The variety of medicines presented on the pharmaceutical market for skin restoration after burns is quite large. This is explained, first of all, by the high prevalence of these types of damage in domestic and industrial conditions. After mild injuries, such as sun damage and boiling water damage, there is no point in using antibacterial ointments for treatment. It must be remembered that the effectiveness of rehabilitation therapy depends on the characteristics of the drugs used. Tetracycline ointment is an antibiotic prescribed by specialists for advanced stages of damage. The medication also helps prevent infection in the wound.
Release form and mechanism of action
In metal tubes of 3, 7 and 10 grams.
Active ingredient – tetracycline – 10 mg per 1 gram of the drug.
Tetracycline destroys the connections between ribosomes and transfer RNA of bacteria, which disrupts protein synthesis in them and makes it impossible for them to reproduce.
Effectively suppresses microorganisms. Among those suppressed by it: clostridia, streptococci, staphylococci, spirochetes, mycoplasma, E. coli, leptospira, gonococcus, pneumococcus, rickettsia, chlamydia.
Among those resistant to it are: a group of fungi, Protea, Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
The frequency of use of Tetracycline ointment is decreasing due to the development of resistance of microorganisms to it and the emergence of more powerful antibiotics.
Features of treatment, side effects and contraindications
Knowing the specifics of tetracycline treatment will help you avoid unwanted side effects. What is important to consider:
- During tetracycline therapy, milk and milk-based products should not be taken . They interfere with the absorption (absorption, absorption) of the antibiotic.
- Tetracycline forms sparingly soluble complexes with calcium, iron and other metals. Therefore, when treating with this antibiotic, it is not recommended to drink milk and other calcium-containing foods, as well as consume mineral complexes and foods rich in iron (apples, peas, herbs, buckwheat, apricots).
- not be used together with vitamin A. This can lead to increased blood pressure.
Mode of application
The ointment is used exclusively topically.
According to the instructions for using tetracycline eye ointment, squeeze out a strip of ointment about 0.5 cm long, then carefully place it behind the lower eyelid.
In this case, use a special spatula or fingertip. The procedure is repeated after 2-4 hours in the same sequence.
When applying the ointment, do not touch the mucous membrane of the eyes with the tip of the tube , otherwise you can injure it. After completing the manipulation, it is recommended to lie down for a few minutes with your eyelids closed. Excess product should be removed with a cotton pad, paper or gauze napkin.
The course of therapy lasts 1-2 months and depends on the severity of the pathology. During treatment, blurred or blurred vision may occur. There is no need to be afraid of this.
Along with ointment, systemically acting medications can also be used as prescribed by a doctor.
Indications
A drug containing 1% active ingredient is used for complex recovery of eye lesions. In ophthalmic practice, it is used for conjunctivitis, damage to the lacrimal canal, barley and blepharitis.
In higher dosages, the medication is prescribed for thermal injuries and in the treatment of pathologies of an infectious nature. These are primarily abscesses and eczema. The ointment is used after surgical interventions as part of preventive measures for wound suppuration. In dermatology, this medication is prescribed to get rid of acne. The use of tetracycline gel accelerates the healing process.
Side effects
- Allergy;
- Dyspeptic disorders: vomiting, diarrhea, lack of appetite;
- Fungal infections of the skin , most often by candida fungi, with prolonged or unsystematic use;
- Inflammation of the mucous membranes of the oral cavity;
- Exacerbation of inflammation of the stomach and rectum;
- Increased sensitivity of the skin to solar radiation and the formation of burns on it (with direct and prolonged exposure);
- Giving a rich yellow color to tooth enamel in children (during tooth growth).
If side effects develop, the drug is discontinued and replaced with an antibiotic that does not contain tetracycline.
Contraindications to the use of drugs with antibiotics
Antibacterial ointments, despite their effectiveness and speed of action, can, unfortunately, not always be used. It is important that the selection of such drugs, if necessary, is carried out by a qualified doctor.
Antibiotic ointments should not be applied in cases where the patient is allergic to any component of the product.
Many of the antibiotic ointment preparations are prohibited for use by women expecting a baby or nursing mothers , as well as young children, since there is a serious risk that the components of the product may enter the general bloodstream and cause harm. Here it is better to give preference to drugs that are approved during pregnancy and do not have a systemic effect.
It is prohibited to use antibacterial drugs that contain hormonal components to treat wounds, especially open ones, as they can significantly complicate the situation and provoke complications. For the treatment of wounds, it is better to give preference to non-steroidal antibacterial medications.
Victor Systemov - expert of the 1Travmpunkt site
Tetracycline ointment is an eye and skin ointment with antibacterial action, which according to the instructions is intended for adults. It is contraindicated for young children , but is often used to treat pets. This is a topical antibiotic that effectively neutralizes and treats a number of bacterial infections. When is tetracycline ointment prescribed, and what are the features of treatment?
