Alcohol ... what percent is needed?

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Bravery

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Ok... I was at Wally World the other day and I noticed that there was different strengths of rubbing alcohol. Does anyone know what is best? I figured I would ask to see if they served different purposes.
 
There are many types of alcohol out there, alcohol and peroxyde. Uses either, are mostly to flush out debris from a open wond or laceration, or to cleaning a glass cut. But for rubbing alcohol you want it at 70 percent to kill bacteria. Peroxyde will do almost same if im correct think it is between 60 or 68 percent alcohol. Either would do the job. But if you somehow dont have acces to either, quick easy way to solve it, head on down to the liquor store and get yourself a bottle of Everclear, everclear comes in two proofs, strong at that - 95% (190 proof) 75.5% ( 151 proof)
I have one bottle (squeeze bottle) of 190 proof in my medical pack kit.
 
Realize im not a doctor of any kind when i say this.

Alcohol, when used on cuts, should never be used on deep cuts. Alcohol drys the skin and can make it worse or leave worse scaring. for deep cuts use iodine, itll clean it the best and keep it moist to heal properly. also keep it covered with gauze as not to get dirt etc in it.

Alcohol comes in different forms because there is different uses for it. the more alcohol, the better itll clean infection, but at the same time, itll dry out the cut faster too.
Also, the hire the alcohol, the more steril an object placed into it will become.
Id recommend bot the high and the low.
The high for sterilization, and the low for small cuts (etc)

Peroxide is a joke for any abrasions imho.
Its used for a flush of cuts to get out debris, and to clean coagulated blood from the surroundings of the cut.
My uncle is a surgical tech (of a high degree) and stated they only use peroxide to clean blood off of objects removed from the body.
 
I only use peroxide for cleaning dried blood around wounds or clothing. Alcohol I am not sure what strength is best. A pharmacist may better answer that question. I would think the stronger the better.
 
Just remember that alcohol and perxoide are very necrotic. I cut peroxide by 50% for cleaning wounds. Have you ever sprayed or poured peroxide on a wound and seen it change color, that is the tissue dying. A better flush is a betadine solution. If you can drink it as for water you can flush a wound with it. The ever clear or clear liquor are used for tinctures.
 
Even here in the Philippines, ERs do not use Hydrogen Peroxide to clean wounds directly. It kills the tissue (just like what doc pops said) and a diluted betadine solution (dilute with a sterile water) is better to clean the wound directly. I learned this a few years back.

As to alcohol, I steer clear of Isopropyl Alcohol. I only allow the use of Ethyl Alcohol (here in the Philippines, they use Sugarcane extracts to create the Ethyl Alcohol) which is safer. If you need to use alcohol to clean wounds, do not use those rubbing alcohols that have moisturizers added.

Just my 2 cents.
 
When I do use alcohol I use it to clean or sanitize! This could be wood/isopropyl or grain/ethyl alcohol,or as Overlord stated from sugar cane. Alcohol of any kind in necrotic, if if burns it is killing tissue. Try this next time when you have a scrape or cut just wipe the area around the wound. I do have several QTS. on hand, not for wounds '' cleaning and sanitizing'' only. However you could use a deluted 50/50 to remove water from ears, swimmers ear. You could use grain/ethyl alcohol to make tinctures. Also if you do use wood/isopropyl alcohol to clean/sanatize you will notice that the alcohol will leave a residue. High proof clear drinking '' ethyl alcohol '' would be my alcohol of choice. Reasons to have ethyl alcohol high proof, is used as an industrial cleaner,fuel, if cut with drinking/ distilled water is is good for drinking, known as '' moon shine ''/everclear, rum, vodka, gin...
Good luck, be safe and God bless!
 

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