Product Review: Neosporin Cream and Spray

The nice people at Mom Central sent me some samples of Neosporin antibacterial cream, ointment, and spray to try out. And when I got it in the mail I thought, "Why, exactly, did I sign up for this tour again?" Because, you know, it's Neosporin. Everyone uses it when their kids have scrapes and cuts and whatnot. And what were these samples going to tell me that I didn't already know from years of using it?

Except....the little Neo-To-Go pocket/purse/keychain spray thing is awesome. I've had it sitting in the bottom of my purse and have used it way more than I thought I would. It's designed so you can't accidentally spray it inside your purse (OK, probably *somebody* can accidentally spray it, but I didn't). And I have a resister (my almost-4-year-old) who does not want *anyone* touching anything that happens to him. (Which may be why he has two scars on his forehead already.) He is totlaly fine with being sprayed, as long as he gets to help spray it. Two thumbs up.

The other samples they sent seemed like regular old Neosporin--one was the clear goop, and the other was a white cream (I'm still not sure what the difference is between those two). But, but, but, but! They now have a pain reliever along with the antibacterial stuff. Which means that when my resister yanked a hangnail in his toe and it got all red and ouchy, he actually sat still and let me put the Neosporin on it without crying or fighting or kicking me in the face, because the Neosporin made it stop hurting.

Five thumbs up on that.

So if you haven't checked out the new delivery methods and formulations, it might be worth swinging past that aisle the next time you're in the drugstore.

Comments

[Jill]

I know this is weird, but TWO different doctors have told me to stay away from Neosporin and to use Polysporin or Bacitracin instead. Apparently there's one component in Neosporin that people can react to, even if you have reacted before.

[My Kids Mom]

I grew up calling it Magic Medicine.

[Arwen]

When I was a kid my parents never had a tube of Neosporin in the house. We just used antiseptic ointment instead, and never got infections.

Maybe I'm confused here, but aren't we concerned about the overuse of antibacterial products and the growth of superbacteria? I'm not up on the research, but I'd like to see some data that shows that the use of Neosporin rather than plain old antiseptics (like soap!) to prevent infection from run-of-the-mill cuts and scrapes is actually necessary.

Moxie, I trust your opinion on this, because I've heard you talk before about how it's not good to be too germ-phobic and anti-bacterial-crazy. You clearly do think the use of Neosporin is good/necessary, and I'd love to hear your thoughts on why.

[Trish C]

Sounds neat, if you're not allergic to Neosporin. In case you're wondering, you find out you're allergic to neosporin by putting it on a wound for days and days until you finally give up and go to a doctor because the wound won't heal.

Because of that, I won't use neosporin or the "triple antibiotic" ointment on my kids either, in case they're allergic too. We stick with bacitracin if it's a cut that seems to require more than simple soap and water.

[H]

I discovered I was allergic to neomycin - found in Neosporin - the hard way. A doctor recently told me that allergies to Neosporin are actually very widespread and that he recommends that people avoid it. We still have it in the house (seems wasteful to toss it) but I don't use it anymore. What can you use instead of the triple antibiotic stuff?

[Abacaxi Mamao]

I, too, am allergic to Neosporin. I found out the hard way, after using it for years without any kind of negative reaction. It was gross and painful. Can I really use Polysporin or Bacitracin? I thought they were all basically the same. The doctor who diagnosed me told me to use soap, water, and a bandaid on all typical cuts and I would be just fine.

[akeeyu]

Yeah, I'm allergic to Neomycin, too.

If you're only allergic to the Neo part of Neosporin, you can totally use Polysporin or Bacitracin, instead. Of course, it's not usually available as a generic and costs two or three times as much, and then you end up standing in the aisle saying "WHY does it cost more to NOT add an ingredient?" and tacking on a bunch of expletives, and then you lose the stupid tube of Polysporin and have to blow another five bucks on it, five bucks that could have gone towards ICE CREAM.

Or maybe it's just me. YMMV.

