Iodine solution is an indispensable pharmaceutical product for treating abrasions and wounds, hematomas and puncture marks. An iodine “mesh” on the chest is an old grandmother’s way of activating the process of phlegm discharge from the bronchi during a cold.
But it’s one thing when traces of iodine appear on the skin for medicinal purposes, and a completely different situation when the spots appeared due to negligence and it is necessary to get rid of them as soon as possible.
We will tell you in this article how and with what you can remove iodine from the skin at home.
What to do first?
Baking soda will help
to clean fresh (just appeared) iodine stains on the skin as quickly as possible . This is a natural alkali that completely dissolves iodine embedded in the skin.
It is necessary to dilute the soda with water to a thick paste, apply the resulting mixture to the stain and leave for fifteen minutes. After the bleaching procedure, wash off the soda with warm water.
Another way to quickly remove fresh traces of iodine is olive oil. Heat 100 ml of olive oil in a water bath . Without allowing the oil to cool, soak a soft cloth (preferably fabric), which is applied to the stain for half an hour.
If you are unable to remove the iodine stain from your skin the first time, you need to take a break and try again using other cleaning products.
Things to remember
Iodine solution is used for medicinal purposes; it heals wounds well, and helps relieve swelling and inflammation. But after iodine grids, the pigment is absorbed into the skin and is not easy to remove. It is worth remembering that this should not be done during illness, because health is more important.
Even if iodine stains appear accidentally, the iodine should be washed off immediately, because getting too much of this substance on the skin can cause a burn. Plus, it makes it easier to get rid of stains.
From the available products, you should choose those that will not harm the skin. Special care is needed if a child gets dirty. It is better not to be zealous, trying to rub off the stain. Sooner or later, the remaining iodine will be washed off, so there is no need to create additional troubles.
How can I remove traces?
When choosing a method for removing iodine stains, first of all pay attention to natural products that are as safe as possible for the skin:
Fresh lemon juice
Natural skin brightener. It is enough to treat the spots on the face with a cotton swab soaked in lemon juice so that the skin regains its radiant appearance.
Do not overuse pure lemon juice, as prolonged contact with acid can cause burns.
Hydrogen peroxide
A pharmaceutical disinfectant that copes with ingrained iodine stains on the face. A cotton pad, generously moistened with peroxide, is applied to the stain and left for five minutes.
Since peroxide removes the protective fatty layer of the skin along with the stain, cream must be applied to the skin after cleaning.
Chlorhexedine
To remove traces of iodine from the skin, use only a liquid antiseptic of the maximum dosage (1%) .
A cloth napkin is soaked in a solution of Chlorhexidine, which, wrapped several times with a bandage, is applied as a compress to the iodine stain on the skin.
To enhance the effect, the compress can be wrapped in cling film. After five minutes, the compress is removed.
Potatoes (natural starch)
A great way to remove iodine stains from skin. The potatoes are washed (you don’t have to peel them), cut into two parts and the cut is rubbed onto the stain on the skin .
After three to four minutes, you can evaluate the cleaning result. If necessary, repeat the procedure.
Acetylsalicylic acid
Two or three tablets are ground into powder, dissolved in 0.5 tsp. water. A fairly thick paste is applied to traces of iodine and, without rubbing, covered with a cotton pad. After three minutes, the cotton wool is removed and the skin is wiped with a clean, damp sponge.
Handwash
There is another non-standard method for removing traces of iodine from the skin of your hands. We are talking about hand washing . The bleaching components of washing powder do an excellent job not only of dirt on clothes, but also of ingrained iodine stains on hands.
Prolonged contact with the detergent and active rubbing of clothing will help quickly cleanse the skin of brown marks. After hand washing, do not forget to lubricate the skin of your hands with nourishing cream.
Why does iodine eat into nails?
This is an active remedy. Once on the skin or plate, the substance reacts with other chemical components that make up the tissue. This is due to its penetration into the layers of the epidermis.
The body needs a natural element for the normal functioning of organs and systems.
When the thyroid gland does not produce iodine in full, drops of the substance that fall on the skin are quickly absorbed into the tissue structure.
If there is an excess, most of the iodine evaporates from the surface of the nail or skin along with alcohol vapor. As a result, the stain does not disappear, but gradually fades .
How to remove stains from your face?
There are several ways to cleanse delicate facial skin from brown iodine stains:
Fat cream
Iodine stains are generously lubricated with grease and left for five to ten minutes. After the cream has been absorbed, wipe the stain with gentle movements with a soft sponge, and treat the cleaned area of skin with facial tonic.
Laundry soap
An excellent cleanser and antibacterial agent . Suitable for treating delicate facial skin, does not cause allergic reactions.
I rub the soap in my hands until a thick foam appears. Then, carefully, without smearing it over the face, apply the foam to the spots.
As soon as the soap foam dries, it is washed off along with the stains with clean warm water.
Sea salt and bee honey
A pleasant relaxing massage with a scrub of honey and sea salt will not only cleanse the delicate skin of your face of iodine stains, but will also relax you and relieve nervous tension. To prepare the scrub, mix honey and salt (ratio 2:1) in a clean container .
The resulting composition is rubbed into the skin with gentle massaging movements, then removed with a soft damp cloth, and a protective cream is applied to the face.
The skin of the face is delicate and can be easily injured. If, after applying any product, an unpleasant burning sensation, tingling or tightness appears, the cleaning procedure must be stopped immediately and the product rinsed off with warm water.
Caring for skin affected by iodine
When a lot of caustic substance gets on the skin, only quick action will help to avoid a burn.
If the spot is brown or blisters appear, it means the skin is burned.
