# hibiscrub - how to use it right?



## Kikixo (4 July 2010)

hey everyone, i've got a question about 'how to use hibiscrub right'.

basically it's all about the 'afterwards' - do i rinse it out with clear water or do i just pat it dry a the effected area if scappy area or cut? What if i use it on a rash, do i leave it in or rinse it out here?

i am confused - everyone keeps telling me different things.

help is very much appreciated 
thanks for reading!!


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## shazza283 (4 July 2010)

For dirty old wounds use diluted in warm water and clean only edges of wound, gently flush out with clean water or preferably sterile saline - if wound clean flush with saline only - dress if necessary/ possible.

For a rash - assuming you mean mud rash can use dilute and just dry or I use like a shampoo as the detergent helps to get some of the scabs off - then rinse, dry (hairdryer if your horse will tolerate it) or paper towels and apply whatever you normally use cream / lotion wise

I'd be careful washing heat rash or allergies with strong scrubs as sometimes you make them worse - cold hosing/ cold water sponging is best here.

I know someone will disagree here but this is how I've used it for years and had no problems! Hope it helps - think it might be variable but the reason for washing out of wounds is that it has been shown to slow healing - only slightly but it can - and never use neat on wounds.


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## GreedyGuts (4 July 2010)

Very sparingly!

Hibiscrub is massively overused, and as Shazza says, can cause more harm than good. I have seen a couple of horses with nasty skin reactions after being washed with it, and using it on healing wounds is bad as it is toxic to cells as well as bacteria.

It can be used as a very weak solution for washing gross contamination off dirty wounds prior to flushing with saline, and I would consider using it, again very dilute, to clean areas of rain scald/mud rash on a single occasion to get rid of mank before starting treatment. I would never use it in any form on irritated skin as you are probably going to make the situation worse.


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## Kikixo (5 July 2010)

thanks for your amswers! for my mare i do just use it on old mud fever wounds, very diluyed to get the scabby bits of and rinse it afterwars.

but at work, my employer swears on it, so i just wanted to hear your opinions on rinsing of or not  its basically used here for a grey one, with pink skin who gets sand rash (??) quiet easily or you when you see the pink skin rght through the coat to prevent from worse.

thanks again!!!!


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