Application for children
Tetracycline eye ointment for children is allowed to be used if indicated at the age of at least 8 years . This is only possible on the recommendation of a specialist. As an exception, ophthalmologists prescribe 1% tetracycline eye ointment for children under one year of age. But parents are not allowed to do this without permission, without consulting an ophthalmologist.
The 3% drug is not prescribed to newborns, since when the drug enters the blood through the skin, transformations occur in the baby’s body, leading to darkening of the enamel of the teeth, which should erupt in the near future.
When a pediatrician prescribes tetracycline ointment for the treatment of infectious eye diseases in children, it is necessary to strictly follow the rules of use and dosage.
What effect does it have on burns?
Ointment for burns, namely Tetracycline, is used in the presence of weeping wounds or a blister on the surface of the skin. The product prevents the growth of bacteria and suppresses the spread of pathogenic flora. Otherwise, skin infections may develop over time.
Doctors advise applying ointment for 2nd and 3rd degree burns. Depending on the area affected, it can sometimes be used during severe thermal injuries in the fourth degree. Tetracycline ointment may be applied to burn areas that blister. But still, it should not be applied to blisters and fresh wounds. It is advisable to use an antibacterial drug after dry crusts appear.
Special instructions and interactions with other drugs
Patients who see a blurred visual image after using Tetracycline ointment are not recommended to take control of a car, complex equipment, etc. during treatment.
Do not use ointment during teething in children to prevent the enamel from turning yellow.
Prescribing Tetracycline ointment requires caution if the patient is susceptible to food allergies or hay fever, even if it is not used during their exacerbation.
Tetracycline eye ointment significantly enhances the effectiveness of glucocorticosteroids; this should be taken into account when calculating their dose.
If a few days after treatment the patient’s condition does not improve, it is necessary to visit an ophthalmologist.
Pregnant and lactating women should use the medication with caution, since the drug has not been tested on this group of patients.
In this case, the patient can use the ointment after a doctor’s prescription. The drug is prescribed only if the positive effect on the mother outweighs the potential risk to the baby.
Use of antibiotic ointments
Human skin is a special organ that performs the general protective function of the entire body, preventing the penetration of all kinds of pathogenic microorganisms from the environment that cause various diseases, including very serious ones.
Receiving damage to the skin due to any injury allows bacteria, viruses, fungi and other microorganisms free access to the human body , where they receive optimal conditions for reproduction and rapid development. As a result, the infection spreads, which can have very serious consequences.
Antibiotic ointments are intended to eliminate pathogenic microflora penetrating the skin lesion and symptoms of infection, as well as to prevent the development of the inflammatory process.
Healing ointment with antibiotic is used in the following cases:
- Wounds with purulent formation;
- Deep scratches and cuts;
- Abrasions of various sizes;
- Ulcers of a trophic nature;
- Burns and frostbite;
- Ulcerative skin lesions of various etiologies;
- Dermatitis and dermatoses, including those of a chronic nature;
- Skin erosions of various origins.
Tetracycline ointment
This ointment is quite well known among consumers, as it is used in the treatment of various diseases, including faster healing of wounds.
Tetracycline ointment is a special local antibiotic that can destroy pathogenic microorganisms on the surface of the skin, preventing their possible penetration into the wound cavity.
However, it is recommended to use Tetracycline only for the treatment of minor injuries , such as small cuts, scratches, abrasions, and minor burns. This ointment is not suitable for the treatment of serious injuries and large deep wounds.
It is also important to remember that if, when using Tetracycline for two weeks, no improvement in the condition of the wound is observed, you must consult a doctor to conduct a study and prescribe the correct drug.
Levomekol
The ointment is a universal combined preparation that is highly effective in treating various wounds and burns, due to which Levomekol has deserved popularity not only among consumers, but also among surgeons.
Any surgery department, emergency room, or dressing room must have Levomekol, a simple and inexpensive drug.
The ointment contains two main components, one of which is methyluracil, which activates all tissue regeneration processes, and the second is chloramphenicol, which is an effective antibiotic. This composition allows not only to accelerate the processes of restoration of injured tissues, but also to fight almost any type of infection.
The important point is that Levomekol can be used to treat any wounds , regardless of their area, scale and depth. The product is safe and non-toxic, therefore it is approved for use even for the treatment of children and pregnant women.
Baneocin
The ointment is intended for external use and is a combined preparation with a pronounced antimicrobial effect. The drug contains two active components that are strong antibiotics: bacitracin and neomycin sulfate.
Thanks to the combined composition, the ointment allows you to very quickly eliminate inflammatory processes in wounds, destroying infection in them and accelerating the process of cleansing the wound cavity.
