The Magic Ointment?
I once read in a magazine that Neosporin acted as a perfect cuticle repair during the winter. Being a victim of brutal hangnails, I decided to slather my fingertips before bed for a couple nights. My roommate laughed at my dedicated primping, but the results were worth the extra minute before bed! The ointment was a little greasy (it has an White Petrolatum base) and spotted my sheets; but for me, the pros outweighed the cons. Hangnail free, I began to wonder what else Neosporin was capable of…
What I dug up:
- Acne Treatment – Neosporin kills bacteria and promotes healing, so why shouldn’t it work as a spot treatment? Many people seem to swear by it, but I can’t help but consider the company’s warning, “Do not apply the ointment over large skin areas.” Don’t mask your face in this ointment, apparently Neomycin is a highly toxic antibiotic, used sometimes as an intestinal antiseptic in surgery.
- Soothes raw skin and ingrown hairs! Ladies, if you wax or shave this ointment can save you from embarrassing bumps. I personally use this for a couple days after I wax my bikini line, it relieves the irritation and keeps my skin clean.
- Eye Colds and Ear Aches – Surprisingly, a lot of people swear by warming the paste into a liquid and putting it… pretty basically anywhere. However, Neosporin warns that the ointment is for “external uses only” and also shouldn’t be applied to eyes. Hmm…
Ingredients: Polymyxin B Sulfate, Neomycin and Pramoxine Hydrochloride. Inactive – Mythlparaben, Mineral Oil, Polozamer 188, Propylene Glycol, Water Purified, White Petrolatum.
What Neosporin doesn’t tell you:
- White Petrolatum is an inactive ingredient found in many moisturizers, lip balms, sunscreens, anti-itch creams, and even eye drops. However, it is regulated as a moderately toxic mixture and possible carcinogen.
- Polymyxin B is an antibiotic that has been used to treat Strep Throat and Swine Flu. Perhaps this is why some people condone gargling watered-down Neosporin?
In conclusion, I can only recommend Neosporin as cuticle cream and bikini-line soother. Although it is fairly unnatural, it does an amazing job at combating painful skin irritations!
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