What I read
According to “Why petroleum jelly may not be the best thing to
heal cuts” (2018), although
the label claims that oil-based substances such as
petroleum jelly can protect minor cuts and scrapes, it may not be true.
Scientists say that skin can naturally create “natural plaster” to heal the
wound. Moreover, new research shows that immediately coating the
petroleum jelly over the wound might increase risk of infection. However, it
may not be a bad idea to use the petroleum jelly after the natural plaster has
formed to prevent wound scab and itch.
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My response
After I had finished reading this article, I immediately walked to my medicine cupboard to see whether the label of my petroleum jelly says the same as in this article or not. The result is "yes", although the label is in Thai, the meaning is the same. The label says "petroleum jelly can help protect minor cuts, scrapes and burns". Their properties totally go against the new research from Journal of Clinical investigation and the University of Leeds which says that petroleum jelly can interfere the natural clotting process and may increase the risk of wound infection through perforation of protected film that our body naturally creates. I am so curious that how this could happen with a famous petroleum jelly which sold worldwide. How could it pass the Food and Drug Administration of USA and Thailand? I think, the label of the petroleum jelly should be more clear that using it only after the wound has clotted and cleaned or after the scab has initially formed. For me, I feel that I am lucky that I never use the petroleum jelly to cure any cut. However, I sometimes use it to moisturize my lip during the winter time.
When I have an injury like a cut or an abrasion, I always clean the wound with tap water or normal saline solution, I also use alcohol to wipe around the wound. Because of the way the injury occurs, dirt and bacteria can easily enter the site. Therefore, it's especially important to clean the wound to prevent infection and speed the healing process. After the wound is cleaned I usually use a skin antiseptic called povidone-idodine. I think, it works!
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My question
What do you do when you have a cut or wound?
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Reference
Why petroleum jelly may not be the best thing to heal cuts. (2018,June 26) Retrieved from https://www.bbc.com/news/health-44600618
I haven't know about the belief that petroleum jelly can help a cut before. Maybe not reading label of the product is luck for me.
ReplyDeleteWhen I have cut I sometimes use alcohol to clean area around the cut and apply a plaster to cover the cut. However, mostly when a cut is not severe I don't do anything to heal it because I am too lazy (that is not a good behaviour). Anyway, the way you do to heal your cut with antiseptic sounds interesting to try.
Good for you Minnie, I agree with you that if a cut is not severe, we don't have to do anything excepted for cleaning it. And this is supported by the evidence-based experiment that the body can heal itself.
DeleteLike Minnie, I had never heard of this belief in the healing powers of petroleum jelly. When I get a minor cut, I usually do what my mother did. If it's minor, I do nothing and let the blood scab over to seal it for healing, and try not to pick it off. If it's more serious, I clean it, and perhaps apply an antibiotic ointment before covering it. And if it's really serious, I go to see a doctor, although I haven't had to do that for many years. The worst cuts I get these days are usually paper cuts, but these can be pretty awful since they are usually on a finger in a position that is easily irritated, so I sometimes bandage them just to keep them clean and give a little protection from knocks. The worst is paper cuts that interfere with my typing: that's annoying.
ReplyDeleteFor me, petroleum jelly is used in winter, because this season of the weather is too dry. So people always use it to moisturize the skin. But I never heard the petroleum jelly can be used on wound. If I have a cut, usually, I use a apply ointment called Erythromycin eye ointment. When I was young, I hurt my nose and left a small wound, I used this ointment. My wound healing just took only 2 days. It's amazing.
ReplyDelete