"Science is wonderfully equipped to answer the question "How?" but it gets terribly confused when you ask the question "Why?" Erwin Chargaff
A recent health quiz caution in Prevention Magazine urged its readers to not disinfect cuts with hydrogen peroxide. The article admitted that "although it does kill bacteria hydrogen peroxide also destroys white blood cells that help repair wounds, slowing healing".
Hydrogen peroxide was first isolated in 1818 by Louis Jacques Thénard by reacting barium peroxide with nitric acid. An improved version of this process used hydrochloric acid, followed by sulfuric acid to precipitate the barium sulfate byproduct. Thénard's process was used from the end of the 19th century until the middle of the 20th century.
It is generally recognized as safe (GRAS) as an antimicrobial agent, an oxidizing agent and for other purposes by the US Food and Drug Administration and has been used as an antiseptic and anti-bacterial agent for many years due to its oxidizing effect. While its use has decreased in recent years with the popularity of better-smelling and more readily-available over the counter products, hydrogen peroxide is still used by many hospitals, doctors and dentists in sterilizing, cleaning and treating everything from floors to root canal procedures.
Like many oxidative antiseptics, hydrogen peroxide causes mild damage to tissue in open wounds, but it also is effective at rapidly stopping capillary bleeding (slow blood oozing from small vessels in abrasions), and is sometimes used sparingly for this purpose, as well as cleaning.
Exposure to hydrogen peroxide takes place through inhalation of damp or mist, through food uptake and through skin or eye contact. Hydrogen peroxide can irritate the eyes, skin and mucous membranes. Exposure of the eyes to concentrations of 5% or more can result in permanent eye damage.
Tests with laboratory animals from the American International Agency on Cancer Research (IARC) show that hydrogen peroxide can be carcinogenic to animals. Laboratory tests with bacteria show that hydrogen peroxide is mutagenic; it changes and damages DNA.
When humans inhale hydrogen peroxide, it causes lung irritation. Skin exposure causes painful blisters, burns and skin whitening. Organs that are extra susceptive to hydrogen peroxide exposure are the lungs, the intestines, the thymus, the liver and the kidneys. The effects of chronic exposure on humans are unknown. Effects on reproduction and development are not demonstrated so far.
The article in Prevention Magazine recommends you "rinse the cut with clear water - soap and rubbing alcohol can be irritating". If you can't remove any remaining debris or dirt with tweezers sterilized with alcohol, see your doctor. The thorough wound cleaning reduces the risk of infection and scarring.
Gerry Charbonneau
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