After receiving stitches, why is petroleum jelly recommended over Neosporin for !
Question: * wouldn't the Neosporin be better at preventing infection, since it has antibacterial properties?
Answers: * wouldn't the Neosporin be better at preventing infection, since it has antibacterial properties?
I guess your dr. does'nt want your stitches to dry out, that is why he wants you to use that p.jelly. Now if and that is IF it was infected neosporin would be great to use. Neosporin does not prevent lacerations from getting infected, but it does help when it is infected.
you can use neosporin, but the p jelly works the same way, by coating it with p jelly, you are keeping bacteria out of the wound! With neosporin, theres a chance of scar tissue forming.
Petroleum jelly was used for many years with excellent results. Reason being with a wound not only can you succumb to infection, but you have swelling and inflammation. They put the stitches in when the tissue is inflamed and swollen, but as the wound heals, the swelling, inflammation die down, leaving the stitches, that will probably be soaked in dried blood. So to stop all that from drying out, they give it a good coating of PT and it works. Best of Luck
PS they do not tend to worry about bacteria, as your own immune system will deal with this, so they choose to use tetanus injection, depending on what you cut it with.