If you had a childhood anything like mine, then I’m sure you remember well the black bottle of Hydrogen Peroxide your mom would bring out every time you had a cut. But have you ever thought, does this really work? Is it worth it? If you were anything like me, you assumed that since the application of this substance caused sharp, stinging pain, it was doing its job. However, recent research may show otherwise, arguing that Hydrogen Peroxide is not the best way to treat a wound to keep it from infection, and even that it may cause some harm.
A black bottle of Hydrogen Peroxide (via Target.com)
Research now shows that water is the best treatment. While the bubbling and stinging of Hydrogen Peroxide may feel as if it is working, it is actually detrimental to your skin in various ways. The concentration of the Hydrogen Peroxide determines just how harmful the product will be individually, with the higher percentages being most dangerous. There is minimum risk involved with regular 3% Hydrogen Peroxide, when it is used occasionally (Missimer, Rick). According to Rick Missimer, author of a Health Guidance article on using Hydrogen Peroxide to treat cuts, “anything higher than that should be avoided.” It has been found that Hydrogen Peroxide is potentially harmful when “absorbed through the skin”, making it harmful to treat open wounds with (Missimer, Rick). Why is this? Well according to a WebMD article, “this product works by releasing oxygen when it is applied to the affected area. The release of oxygen causes foaming, which helps to remove dead skin and clean the area.” Hydrogen Peroxide (H2-O2) “may contain too much oxygen for the blood leading to potential issues” (Missimer, Rick). Missimer’s article later states that “it is also a potential carcinogen and the oxidative stress on the skin cells might (very mildly) increase the chances of developing cancer.” However, you may be wondering how effective it is in treating the actual wound.
Hydrogen Peroxide is notorious for its ability to kill germs; however recent data shows that “it can also actually slow down the healing of wounds by damaging the white blood cells which are required for skin repair. At the same time, it can actually damage the skin around the wound” (Missimer, Rick). The use of Hydrogen Peroxide on the skin can result in “redness, stinging or irritation”, according the WebMD. So how can we treat our wounds to prevent from infection. The answer is, water. Most are likely unaware that water is extremely important when it comes to healing. An article from Advanced Tissue shows that “water is the primary way that oxygen and nutrients are delivered directly to the wound bed…” Without these nutrients and proper hydration, the healing process can be greatly stalled (Advanced Tissue). The article then states that “if an injury doesn’t maintain proper moisture, epithelial cells that work to migrate over repaired tissue will not be able to cover the wound at a normal pace, leaving it more susceptible to open air and infection” (Advanced Tissue). So by washing your wounds with water and making sure you are hydrated, you can most effectively prevent yourself from getting infected. Although using Hydrogen Peroxide lightly causes little chance of the harmful effects it can produce, it doesn’t make sense to incur these risks when something as simple as water is the answer.
Water is essential to the healing process (picture from Journal Reporter.com)
Works Cited
“How Hydration Impacts Wound Healing.” Advanced Tissue. Advanced Tissue, 27 June 2014. Web. 01 Dec. 2015.
“Hydrogen Peroxide.” WebMD. WebMD, LLC., n.d. Web. 01 Dec. 2015.
Missimer, Rick. “Should You Use Hydrogen Peroxide to Clean a Cut?” Health Guidance. HealthGuidance.org, n.d. Web. 01 Dec. 2015.
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I would like to see proof or studies that show that too much hydrogen peroxide causes cancer because all we know is from a statement in an article.
Mr. Madore, WOW!!! Another great post! I never knew that there were health risks to using Hydrogen Peroxide. As many others, I have been using H2O2 on cuts and scrapes since I was a little kid. I never knew that for I have been putting myself at somewhat of a risk by using it for all these years. While I was reading your post, I wondered why we ever used H2O2 if regular water was just as effective. I wondered why we would put our selves at risk if we have water readily available. I did some research and found this page. It explains that H2O2 is more effective at washing out cuts and scrapes.
I have always been taught to use Hydrogen Peroxide, so this is very interesting to me. Looking at your studies, it does seem that water is definitely the best way to clean wounds compared to hydrogen peroxide, but I have also always been a big Neosporin user for cuts. Does the same apply for that? After looking into it, I found that the same goes for Neosporin as hydrogen peroxide. It contains bacitracin, polymixin B, and neomycin and has both positive and negative healing effects. You can read some reviews of what people have written and found on the subject below in the link I posted. Thanks for the post, I will definitely stick with water when it comes to cleaning cuts next time!
http://chealth.canoe.com/drug_info_details.asp?brand_name_id=1952
Wow that’s crazy, I’ve been using hydrogen peroxide for as long as i can remember I can’t believe it was doing more bad than good. My mom also used to tell me to rinse my mouth out with hydrogen peroxide after brushing my teeth, which can be effective but not the way I was taught to do it. The hydrogen peroxide must be the weakest 1% strength or watered down to kill bacteria without doing any harm.
http://www.using-hydrogen-peroxide.com/hydrogen-peroxide-as-mouthwash.html
This is very interesting, considering I used to use Hydrogen Peroxide when I had cuts. As you said, when it started to sting, I felt like it was working. Now that I know water works even better, I have never been happier! This article speaks about another interesting idea, how when someone has a kidney infection, they are most likely dehydrated and the best way to cure this is by drinking water. It is said to flush out bacteria.
This is really an interesting posting, since I like to drink water than any else drinks. As we all know, that a large portion of a human body is consisted of water: 65% percent. Dehydration is extreme dangerous. A loss of more than 10% of your body weight is a medical emergency. If the one cannot reverse this bad situation in time, it can lead to death, according to the University of Rochester Medical Center. Without water, human would lower the rate of circulating blood, reduce the blood pressure and rise body temperature. A more detailed article about this topic can be found here: http://www.businessinsider.com/how-many-days-can-you-survive-without-water-2014-5
Based on the research and evidence you found on the potentially harmful effects of hydrogen peroxide, I would also agree with you that water would be the less risky option, especially since it has been found to offer great benefits when treating a wound. There are some mouth washes and teeth whitening products on the market that contain hydrogen peroxide, which if it is a carcinogen, could be very dangerous. It is also a bleaching product and has been found to make the teeth sensitive and gum irritation (http://www.ada.org/en/about-the-ada/ada-positions-policies-and-statements/tooth-whitening-safety-and-effectiveness). Not only could it damage the skin, but also the mouth.