kenya clean water
Perfume on pierced ears or cuts?
So I’ve always been told to clean cuts with soap & water, hydrogen peroxide, (if you’re brave) rubbing alcohol, things like that. When I got my ears pierced, they gave me a bottle of solution with rubbing alcohol in it and told me if I ran out to use straight rubbing alcohol or something of the sort.
My roommate from Kenya (don’t know if that makes a diff or not) put perfume (American, Bath and Body Works) on her piercings today b/c they were bothering her. They’re not fresh, so they’re not open presumably. I asked her about it, and she said she’s been doing it for years, on ears and cuts, b/c it’s got alcohol in it. I told her that it’s got a bunch of extra stuff in it as well that’s not exactly great for doing things like this, why not just use soap & water or the rubbing alcohol. She just blew me off.
Now I’m curious, is this harmful for open wounds or ears? Which is better, straight rubbing alcohol or perfume? Is this a cultural thing or is it all over?
i really dont think its matters, soap and water isnt really all that good, because alot of bacteria and live on soap… but anything with a high alcohol content will help kill any bacteria. I would say that the alcohol rub would be higher alochol therfore better at killing bacteria, but it obviously works if she has been doing it for years with perfume, whatever works i say!
^^^ oh and the above comment.. nothing is every completely sterile. tho it wouldnt really matter as so far they have not yet proven that bacteria can live in alcohol… so no matter how the alcohol is stored, its gonna be as sterile as you can get it
A Kenyan approach to clean water – 21 Mar 08