Antiseptics are products used to reduce, eliminate or inactivate microorganisms on the skin or surfaces when used.
There are different types of antiseptics, bactericidal and narrow spectrum, which eliminate only bacteria and a small percentage of other microorganisms, and broad-spectrum ones, which have bactericidal, fungicide and virucid properties.
Antiseptics are used in the following situations
Due to their wide application, antiseptics should be chosen according to the purpose of their use and medical recommendations. Some of the broad-spectrum antiseptics, which act against viruses, bacteria and fungi, are:
Alcohol is the most effective substance for eliminating bacteria, viruses and fungi, acting quickly.
This colourless substance is effective at concentrations greater than 70%, and can be found in solution or gel, for hand hygiene, umbilical cord and skin, for example for arterial or venous blood extraction.
In addition, alcohol can also be used to clean surfaces, in which case the solution should be chosen.
There are a wide variety of recipes on the Internet, which teach how to easily prepare alcohol in a homemade gel, however, it is not recommended to do so, as it is not possible to guarantee that the concentration of gel is effective in eliminating all microorganisms. . In addition, some of the ingredients added to these recipes may promote their proliferation.
Chlorhexidine is a colourless substance and is available in different concentrations, each with several indications. Although it has a low action against fungi and viruses, this solution is widely used to clean the umbilical cord, disinfect holidays and clean burns.
In some solutions, it may be associated with alcohol, being more effective at disinfecting hands and preparing for surgery.
Learn more about the different ways to use chlorhexidine
Povidone iodine, commercially known as povidine, is a brown solution, indicated for the disinfection of intact skin, internal and external urogenital pathways, hand hygiene, bladder catheterization and disinfection of damaged skin, such as sores, leg ulcers, superficial. sores and burns.
Learn more about iodine povidone and how to use it correctly.
Unless recommended by a doctor, antiseptics should not be used in surgical wounds or wash wounds, pressure ulcers and in cingered patients.
Some of the products commonly called antiseptics, which are still circulating on the market but should not be used are mercurochrome, because of its toxicity and side effects, ether for its inefficiency as antiseptic and eosin, which dries the skin. , is indicated for uninfected dermatological lesions.
In addition, hydrogen peroxide, although it is a widely used disinfectant, is also not effective enough to remove all microorganisms, and it needs to be combined with other antiseptics to be effective.
In addition, homemade alcoholic gel should also not be used, as there is a risk of not achieving adequate concentration for the elimination of microorganisms, in addition to some of the ingredients beneficial for its proliferation.