give a certain effect in the development of myalgias, sprains and bruises of the extremities, osteochondrosis of the spine, exacerbations of arthritis and arthrosis. Due to iodine nets, the process of resorption of hematomas and bruises is accelerated. In some cases, they are used for neuralgia or inflammatory processes of the skin, subcutaneous tissue.

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