My supply of NEOSPORIN topical first aid & antibacterial ointment is almost at end.
This handy product is a must-have for my medical kit.
Is it available on the island? I have not been able to locate here in the historic environs of Tainan.
A heads-up on this would be most appreciated.
This is a USA manufactured product.
(Polymyxin B Sulfate-Bacitracin Zinc-Neomycin Sulfate)
available in watson’s, cosmed, etc… just not under the brand name NEOSPORIN. the ingredients will be written in english so just take a look and you will find it.
bushi -
Thank You! I have a close Watsons and shop there frequently. Will look as you suggest.
Thanks.
The Chinese name is An1-na4-fu1-ruan3-gao1, 安那膚軟膏. Widely available at pharmacies. My tube also has “Neosporin” printed on it; the ingred’s are Bacitracin, Neomycin and Polymyxin B.
DB -
Thanks…I printed out the Chinese name and will take it to the store/pharmacy.
Thanks.
I was testing out my new kitchen shears the other day and sliced…well…myself. 
Went to the doctor and they said to clean it with iodine. Being the daughter of a hypochondriac, there’s no way I believe that iodine can provide the healing strength that an antibiotic can. So far, I’ve been to Watsons, Cosmed, Carrefour, and the local pharmacy…and no one has anything comparable to Neosporin. I bought the pharmacist’s suggestion, a Japanese iodine-like wound cleaning product. There are some products in the “medicated cream” section of Watsons, but most of them say 外用 or external use only and the cut isn’t fully healed. Housecat, back in July, said:
I can’t find anything locally. Does Costco have it? Help!
Thanks!
Have a look at the existing thread on neosporin here:
viewtopic.php?f=54&t=32732
Over there, I gave the Chinese name, and explained how to find it in local pharmacies.
[color=#008000]Merge & delete, pls. [/color]
there are some neosporin ointments out there, for foot complaints, blisters, etc. normally they come in a greasy ointment formulation, sometimes with a corticosteroid, like Betnovate-N.
external means : don’t eat it! you can apply it to a cut, even if it has not healed fully yet.
BTW, iodine WILL treat a wound much better than an antibiotic will. that is why they use it in surgery all the time. 70% alcohol will be just as good, as will rubbing alcohol. tear open swabs with iodine or alcohol are probably all you need.
What about Neosporin + Pain Relief? Is that the same 安那膚軟膏 mentioned above or is there something else I should be looking for?
[quote=“urodacus”]
BTW, iodine WILL treat a wound much better than an antibiotic will. that is why they use it in surgery all the time. 70% alcohol will be just as good, as will rubbing alcohol. tear open swabs with iodine or alcohol are probably all you need.[/quote]
true for cleaning, but my finger needs help HEALING…so the antibiotics/steroids/whatever is in those neosporin-like products is what i’m after.
thanks for the bump, dragonbones…
antibiotics do nothing to promote healing, other than keep bacteria from growing, which iodine does better externally anyway. seriously.
Thanks urodacus, I didn’t know that. I always get my mom to send polysporin for me or I buy the Dettol ani-biotic cream here. I don’t approve of the overuse of anti-biotics but didn’t think the idodine would really promote healing and keep the wound clean.
Plus I read this article drugs.com/cons/iodine.html
I’m breastfeeding and my kids are all small so is it safe?
Aah… the dangers of medical advice over the internet. it is true that use of iodine while breastfeeding poses a very small risk to the infant, especially those under 1 month. older infants have a larger and more robust thyroid, so there is basically no risk of thyroid undergrowth in a child with excess iodine in their diet if they are older or bigger.
in reality, the risk is minimal, especially as you will be dabbing a tiny amount on a small area. it can be more of a problem if you use it on, say, a square foot of skin, as i have done in the past for road rash… iodine is absorbed through the skin to a small degree, and can therefore end up in the milk. but it’s generally not a real concern except for long term large use, and if your baby is a month or less, or 5kg or less.
neosporin use is not without its own problems either, such as the generation of resistant bacteria from repeated low dose exposure, though this is admittedly rare.
Thanks! I need to put you on speed dial 