A 44-year-old member asked:
Neosporin with vs without bacitracin zinc, what's the difference?
1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in
Dr. J. Lawrence Dohananswered
Dermatology 58 years experience
NONE: Both worthless. Application to wounds, burns, surgery, or anything does not prevent or cure infections. They are among the most common agents that people are allergic to. They cross-react, so allergy to one often means allergy to the other. They often interfere with wound healing. Their use contributes to emerging antibiotic- resistant bacteria. Each has been "allergen of the year" in different ye
860 viewsAnswered >2 years ago
Similar questions
A 51-year-old member asked:
What are the differences between Neosporin with or without bacitracin zinc?
1 doctor answer • 9 doctors weighed in
Dr. J. Lawrence Dohananswered
Dermatology 58 years experience
None: They are both useless and sometimes harmful. Throw them away. Studies on people with surgical wounds demonstrate clearly that application of vaseline or Aquaphor to wounds is superior to using aminoglycocide or polypeptide antibiotic ointments. The purveyors of these useless products should be ashamed of taking advantage of so many misled suckers.
663 viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Dr. Stephen Shapiro commented
Internal Medicine - Gastroenterology 53 years experience
Agree
Jun 10, 2017
A 47-year-old member asked:
Why are there two kinds of neosporin? One with bacitracin zinc and one without?
1 doctor answer • 2 doctors weighed in
Dr. Frank Armstronganswered
Dermatology 25 years experience
Antibiotic OTC s: There are essentially three common OTC antibiotic ointments. First is Bacitracin. Second is Polysporin (bacitracin and polymyxin) which is Bacitracin plus Polymyxin B. Neosporin, aka "Triple antibiotic" ointment is Bacitracin + Polymyxin B + Neomycin. Many people (perhaps 1 in 5) are allergic to Neomycin, therefore many dermatologists recommend other options. Aquaphor is a common choice and has no antibiotic in it.
1.5k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Last updated Jan 24, 2020
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