And many a veterinarian has said the same thing- if your dog or cat has a wound, 'prevent' infection by applying Neosporin.
While I do want you to use a product to keep the wound moist, you need to know why it shouldn’t be Neosporin.
Neosporin was created in the 1950s. However, it was not approved for use by the FDA until 1971. It is an over-the-counter topical antibiotic containing neomycin sulfate, polymyxin B, and bacitracin.
Why do so many dermatologists HATE Neosporin?
Neomycin frequently causes allergic reactions of the skin called contact dermatitis. It can cause the skin to become red, scaly, and itchy. The more Neosporin you use, the worse the skin reaction gets.
Neomycin is such a common allergen that it was named Allergen of the Year in 2010. The goal of this award is to bring awareness to commonly used products that are under-recognized as common allergens. Polymyxin B and bacitracin can cause contact dermatitis as well.
It’s also important to understand that Neosporin does not speed up wound healing.
So let's recap
1. It can cause serious skin reactions
2. It does NOT speed up wound healing
3. There are far better options:
-Clean wound with an antiseptic cleanser such as chlorhexidine or green tea
-Apply a proven healing topical to speed wound healing, such as HONEY (it's a wonderful antibacterial)
- You can use topical Castor Oil to form a protective layer over the injured skin. It prevents the skin from drying out and keeps the wound moist, speeding wound healing
Follow these steps and you will heal the wound far faster, and AVOID, unnecessary conventional medication side effects.
