Alcohol swab absolutely necessary?

[Serotonin]

I use alcohol swabs and 2 sterile pins... 1 for drawing and 1 for injecting. I even swab the top of the vial before I draw from it. After all of that I got a cellulitis infection in my arm just this week. Swelling from my deltoid all the way down past my elbow with inflammation and chills that shook my body.

After a trip to the ER I was given keflex and yesterday I had a golf ball sized hematoma drained at my second trip to the ER. The blood was normal looking thank God but I'm pretty damn careful and this shit still happened to me.

Bottom line for all the guys out there, play it as safe as possible. Get alcohol swabs that are at LEAST 70% isopropyl alcohol. They sell them at any drug store/pharmacy.

[Njord]

I use alcohol swabs and 2 sterile pins... 1 for drawing and 1 for injecting. I even swab the top of the vial before I draw from it. After all of that I got a cellulitis infection in my arm just this week. Swelling from my deltoid all the way down past my elbow with inflammation and chills that shook my body.

After a trip to the ER I was given keflex and yesterday I had a golf ball sized hematoma drained at my second trip to the ER. The blood was normal looking thank God but I'm pretty damn careful and this shit still happened to me.

Bottom line for all the guys out there, play it as safe as possible. Get alcohol swabs that are at LEAST 70% isopropyl alcohol. They sell them at any drug store/pharmacy.

Actually make sure you get the 70% isopropyl alcohol, the higher concentrations are not as effective as the 70%.

[fLgAtOr]

Actually make sure you get the 70% isopropyl alcohol, the higher concentrations are not as effective as the 70%.

Why is that? I remember seeing the 70% listed specifically for injections and the 90% had something else on the bottle.

[kynetguy]

Why is that? I remember seeing the 70% listed specifically for injections and the 90% had something else on the bottle.

I have read that as well. I used to have a link to a study that showed 70% kills bacteria better than 90%.

I don't think I have ever seen 90% Iso swabs anyway.