Oh, if you're allergic to Neosporin, make sure you have it put in your charts and alert the doctor if you ever need eyedrops. A whole lot of those have Neomycin in them, too, and God knows you don't want to have that kind of allergic reaction in your EYE. Ew.

[SarcastiCarrie]

akeeyu - Good to know about the eye drops.

I found out (or developed) the neomycin allergy last summer while pregnant. And it was gross. "Why won't this hideous thing heal?" To counteract the allergic reaction, I ended up using a Benadryl spray and the alcohol in the spray also kept the nasty wound clean and dry. It looks like it might have scarred but it's somewhere that won't matter since no one who doesn't love me will be seeing me there.

Growing up, we used Bactine, peroxide, alcohol, and mercurichrome (oh, so stain-y).

[Alexicographer]

Hmmm. Interesting comments. A friend of mine who's a physician's assistant told me that in her experience/practice they generally recommend hydrogen peroxide if more than soap and water is needed, and definitely recommend steering clear of the goopy stuff (perhaps what Moxie is describing as a neosporin spray-on also avoids that).

[hedra]

akeeyu, we discovered that Miss R was allergic to the eye goop, but it was erythromycin (sp?) only, not neomycin.

It matters which it is. Do have it in your charts, but be aware that there are many formulations of eye medicines and they may not have the one ingredient.

And yeah, discovered that after it was applied for conjunctivitis and her eyelids turned into cherry-colored marshmallows in about 15 minutes. Ouchies!

[effective nancy]

At work, the protocol was to flush a wound (guaranteed to have bacteria, no question) with povidone/iodine and hydrogen peroxide after soap and water took away the big whatevers. I'd probably recommend that for those allergic to neomycin, as it didn't even hurt that much.

In the meantime, my kid this evening cut her tiny little nostril on the baby sippy spout of a Klean Kanteen (how is this even possible?) and I put the tiniest dab of the Neo cream on there. She stopped crying and actually ate dinner with minimal fuss. Frickin' magic. (I had to put something on there to get the blood to stop dripping down her face. I wish I were making this up.) I then wiped it off less than half an hour after application, figuring it had done enough good. I was a little nervous about the "don't use in kids under 2" thing. Less nervous about the blood itself, but my parents were conniptic. It was kinda cute. They love her, too.

[Goddess Babe]

FYI, active ingredients in Neosporin (and *all* "triple antibiotic" ointments) are
1. neomycin
2. bacitracin
3. polymixin/polysporin

Neomycin is the one most likely to prompt an adverse response, especially if you've had reaction to other -mycins. That said, some folks react to polymixin/polysporin. Bacitracin is the lease likely to provoke an adverse response.

Post by an MD at epinions was old, but helpful: http://www.epinions.com/content_1457168516

I grew up with HORRIBLE reactions to Neosporin. (Hedra - like the description of cherry marshmallows!) Bacitracin was the only ointment we had in the house as a result.

Bad memories of a friend offering me a "natural" wound ointment product and not reading the label; it was triple antibiotic with tea tree oil added. EWWWWWWW. We mostly stick with just the tea tree oil on it's own now.

[Lee]

What is the active ingredient in the Neo-To-Go spray?

I recall reading something in Consumers' Reports recently about their misleading advertising - they market it as Neosporin in a spray, but it really doesn't contain the antibiotic ingredients? I think?

The website isn't so helpful, but I do notice that they call the ointments "antibiotics" and the spray "antiseptic".

[Shox Torch Shoes]

it sitting in the bottom of my purse and have used it way more than I thought I would. It's designed so you can't accidentally spray it inside your purse (OK, probably *somebody* can accidentally spray it, but I didn't). And I have a resister (my almost-4-year

[coach bags]

Surely you have missed some?
11. Redecorate all pale clothing in manner that not even a 90 degree wash can eradicate
12. Hurl at unsuspecting passers by
13. Prick self repeatedly
14. Smear purple on your siblings faces

On reflection I prefer yours