Use caution when using iodine solution for disinfection.

Iodine alcohol is a common and effective antiseptic, making it essential for wound disinfection. However, it can also cause more dangerous side effects than other types of antiseptics.

Being too clean can burn the skin.

Iodine solution is effective in keeping skin clean and disinfecting wounds, but applying it more often or using a higher concentration doesn't necessarily mean it will clean better. Pure iodine or concentrated iodine alcohol is ineffective at killing bacteria and can even cause burns, worsening skin infections.

The unfortunate thing is that when skin ulcers are caused by iodine, wound healing is very difficult because the damage is caused by iodine crystals working from the inside out.

On the other hand, because of its strong antiseptic properties, iodine, although it may not cause burns, can still darken the skin in the disinfected area. Therefore, you need to be careful when using it on areas requiring cosmetic treatment such as the face, neck, arms, etc.

Advice: Absolutely do not use concentrated or pure iodine; only use solutions with a concentration of less than 10%. For children, if you intend to use iodine solution for disinfection, it should be diluted 2-3 times.

Excessive use can cause poisoning.

When applying topical iodine over a large area, be careful, as the absorbed concentration may exceed the permissible limit. This is because when applied over a large area, excessive iodine absorption can lead to symptoms such as shortness of breath, swelling of the face, lips, tongue, and mouth, laryngeal edema making it difficult to speak, pulmonary edema, airway edema, and even death.

Advice: If applying iodine solution topically to a large area (equal to one-third of the body surface area), it is essential to use a diluted iodine solution, similar to that used for children. If the body reacts very quickly to cold, you should apply iodine alcohol to the most severely damaged skin, while for areas with minor damage, saline solution should be used instead.

Do not use on the face; does not threaten eyes or mouth.

When using iodine on the face, be careful to avoid contact with the eyes and mouth. If it gets into the eyes, it can cause burning, corneal damage, and even blindness. If it accidentally gets into your eyes, blink repeatedly or lean your head close to a bowl of clean water and blink until tears flow out to wash away the iodine.

Similarly, when using iodine on your face, it may get into your mouth, causing a burning or tingling sensation on your tongue and gums. In this case, you should spit out the solution and rinse your mouth (first, just hold it in your mouth and then spit it out to prevent the iodine from spreading throughout the oral cavity, then rinse).

Advice: For wounds near the eyes and mouth, you should avoid using iodine solution for disinfection; instead, use saline solution. If you must use it, carefully cover the eye with a clean cloth or gauze, or close your eye.

When applying iodine solution to your face, avoid talking or laughing to prevent it from getting into your mouth. Under no circumstances should you use iodine to treat wounds or pimples in the mouth.

According to Family Health