# Products that make it worse. **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 23, 2009, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/products-that-make-it-worse/522357 "2009-12-23T19:34:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![whiterabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/cab0a1/32.png) [@whiterabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whiterabbit)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2009, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/products-that-make-it-worse/522357/21 "2009-12-24T15:12:44Z")
**RealityChuck** , I won’t say you are wrong because when I was living in a more humid climate I almost never had lip issues. But since I have moved to a high desertish sort of place where it is DRY DRY DRY even if I drink water all day, in the winter especially my lips start peeling and hurting. So yeah, I lay on the lip balm. I found a nice plain non-irritating organic one that works pretty well, and I admit I go through a fair bit of it, but otherwise I wouldn’t have lips left. Trust me. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2009, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/products-that-make-it-worse/522357/22 "2009-12-24T15:35:58Z")
> [@Audrey\_Levins](#): > > The only time I use them is if I’m at work; I bartend, so if I cut my finger I don’t want to contaminate peoples’ drinks, so I bandage it up…til the end of my shift. When I pour a little vodka on it and go on with my life. 😛 I used to know a bartender who did “trick pours”. You know, holding the glass behind his back and pouring, that sorta thing. **But** , he also wrapped his fingers with white medical tape so he could twist off beer bottle caps more easily. Over the course of an evening his tape got very dirty. And each time he did a “trick pour” he had those dirty, taped fingers dipped into the glass (to gauge how full the glass was). Blech. ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2009, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/products-that-make-it-worse/522357/23 "2009-12-24T15:39:34Z")
> [@randwill](#): > > Bathroom Mildew Removers. Sure you spray the stuff on the bathtub tiles and the bleach eats away the black stuff growing between them. But then it runs down into the tub and leaves a brown-yellow stain that you practically have to sand away. Zinsser Jomax Mold and Mildew Stain Remover has worked really well for me. There is an accompanying product that is supposed to keep the mold away, but I have never used it. > [@](#): > > Lip Balm. Dry cracked lips? Apply lip balm for a few weeks. Now you’ve really got dry cracked lips. Carmex has never worked like this for me, but other brands have. Most brands are merely wax. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2009, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/products-that-make-it-worse/522357/24 "2009-12-24T16:34:44Z")
> [@mswas](#): > > Zinsser Jomax Mold and Mildew Stain Remover has worked really well for me. There is an accompanying product that is supposed to keep the mold away, but I have never used it. > > Carmex has never worked like this for me, but other brands have. Most brands are merely wax. I like lip rescue that is mostly shea butter, combined with drinking lots of water [though in my defense, as a diabetic i taught myself to drink iced water instead of snacking during the day] ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2009, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/products-that-make-it-worse/522357/25 "2009-12-24T18:16:12Z")
For dried lips, may I suggest using just a little bit of either Noxema or Vaseline Total Moisture cream. Always works for me. ---
**Author:** ![SirRay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cc9497/32.png) [@SirRay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SirRay)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2009, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/products-that-make-it-worse/522357/26 "2009-12-24T18:57:07Z")
> [@Cardinal](#): > > These days I convince students to put a layer of super glue over cuts and blisters. It really works. I’ve converted many kids to this system, and I use it myself. It keeps out the germs and the water. Do you use standard CA (crazy glue)? This is not recommended for use on cuts. Instead, a ‘medical’ type (sold as Dermabond, although I guess it’s also sold under other names) is recommended. Standard CA from the store may have side-effects such as irritation or burning (I build plastic models as a hobby, and from time to time gotten stray CA on a torn cuticle etc - it can burn and sting). [QUOTE=Some random website saying the same thing as many other websites…OK, it was from the NY Times] So should you keep some Super Glue in the medicine cabinet? Probably not, experts say. Studies show that although the glue can be useful in emergencies, it can also irritate the skin, kill cells and cause other side effects, particularly when used on deep wounds. [/QUOTE] ---
**Author:** ![Cardinal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardinal/32/4000_2.png) [@Cardinal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardinal)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2009, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/products-that-make-it-worse/522357/27 "2009-12-25T05:10:45Z")
It’s not deep cuts. It’s just little things. ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2009, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/products-that-make-it-worse/522357/28 "2009-12-25T05:17:18Z")
Is super glue good for chapped lips? ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2009, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/products-that-make-it-worse/522357/29 "2009-12-25T05:28:04Z")
> [@billfish678](#): > > Is super glue good for chapped lips? Well…it stops the afflicted from complaining anyway. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/it_s_not_rocket_surgery/32/312_2.png) [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/It_s_Not_Rocket_Surgery)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2009, 6:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/products-that-make-it-worse/522357/30 "2009-12-25T06:12:23Z")
> [@Larry\_Mudd](#): > > _Head and Shoulders_ (or other antifungal shampoos) for dandruff. > > I guess it works, so long as you keep using it for the rest of your natural life. > > Or you could use a vinegar rinse once. Whichever. Try [Nizoral](http://www.springerlink.com/content/wqp49r412744149r/). ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2009, 6:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/products-that-make-it-worse/522357/31 "2009-12-25T06:39:26Z")
> [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](#): > > Try [Nizoral](http://www.springerlink.com/content/wqp49r412744149r/). Nizoral works for a while, but if you use it every day your scalp eventually acquires a “tolerance,” and the dandruff comes back. I alternate between Nizoral and Head & Shoulders “Intensive Solutions.” ---
**Author:** ![gravitycrash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@gravitycrash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gravitycrash)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2009, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/products-that-make-it-worse/522357/32 "2009-12-25T16:16:33Z")
Aw. I thought that I was the first one to discover that bandages slow the healing process. The only time I use a bandage is to slow or stop bleeding of a cut gushing at an alarming rate. Once it clots off comes the bandage. I’ll nominate the plastic or fiberglass leaf rakes with the ginormous tines or the ones with the tines all along the sides. All they seem to do is grab everything except the leaves. Give me the good old fashioned metal rake with the springy action any day. ---