It is urgent to remove the iodine that has not had time to be absorbed with boiled warm water. This needs to be done for a long time, from 10 minutes to half an hour, depending on the time of the burn. Iodine burns are eliminated with neutralizing substances:
- crushed chalk;
- tooth powder;
- soap solution;
- 20% sugar syrup.
It is forbidden:
- treat the wound with potassium permanganate or alcohol;
- rub, pierce blisters;
- apply ice.
Apply compresses until complete healing:
- with drunken tea;
- with grated raw potatoes;
- with St. John's wort or sea buckthorn oil.
The mixture is wrapped in gauze and kept on the wound, without covering anything on top.
You can treat iodine burns with oatmeal porridge, applying it as a compress.
However, in case of extensive or severe damage, especially if a child received a burn, it is necessary to consult a doctor and be treated under the supervision of a specialist.
How to clean nails?
There are several options for solving the problem of iodine-stained nails.
The first option for the laziest is to leave everything as is. Iodine is a volatile substance and sooner or later, under the influence of sunlight, the brown marks will disappear on their own.
The second option for those who cannot wait is to begin the process of removing brown spots from nails as quickly as possible (and the sooner it begins, the greater the chance of completely getting rid of traces of iodine).
A variety of means are used to remove iodine stains from nails:
Medical alcohol is the most effective remedy in the fight against traces of iodine on nails. It is enough to wipe the nail plate with a cotton pad generously moistened with alcohol. It is important to wipe your nails gently so as not to rub brown spots all over your finger.- Toothpaste with a whitening effect will help fade traces of iodine. The nails are covered with a thick layer of paste, left for ten to fifteen minutes, and removed with a soft sponge or cotton sponge.
- Ammonia (diluted with water in a 1:1 ratio). Fingers are immersed in a bath of diluted ammonia for at least twenty minutes. If at the end of this time traces of iodine from the nails have not disappeared, the procedure is repeated again.
The fastest possible result of completely removing iodine stains from the nail plate can be achieved using chemicals. Alternatively, rub the nails with a cotton swab dipped in nail polish remover.
For those who can show off artificially extended nails, iodine staining can be a real problem. The thing is that any aggressive chemical compositions destroy the structure of the artificial coating, making the nail dull and fragile.
The process of removing stains in this case is limited to using the most gentle means (for example, vegetable oil).
Removing iodine from linoleum
If iodine gets on linoleum, you must act quickly before the substance eats into the coating.
It is not advisable to use an antiseptic near difficult-to-clean surfaces. It is better to work with the substance over the sink. If iodine has already reached the linoleum, the algorithm of actions is as follows:
- Use a cloth to remove any liquid that has not yet been absorbed.
- Then wash the floor with a cloth soaked in alcohol. If it is unavailable, you can use alcohol or gasoline.
- Remove remaining iodine using a stiff brush and soap or dishwashing detergent.
You can remove iodine from a linoleum-covered floor using the following method:
- Moisten the blot with hot water.
- Dissolve soda in water in a 1:1 ratio.
- Dip a rag into the resulting liquid.
- Place it on the linoleum.
- Remove residues after 10-12 hours.
The method is harmless, but only works if the iodine stain is fresh.
Ascorbic acid will help save linoleum:
- Dilute 2 tablets of ascorbic acid in 600 ml of water.
- Place a rag soaked in this solution on the linoleum for 10-12 hours.
- Remove remaining liquid.
How to treat iodine burns at home?
Prolonged contact of iodine with the skin, application of a pharmaceutical product to the same area of the skin without a temporary break, can cause iodine burns.
A signal that the skin has suffered from improper use of iodine will be severe redness and burning of the previously treated area. After twenty-four hours, the burn site begins to peel off (a thin layer of damaged epithelium peels off).
Correct first aid actions will help to minimize the manifestations of iodine burns on the skin
the burn site is washed with plenty of water, the ideal option is running cool tap water; the burn must be washed for at least half an hour;- the burn is treated with menthol toothpaste or tooth powder diluted with water (toothpaste neutralizes the effect of iodine);
- a blister that appears at the site of a burn is covered with grated fresh potato gruel or tea leaves - such actions help to temporarily relieve pain.
Under no circumstances should the blister be punctured (there is a high risk of bacterial infection).
After first aid has been provided, an iodine burn must be shown to a doctor. The specialist will assess the extent of skin damage and prescribe the necessary, adequate treatment.
Most often, therapy consists of:
- treating burns with antiseptic, wound-healing ointments (Levomekol, Bepanten),
- taking painkillers and decongestants.
Such corrosive iodine
In nature, iodine is a rare element, although it is found in small quantities almost everywhere. It is a solid crystalline, chemically active substance that is obtained from seaweed and oil waters.
Elemental iodine kills microbes and disinfects tissue near the wound surface, so its 5% alcohol solution is used to treat skin lesions.
A third of the substance from the solution applied to the skin combines with microelements of the body. The rest becomes active iodine. Partially absorbed, penetrating into tissues.
In large quantities the drug is toxic. It is used with caution: in case of overdose it is easy to get burned. It is not recommended to treat mucous membranes with it.
When treating with iodine you cannot:
- cauterize a large surface of the skin;
- take orally and pour into the wound;
- use for inhalation;
- Use undiluted for children under 6 years of age;
- use in case of allergies.
Reanimating paper - instructions
If iodine gets on the paper, the stain spreads across the surface before your eyes. But there is a way to get rid of it - soda + water + iron:
- Make a paste of soda and water.
- Apply to the stain.
- Cover with a couple of layers of clean paper and iron with an iron.
Removing iodine stains using baking soda and an iron proves fatal to stamps.
Iodine stains on paper can also be removed using hydrogen peroxide. You need to carefully wipe off the dirt, but only if it has not touched the ink or paint. Otherwise, the peroxide will dissolve the dye.
For seals and stamps, exposure to iodine is fatal
