From: sbharris@ix.netcom.com(Steven B. Harris)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: Hydrogen peroxide
Date: 23 Jul 2000 23:02:07 GMT

In <3977F0BE.D79A8F3B@never.ever.net> Jase <nospam@never.ever.net>
writes:
>
>Hi,
>
>When I get a minor bleeding that is caused by removing scab, like on my
>acne I apply hydrogen peroxide.  When I apply it it and hold it for a
>while blood on surface turns clear and the bleeding stops soon.  Is it
>just my perception or does H2O2 have an ability to stops/limits
>bleeding?(whats the terminology for that?).
>
>Thanks


   It does indeed stop minor bleeding from wounds-- damn if I know why.
And no, to the best of my knowledge hydrogen peroxide is NOT used
deliberately in medicine as a local coagulant on cuts, as (for example)
astringents like Alum/stiptick are. Peroxide gets used as an
antiseptic, rather, and the coagulation effects (which are real) sort
of go along for the ride. This is probably an example of a simple
effect of a cheap and unpatentable product which could use some further
study. The local coagulant products which ARE used in minor surgery
(various kinds of oxidized cellulose) are hideously expensive. Peroxide
causes some minor tissue damage and irritation, so it hasn't been used
widely in surgery. However, it's cheap enough that somebody ought to
look at the cost/benefit tradeoffs for it a little more closely.
Thanks for reminding us of the effect. I'll do a medline search on
this, and see if anybody's published on it lately.