A tube of antibiotic ointment has become an almost automatic first-aid for a scraped knee, paper cut, or minor nick. Now doctors are saying you should stop using it. The issue is not that antibiotic ointments are useless in every medical situation. Rather, their routine use on small, clean cuts can expose people to potential downsides without providing much additional benefit. Allergic contact dermatitis is one concern. Someone trying to protect a tiny wound can potentially irritate the surrounding skin with the product intended to help it heal. So, what should you put on a minor scrape or cut? It’s simple: clean the wound, keep it moist with petroleum jelly, and cover it appropriately. The evidence doesn't mean that antibiotics should never be used. Deeper, contaminated or infected wounds can require medical assessment and, in some circumstances, antibiotic treatment. However, for the ordinary household scrape, the humble petroleum jelly sitting in the medicine cabinet may be all that’s needed.
