Table of contents:
- Why does the red medicine sting when applied to the wound?
- However, not all wounds can be treated with red medicine
Failure to focus for just one or two seconds when slicing the onion, then your fingers are sliced. Or you tripped over the gravel while crossing the street, and now not only your pants are torn, your knees are also the victim. Usually, for ups and downs like this red medicine is often a lifesaver. But why is it, the red medicine can sting and sting when applied to the wound?
Why does the red medicine sting when applied to the wound?
Red medicine is an antiseptic solution designed to weaken or stop the growth of germs and bacteria to prevent the risk of infection in open wounds, such as abrasions, scratches, or burns. In an antiseptic liquid product usually contains alcohol and hydrogen peroxide. Well, these two ingredients activate the pain signal in the body and trigger a burning sensation.
When applied to wounds, alcohol activates vanilloid receptor-1 (VR1), which is responsible for creating a burning sensation when the receptors are exposed to heat or certain chemical compounds - such as the capsaicin in chilies. VR1 is usually only activated in high temperatures (40ºC or more). Therefore, these receptors will usually not be turned on unless it is true that your body is burning alive. However, when the alcohol comes into contact with VR1, the core body temperature threshold drops below normal. So, you suddenly feel hot as if you are on fire, which is not the case.
Meanwhile, the hydrogen peroxide in the red drug activates another receptor blocker, known as the transient potential ankyrin 1 receptor, or TRPA1. TRPA1 is thought to be involved in the painful sensation caused by hydrogen peroxide. This is what causes the burning feeling under the skin after you apply the red medicine to the wound.
However, not all wounds can be treated with red medicine
To treat scratches, incisions, eroded, light abrasions, it really does not need to be treated very much with red drugs, such as hydrogen peroxide, iodine, or alcohol. Applying red medicine to minor wounds carelessly can actually irritate the skin and interfere with the healing process. So, the next time your skin is scratched by a fall (again), immediately rinse the wound with clean running water.
If you don't have clean water available, you can use a brine solution, non-alcoholic wet wipes, or a soft washcloth - as long as it's not lint-free or lint-free so that no strands get caught in the wound. Then dry it well and cover the wound with gauze, to keep the area clean while it heals.
In an urgent situation where clean water or other materials are not available to treat wounds, then red medicine can be used in moderation. Remember to always wash the wound first with running water until it is clean and dry it well before dropping the red medicine. After that, wait for the red medicine to dry on the skin first, then the wound is covered with a bandage.
Do not use red medicine to treat open skin wounds - such as deep cuts from accidents with a knife or other machine, deep cuts, animal bites, large burns (larger than a mole), or cuts. These are all types of skin lesions with rapid and extensive bleeding. Povidone iodine has no healing effect on these wounds.
Hello Sehat provides a special article about first aid information for stab wounds, internal wounds, wild animal bites, and burns that you can find on our website.
