What do most people usually use to treat an open cut or a wound? Due to Johnson & Johnson’s clever marketing, many people go for Neosporin. Neosporin was launched in the 1950s in the United States. However, it was approved for medical use in the United States in 1971. So why should we avoid this product?
Neosporin contains a mixture of 3 topical antibacterial medications: Neomycin, polymixin, and bacitracin. Neomycin can cause severe allergies and it is one of the most common causes of dermatitis.
In fact, neomycin was declared the Contact Allergen of the Year by the American Contact Dermatitis Society (ACDS) in 2010.
Bacitracin is the second most common antibiotic used in triple antibiotic treatments. In 2003, the American Contact Dermatitis Association declared bacitracin Allergen of the Year after multiple reports of anaphylaxis.
The use of Neosporin can cause more severe reactions with hives, difficulty breathing or swallowing, swelling of the face, throat, tongue, lips, eyes, hands, feet, ankles, or lower legs.
Additionally, any use of antibiotics promotes exposed bacteria to become resistant. This includes antibiotic creams applied to the skin.
A US study discovered that topical antibiotics can disrupt the skin’s microbiome – the mix of bacteria, yeasts, and parasites that live on your skin. This can lead to the spread of unwanted bacteria. Antibiotics are a necessary tool that should be preserved for as long as possible.