Preparation and learning
Do minor cuts need antiseptic or antibiotic cream?
Cleaning, covering and recognising infection matter more than choosing between brand names.
For most minor cuts, start with clean water or saline and a clean, non-stick dressing. Healthdirect advises that antiseptic creams are not needed for routine wound care. A clinician can decide whether an antibiotic is appropriate.
Start with basic wound care
Stop bleeding with pressure. Rinse a small wound with clean water or saline, then cover it. An ointment does not replace cleaning or remove dirt lodged in a wound.
If a wound is deep, gaping, contaminated or caused by a bite, get medical advice rather than trying a sequence of creams.
Avoid a one-product-fits-all rule
Antiseptics and antibiotics are different types of products. Their ingredients, intended uses and precautions vary. Ask a pharmacist or clinician about a particular product, especially for a child or someone with allergies or another medical condition.
Do not combine products because a general comparison article recommends it. Follow the product label and any treatment instructions you have been given.
Know when the wound needs a check
- Increasing redness, warmth, swelling or pain.
- Pus, fever or feeling unwell.
- A deep puncture, bite, embedded object or wound that is not healing.
Burns have different first-aid steps
Do not use this wound-care article as a burns treatment guide. Open the burns guide for cooling and assessment advice.