Frequently Asked Questions

None of our BAND-AID® Brand adhesive bandages have been tested or designed for protection against viruses such as COVID-19, but it’s still important to keep your injury covered. If your bandage comes off earlier due to frequent hand washing, we recommend putting on a new one until the injury is healed.

No. BAND-AID® Brand Antiseptic Washes & Sprays has not been tested or formulated to prevent against COVID-19 or any other virus, and neither have NEOSPORIN® antiseptic sprays.

They are also not recommended nor would they be beneficial for use as a hand sanitizer or a surface disinfectant. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends the use of a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol for protection against viruses. Our antiseptic spray and wash products are formulated to help clean your wounds and protect them against infection from bacteria, not viruses. 

No, BAND-AID® Brand INFECTION DEFENSE® Bandages with NEOSPORIN® are not tested or designed for protection against viruses such as COVID-19. They have been designed to help prevent infection of minor wounds from bacteria only. 

No two bodies or wounds are the same, so cut healing times vary. However, deeper cuts do typically take longer to heal. Remember, too, wounds that are allowed to scab take longer to heal since healthy cells have a difficult time closing the gap around the dried, crusty cells of a scab.

To help heal wounds fast, keep your wound moist and covered with your favorite BAND-AID® Brand bandage! 

It’s not always possible to prevent an injury that could cause scarring. However, you can reduce the risk of your wound turning into a scar.

• See a healthcare provider – some wounds may need stitching or special bandages, to hold the skin together until it can properly heal³

• Keep the wound clean – as instructed above, wash around the area of the wound with soap and water³ or use an antiseptic wash to clean the wound

• Keep it moist – using NEOSPORIN® antibiotic ointment can help prevent the wound from becoming too dry and developing a scab³

• Protect the wound – using BAND-AID® Brand Adhesive Bandages - the number-one doctor-recommended first aid brand helps protect wounds while they heal and stop them from drying out

Find out more about how to prevent scars here.

A cut that is not clean has a greater chance of getting infected. Cleaning your cut is important to the healing process as it helps remove the dirt and germs that could cause infection. We recommend BAND-AID® Brand Antiseptic Wash*, which helps to kill germs and can help temporarily relieve the pain and discomfort of your cut or scrape.

Applying a thin layer of an antibiotic ointment such as NEOSPORIN® will help keep the cut moist and help prevent scarring¹. Apply an amount equal to the tip of a finger, 1 to 3 times daily.

Want to know more about the #1 doctor recommended brand of topical antibiotic in the U.S.? Head to neosporin.com to learn more.

Changing your bandage for a fresh one after cleaning a wound is essential for the healing process. If you’re especially active or are carrying out activities such as gardening, change your bandage daily, when it gets wet, or more often as needed – being sure to use clean hands.

Read our follow up care page to learn more about how to care for a wound as it heals.

Like cuts, the more severe the burn, the longer it will generally take to heal. To help burns heal quicker, we recommend a thin layer of NEOSPORIN® + Burn Relief Antibiotic ointment before covering it with your favorite BAND-AID® Brand bandage! 

Scabs are simply your body’s way of protecting a wound from germs while new skin is growing underneath. So, if minor cuts and scrapes form a scab, it’s best to let it heal on its own. Usually, they heal in a few days.

Try not to scratch and pick at your scab, as that can make the healing process take longer. If you keep the affected area moist with NEOSPORIN® + Pain, Itch, Scar, this  may help reduce the urge to scratch.

Learn all about how to heal scabs fast.

Keeping a wound moist with NEOSPORIN® antibiotic ointment, and covered with a fresh BAND-AID® Brand adhesive bandage or gauze daily, can help minor wounds heal.

To learn how to heal wounds fast in more detail, check out our article.

If you notice any of the following near the wound, it could be a sign of infection.

• Redness⁵

• Increasing pain⁵

• Bleeding⁵

• Thick, tan, green or yellow drainage⁵

• Warmth¹

• Swelling⁵

• Fever – a temperature of 100 °F or higher⁵

Read our advice to find out more about how to tell if a wound is healing or infected.

If you think your wound has become infected, you should seek help from a healthcare professional as soon as possible.

Check out more advice on how to prevent and treat infections.

You should seek help from a doctor or other healthcare professional if:

• You think a wound is infected (check our list of symptoms above)

• The wound is not healing properly or taking too long (more than 30 days²)

• The wound looks darker, dried out or deeper⁵.

If you need to seek help quickly in an emergency, call your local emergency number (or 911) if:

• You feel the condition is life-threatening (for example, a severe allergic reaction)

• Your condition could become life-threatening while you travel to the hospital

• You need a paramedic

• Traffic conditions or long distances could cause a delay getting to hospital.