**Author:** ![amarinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@amarinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarinth)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2009, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/products-that-make-it-worse/522357/33 "2009-12-25T16:53:20Z")
> [@Audrey\_Levins](#): > > I’m so glad I’m not the only one who thinks Band Aids are a waste of time. I see these commercials for Neosporin with little kids Band-Aiding every single tiny cut with Neosporin “every cut, every time!” and I think how pointless it is. > > I didn’t think about germs so much as keeping a cut “wet” means it takes longer to scab over, which means it hurts for longer. Within a few hours an exposed cut is dry and scabbed and sealed; problem solved. However, keeping it “wet” means less scarring. Depending on where the cut/scrape is and how bad it is, that may or may not be a concern. And lip balm doesn’t dry out my lips at all. ---
**Author:** ![Acid\_Lamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Acid\_Lamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acid_Lamp)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2009, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/products-that-make-it-worse/522357/34 "2009-12-25T16:55:16Z")
> [@SirRay](#): > > Do you use standard CA (crazy glue)? This is not recommended for use on cuts. Instead, a ‘medical’ type (sold as Dermabond, although I guess it’s also sold under other names) is recommended. > Standard CA from the store may have side-effects such as irritation or burning (I build plastic models as a hobby, and from time to time gotten stray CA on a torn cuticle etc - it can burn and sting). Depends on the type of cut for me. I use it all the time for deep little slices on my fingers. I use the gel sort, and while it certainly stings a bit at first, it does a better job than the medical brands. It’s sturdier and more impact resistant as well, though it does require re application after a hot shower. YMMV ---
**Author:** ![Alice\_The\_Goon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Alice\_The\_Goon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alice_The_Goon)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2009, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/products-that-make-it-worse/522357/35 "2009-12-25T17:37:05Z")
I just have to come in here to refute all the bad bandaid advice. Every cut should be covered, every time. Wearing bandaids until your cuts are healed prevents them from getting infected, and helps them to heal faster, better, and with less scarring. That’s a proven fact. “Scabs are good”=old wive’s tale. As for Neosporin, the main problem with it is that many people are or will become allergic to the antibiotic in it. Polysporin is much better, Vaseline or Aquaphor even better. Speaking of Aquaphor, it’s the best thing out there for chapped lips, besides drinking enough water. I put some on every night before bed, and then in the morning lightly scrubs my lips in the shower with the washcloth or toothbrush- supersoft and kissable lips 24/7 over here. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2009, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/products-that-make-it-worse/522357/36 "2009-12-25T17:39:46Z")
Well if the cut is bleeding then sometimes you pretty much have to put on the bandaid, right? Sometimes I get a paper cut or something that won’t stop unless something’s on it. ---
**Author:** ![gravitycrash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@gravitycrash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gravitycrash)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2009, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/products-that-make-it-worse/522357/37 "2009-12-25T17:59:18Z")
Sorry Alice but that’s the point. The cuts or abrasions don’t heal faster when they are covered, at least not for me. They remain a mushy wet mess until I let air get to them. YMMV. ---
**Author:** ![Alice\_The\_Goon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Alice\_The\_Goon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alice_The_Goon)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2009, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/products-that-make-it-worse/522357/38 "2009-12-25T18:28:54Z")
> [@gravitycrash](#): > > Sorry Alice but that’s the point. The cuts or abrasions don’t heal faster when they are covered, at least not for me. They remain a mushy wet mess until I let air get to them. YMMV. They’re supposed to be a mushy wet mess, because they’re kept covered and moist. That makes them heal from the inside, which is better and less scarring. I got my information from dermatologists that have done thousands of skin surgeries. You? ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2009, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/products-that-make-it-worse/522357/39 "2009-12-25T20:07:37Z")
> [@Alice\_The\_Goon](#): > > They’re supposed to be a mushy wet mess, because they’re kept covered and moist. That makes them heal from the inside, which is better and less scarring. I got my information from dermatologists that have done thousands of skin surgeries. You? Skin surgery done with a sterile prep and sterile technique are a bit different from treating a dirty open wound. Mushy wet messes are also breeding grounds for skin infections, which lead to bad outcomes. I’ve seen plenty of them. Infection with dehiscence leaves one hell of a scar. And topical antibiotics are not cure-alls for every exposure (though I usually do prescribe them). One needs to balance keeping the area covered and moist/open and dry. QtM, who’s treated thousands of wounds and done countless skin biopsies/incisions. ---
**Author:** ![Alice\_The\_Goon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Alice\_The\_Goon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alice_The_Goon)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2009, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/products-that-make-it-worse/522357/40 "2009-12-25T20:11:39Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > Skin surgery done with a sterile prep and sterile technique are a bit different from treating a dirty open wound. > > Mushy wet messes are also breeding grounds for skin infections, which lead to bad outcomes. I’ve seen plenty of them. Infection with dehiscence leaves one hell of a scar. And topical antibiotics are not cure-alls for every exposure (though I usually do prescribe them). > > One needs to balance keeping the area covered and moist/open and dry. > > QtM, who’s treated thousands of wounds and done countless skin biopsies/incisions. Yes, but proper care would also include washing the wound twice a day. And no, topical antibiotics are far more valuable for their moistening properties than the antibacterial ones, which is why you can also use Vaseline with the same effect. Even a paper cut can become infected and lead to sepsis- this is why I’ve always been taught to cover wounds. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/products-that-make-it-worse/522357.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/products-that-make-it-worse/522357.md?page=3)