Have You Ever Had an Allergy to Neosporin?

An allergy to neosoprin is very common. My mom has it, I have it and my daughter has it. So if you truly are allergic, you children probably will be too. I stay away from all the "sporins" to be safe.

I actually just went through this same thing. If you read the label, you'll see that the antibiotic used in the ointment is a sulfa based drug. Sulfa has one of the highest allergic reactions of all the antibiotics.
If you've ever been told you're allergic to sulfa, you're also allergic to the antibiotic ointments. No one told me that for a while and I always wondered why it would sting when I used it. Now I know, and I won't use it on my kids anymore either.
Benedryl will help. Just clean it real well with a mild cleanser like cetaphyl and warm water and place a cool cloth over it for a little while to reduce the swelling.

Hi, H.. #1, Sweetie, NEVER put neosporin close to your eye. It is NOT SAFE for use in or near the eye. I doubt if you are actually allergic to Neosporin, but it is not safe to put near your eye.

The main problem you have with the wound is that you allowed the scratches to get infected before you treated them. You should see a doctor IMMEDIATELY because an infection in your eyelid can spread like lighting into your eye itself and eventually cause damage or blindness. Even though your eye seems to feel fine right now, I am sure you must have some kind of affect from the problem because if the eyelid is swollen, it is pressing on the eye and that will affect your vision, if only a little bit.

Don't mess with the benedryl. Go straight to the doctor. Don't put your vision at risk. Also, do not put your BABY at risk by allowing any infection in your body to go on.

I hope you will be just fine and that everything works out OK for you.

Peace,
Syl

My first thought is : You may be sensitive to the petroleum base that the Neo is in. The eyes (and eyelids) are very sensitive. I wouldn't put anything like that near them. Second: If the Neo had been used before it's very likely it's contaminated.
I would have just washed the area with water & your gentle face wash. If you are not better today...call your doctor.
C.
WAHM

My mother-in-law is allergic to Neosporin, but she is not allergic to Polysporin.

I would clean it with warm soapy water. Benadryl may help. But, if it seems to be getting worse now after 24 hours and you have removed all of the neosporin, call your doctor. Staph infections are really common. However, if it is going away or getting better you should be able to manage it at home. Just keep it clean and dry.

I have a documented allergy to neosporin. My skin not only becomes swollen, but small vesicles start to pop up at the area, similar to eczema. I am also pregnant, and whenever I have any similar outbreak of vesicles, I use a thin layer of hydrocortisone cream (1%) twice a day until it is resolved. Cold compresses also help relieve the itching.
If you suspect it's an infection, then don't use the hydrocortisone. But as long as it's not oozing or tender/painful and not spreading, it doesn't sound like an infection.
Hope that helps!

I would get it checked out to make sure it is not an infection.

It sounds like a staph infection to me. Get to a doctor to get proper antibiotics for treatment.

I fainted of dehydration, scraping my face while hiking. I used neosporin to keep the scabing soft. It worked for 6 days but on the 7th day the whole left side of my face swelled around my eye. It's been 4 days now and the swelling in still there. I went to the doctor and he gave me a different perscription antibiotic. He told me I should never use neosporin again and I have an allergic reaction. I had red itchy bumps on my face as well. Now the open sore is healing but I am still left with swelling. I haven't gone to work or church this week as I look like "Sloth" on "The Goonies". I'm hoping it will all go away soon.

I am allergic to neosporin. The Dr. had me use bacitrasin(sp?) instead. Don't worry.

My mom is allergic to it. She uses Bactine, I think. It does not cause her to have a reaction. By the way, her reaction was the same as yours. I would try the Benadryl.

First Neosporin ophthalmic oint is Pregnancy category C which means, in this case, that there are no studies in humans or animals. So, it is unknown if it can cause fetal harm and it should only be used if potential benefit justify the potential risk to the fetus. Neosporin is a combination of three antiinfective agents: neomycin sulfate, polymyxin B and bacitracin. It seems that a reaction can occur in up to 20-25% of patients, usually causing itching, red rash and or edema or swelling, and it seems that the neomycin sulfate is the suspected agent causing the reaction...could try Polysporin or bacitracin oint if your physician is ok with it.

I'm pretty sure you aren't supposed to use Neosporin around the eyes? But I agree that you probably have a sensitivity to the petroleum or that the tube may have become contaminated. If it gets any worse (or not better) call your Dr.
Here's info about the drug--it does list "burning" and "redness" as a side-effect.
http://www.medicinenet.com/neomycinbacitracinpolymyxin-to...

Hi H.,

I would discontinue it at once. Although it can help in some cases, it is a synthetic chemical and can cause toxicity related rashes.

A physician wrote on http://www.epinions.com/content_###-###-####

“It is true that use of Neosporin will speed healing while reducing infection rates and scaring. However, Neosporin causes skin allergies on up to 20% (some dermatologists have told me it's closer to 25%) of those who use it repeatedly. This type of allergy is referred to as 'contact dermatitis' and is similar, though ordinarily much less severe, than poison ivy or oak. For this cause, the emergency room at the large suburban hospital where I practice no longer hand it out.”

You can go there and read the entire content. Hope this helps...

Regards,

M.

Yes, I have! My injury was on my leg and not my eye...but after applying neosporin I had red itchy stinging swelling for days. I used an ice pack to control the itch and swelling. I would suggest the same for your eye as well as rinsing a few times a day with cool water. Also, extra vitamin C has always helped me with allergic reactions.
P. (grandma to Megan 9yrs, Bailey 7yrs. and "Joey" who passed away needlessly at the age of 3 would be 11yrs) The information saving vision and lives of children can be found at www.lovejoey.org

If you think you are allergic to neosporin you might want to try polysporin. I also know that polysporin is safe around the eye area. Wheen I was a kid I would get pink eye and that is what we use to put in my eyes before drops were invented. Now I'm not saying put it in your eyes, because the ingredients may be different now, but it is safe around the eye area. My doctor told me that polysporin clears up cuts alot faster. This is the only thing I use on cuts, and they do clear up faster.

Good Luck

C.

I personally don't use pharmaceutical products when a natural item can do the job safer (and often more effectively). Something simple like diluted tea tree oil is good to put on cuts after washing them, even good old-fashioned iodine is usually a better option than neosporin if you don't mind the stinging sensation. Currently, you may want to look at herbal and homeopathic remedies for swelling/skin inflammation. Pure aloe extract helps with a lot of things. Taking another synthetic pharmaceutical (Benadryl) just loads more toxins into your system - if you want to get the allergy reaction to subside you could try something more natural that works in harmony with your body. Just google natural allergy relief and see which established remedies are shown.

I worked for a dermatologist for a long time, and he wouldnt use Neosporin because allergies to it are somewhat common. I'm trying to remember, but I think it was Polysporin that he used instead.

I am allergic to neosporin so is my grandmother. The doctor can prescribe an ointment to use instead.