While making up a first aid kit last night I couldn't figure out how to avoid taking an entire tube of anti-itch cream with me.

Dropper bottles no good for such viscous fluids and i'm skeptical about wrapping it in a small aluminum foil pouch.

I looked down at my taco bell bag and saw an extra straw. Bingo!

I cut the (clear) straw into thirds and with both ends open i squeezed creme into the straw (I mentioned keeping both ends open b/c the first one i had taped shut on one end but as you'd expect, there was no room to displace the air in the straw and it got messy fast!). Then i used a small sqaure of duct tape on each end to seal it closed.

I then placed the three of them in my 2"x3" jewelry bag (From Jo-Ann Fabrics $2 for 100+!) and labeled it Anti-Itch and added it to my Aloksak First Aid Kit.

Anyone else tried this!? Seems like a perfect solution. I can take a straw out, untape one end and squeeze out the creme/gel.

What do you think?

Thats a good idea if the cream does not need to be sterile. But for thing like Triple-anti-biotic ointment, it is imperitive that you leave it in the origanal container.

-Evan

There is a thread on this site from last summer that shows how to heat seal the ends of the straw. All you have to do is cut one end and squeeze. It would also keep what ever is in it "sterile" enough that I would use it for its intended purpose.
I'll try and find the link after work.

No, triple-anti-ointment or any othe antibiotic ABSOLUTELY CANNOT come in contact with any germs. doing so would reduce their effect. Therfore you should never attempt transfer of packaging on this item.

Hmm so this wasn't a good idea for a cortizone cream?

That's an interesting idea for sealing the straw. I will have to go home and try that. Seems much more effective and "sterile".

Any other thoughts?

I use contact lens cases. You can sterilize them (especially the ones for the old thermal disinfection units), they're really light, and easily resealed. I've carried anti-biotic cream and Gold Bond lotion for years this way. You can put the product in very easily, and there are no questions asked when it appears in your carry-on, as opposed to those very C4-looking straws :-)

Not sure why antibiotic cream can't be repackaged--it's antibiotic to begin with (i.e., what could possibly grow in/on it?) Even lip balm must have something in it to act as an anti-funkerizer, as do other hand-to-mouth/skin products. Sure, they expire--but that's different from repackaging.

Dana - Here's the link for the thread with the heat sealed straws. Great minds must think alike.

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/xdpy/forum_thread/16817/index.html?skip_to_post=127705#127705

Evan -

>No, triple-anti-ointment or any othe antibiotic ABSOLUTELY CANNOT come in contact with any germs. doing so would reduce their effect. Therfore you should never attempt transfer of packaging on this item.

I don't think this is true. How could a substance designed to kill germs be this sensitive to the small number of germs in the straw? Perhaps a minute amount of the active ingredient would be used up during the battle with the straw's wee-beasties, but I can't imagine that amount being significant. I'm no microbiologist, but everything I leaned in HS and college biology tells me this is wrong. Where did you get this information?

I also agree that the straws should be sterile enough to use for most applications. If they're clean enough to drink out of when you unwrap them, then the initial germ-load (whatever it is) obviously won't hurt you. All you have to worry about is putting something in there that would act as a medium for the existing microbes to multiply and fester. Most lotions, cremes, honey, etc. should be just fine. I just wouldn't use them for long term storage of perishables.

Edited by dsmontgomery on 01/26/2009 11:05:45 MST.

"I use contact lens cases. You can sterilize them (especially the ones for the old thermal disinfection units), they're really light, and easily resealed. I've carried anti-biotic cream and Gold Bond lotion for years this way. You can put the product in very easily, and there are no questions asked when it appears in your carry-on, as opposed to those very C4-looking straws :-)"

That's a really neat idea, and definitely eliminates the McGyver look :P

Can i get them at walmart or a drug store? I don't wear contacts so I'm not sure how much they'd be, etc.?

Also, i kind of agree that repackaging the anti-biotic ointment shouldn't be a big deal. But, for neosporine, I already bought some prepackaged in to-go foil squeeze packets.

Devin,

Thanks for the link! I guess i should have searched a little before i posted. I was just excited to hopefully have some new news to share.

I think i'll have to revise my packages at home by sealing the ends. I also like the fact that the OP of the linked thread stated he could reseal them in the field.

Contact lens cases seems like a good idea too, though the space/wt ratio might be a bit of a loss.

I just added the cut a ring, then use it to hold the folded over end to the straw discussion referenced above. It works well for me.

Also, I do not buy carrying a small amount of antibiotic ointment in a straw for short periods of time as being a problem.

I can see that over time, the petrolatum vehicle may break down the plastic straw, or that some efficacy could be reduced by introducing a small amount of contamination, but not much in the short term.

Rosaleen

Dennis, my mom worked at Redlands community hospital in California in the ER and as a nurse and she has always advised agianst me repackaging triple anti ointment. She says doing so can introduce bacteria into the product, reducing the effectivness greatly.

I plan to repackage antibiotic ointment into new straws only, and only single trip use. Throw them away after your few days trip. I am not sure how long a trip I would try this though...

My Dermatologist doesn’t want any of his patients using “Triple-anti-biotic ointment”. He says that the third ingredient is not necessary and even detrimental. He suggests Polysporin instead of Neosporin.
I didn’t go home and throw away all the Neosporin I had, it seamed to be effective on me and my kids- I finished the tubes and then purchased the “Poly” when I needed more. I haven’t noticed any difference in the years since.
BTW, Neosporin and Polysporin come in a tube that has a cap so it is exposed to the air (germs) each time you use it. I haven’t read anywhere that I need to sterilize the tip after each use. I think the Ointment Sales Reps wanted to sale more product and the Hospital wanted to avoid any possible liability, real or imagined.

This sounds a little like the time my wife asked the pediatrician after the birth of our first born if we needed to sterilize the baby bottle nipples She had read something some where that is was important because of the possible issues;
His response was… Do you sterilize your nipples before hooking him up?
We never had any problem with either one. I think the same can be said with the above.