An important point is that wound-healing ointment with an antibiotic exhibits high activity against microorganisms of gram-negative and gram-positive groups, as well as against actinomycytes and fusobacteria. But the ointment is not recommended to be applied to fresh wounds.
It is also prohibited to use the product for those who have impaired renal function or their excretory function, since in this case there is a serious risk of systemic absorption.
Gentamicin sulfate
The drug has been known for many years and even decades, during which it has established itself as an excellent remedy for the treatment of wounds, since it is able to suppress the development of most known microorganisms, belonging not only to the group of gram-positive, but also gram-negative.
After applying Gentamicin sulfate to the skin and surface of the wound, it very quickly penetrates into the damage , is absorbed into the tissue, kills pathogenic microflora, promotes intensive cleansing of the wound from exudate and purulent discharge, and also stimulates the healing process.
Gentamicin can be used to treat injuries of varying etiology and severity, as well as to eliminate infectious skin lesions, dermatitis, to treat burns of varying degrees, trophic ulcers, and to heal sutures after operations.
It is recommended to apply the drug with an antibiotic about 3 times a day until the injured tissues are completely healed, which can take from 1 to 2 weeks. The drug is non-toxic. Among the contraindications, one can note only individual intolerance to the drug, which is quite rare.
Fulevil
The ointment belongs to the category of chloramphenicol and is a drug that accelerates the healing of various skin lesions.
In addition to treating wounds of varying etiology and severity, Fulevil is actively used in the treatment of burns of varying degrees, primarily first and second, as well as for the healing of cracks localized in the rectum.
Also, ointment with antibiotics perfectly eliminates inflammatory processes that occur when skin lesions and damage occur when pathogenic microorganisms penetrate wounds.
The ointment is applied to a gauze napkin quite generously and after treating the surface of the wound and cleaning it from dirt and suppuration, it is applied to the wound, securing it with a bandage or pieces of plaster.
A contraindication to the use of Fulevil is the presence of intolerance to its components , for example, high sensitivity to chloramphenicol. If a person has such intolerance, when applying the ointment, hyperemia and a burning sensation may appear, which passes fairly quickly.
Lincomycin ointment
The main active ingredient of this drug is a strong and effective antibiotic - lincomycin. Thanks to this component, the product has a pronounced antiseptic and antimicrobial, as well as anti-inflammatory effect.
In most cases, Lincomycin ointment is used to eliminate the inflammatory process in wounds with intense formation of pus in the wound cavity due to the penetration of pathogenic microorganisms into it.
The ointment is also effective in the treatment of various diseases of the skin and soft tissues of a pustular nature.
It is important before applying the ointment to the surface of the wound to thoroughly clean it of existing necrotic contents and secreted pus. In this case, the product should be applied in a thin layer no more than twice a day when changing dressings and treating damage.
The use of ointment is contraindicated if a person has problems with the liver or kidneys.
Reviews
This product was always in my mother's medicine cabinet. That's why I have it in my medicine cabinet. We use it for various reasons – it treats stye, it can be applied to acne. There have never been any allergies. And the acne went away.
An ointment that has been proven over several generations. If dirt gets into the wound - here you have pus, inflammation, pain, red. This is where we apply tetracycline ointment. True, I didn’t know that you shouldn’t smear children. When I was a child, I applied it and treated it – nothing, my son is alive and well, he’s already 15 years old.
The local doctor prescribed tetracycline ointment for the child. Despite the fact that the ointment has contraindications for small children (my son is four years old), the doctor said that this is a proven remedy and nothing bad will happen. Who has used it - can you treat a preschooler?
All information is provided for informational purposes. And it is not an instruction for self-treatment. If you feel unwell, consult a doctor.
Tetracycline ointment: analogues
Analogs of tetracycline ointment may contain the same active ingredient or another substance with a similar effect. If it is necessary to replace a therapeutic agent, look for an ointment with the same effect, but without existing contraindications or adverse reactions. Thus, when treating children under 11 years of age, erythromycin ointment is used . It contains the antibiotic erythromycin (macrolide, prescribed for those who cannot tolerate penicillins)
. At the same time, it has no age restrictions and is used to treat infants and newborns. Reviews confirm the effectiveness of erythromycin ointment in the treatment of conjunctivitis, purulent boils and other skin infections and inflammations.
A number of medicinal formulations (Kolbiocin, Eubetal) contain tetracycline in combination with other active ingredients. Therefore, if you have an allergic reaction, you cannot replace tetracycline with them. How to replace tetracycline ointment if allergies occur?
You can use drugs with tobramycin . This is a macrolide antibiotic that is prescribed for an allergic reaction to penicillin substances. It is included in several ointments and eye drops called Tobrex, Tobrin, Tobrimed . Its disadvantage is the age limit. Tobramycin is used only in the treatment of adults (over 18 years of age) .
