15 Unusual Uses for Cheap Vodka

Step 14: Treat Wounds!

Vodka acts both as a local anesthetic and disinfectant, so is perfect for treating open blisters and other minor wounds.  It's even great for treating aching teeth!

Comments

[nwhyte]

If you added enough vodka to a large cut could it make its way into your blood system and get you drunk. You'd forget about the cut pretty quickly! ;)

[bpfh]

If a wound was big enough to absorb 1 shot glass of vodka, I think you have bigger problems to worry about than getting drunk :)

[heysonnie]

Alcohol kills skin cells, especially vulnerable wounded ones. Same is true of witch hazel and hydrogen peroxide. It's better to use soap and water -- or just water.

[dreadengineer]

Infections also kill skin cells. In my experience, my cuts seem to heal faster when disinfected with something than when just washed with water. I'd be interested if there's a study or a medical opinion somewhere in favor of just water.

[clevernonsense]

there was a study that showed rinsing a wound with just water healed faster than rinsing a wound with hydrogen peroxide, sure it can be found online somewhere.

Generally, a bleeding cut is already cleaning itself out.

[Tiktaky]

I know in first aid courses we are taught to use just water, This is because disinfectants can kill the wounded cells as well as infection cells, and could lead to law-suits. The reason is purely because we live in a Pass the Blame world.

If I forget to run my cut under-water or my bandaid wasn't adhering correctly, The wound will start to grow hot itch, this is the sign of an impending infection. At this point, It will heal faster if you put a drop of alcohol or detol on it.

[heysonnie]

The doctor in the ER recently was the one who told me this. He said soap and water. He also said to use a triple antibiotic salve and loose bandages. My family member who was wounded quite badly recovered well -- without infection or major scarring.

[lding]

We were taught in the emergency department, you should wash 'clean' wounds with sterile saline solution (or water). 'Dirty' wounds should be cleaned with some sort of antiseptic. But most antiseptics do kill cells. It's a matter of judgement.

I don't know what the medical literature is to support that. But that's what we do at my hospital.

[obaa]

Alcohol does kill cells, which if you really think about it is the reason why it makes a good disinfectant. Killing germs which are themselves just simple cell organisms.

[pher sov]

rhum or whiskey , also, any alcohol... actually ... are or were used , even for war time field amputations... . but don.t abuse drinking it after treating your teeths...