Which Is the Best Antibiotic Ointment? Polysporin, Neosporin, or Bacitracin?
Key takeaways:
Polysporin (bacitracin / polymyxin B), Neosporin (bacitracin / neomycin / polymyxin B), and bacitracin are all over-the-counter (OTC) antibiotic ointments that you can use to help treat or prevent infection for minor cuts or scrapes.
The main difference between these ointments is that they have different ingredients. So if you’re allergic to one, you may not be allergic to the others.
Some skin wounds can be severe and shouldn’t be treated at home. Rather, they require medical attention from a healthcare professional.
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Table of contents
When you get a cut or scrape, you may find yourself reaching for the first-aid kit to clean, bandage, and care for the wound. One common product found in first-aid kits is an antibiotic ointment, such as Polysporin (bacitracin / polymyxin B), Neosporin (bacitracin / neomycin / polymyxin B), or bacitracin. These products help prevent or treat infection. All of these ointments are available over the counter (OTC), so you can buy them without a prescription.
But what are the differences between these antibiotics ointments? And if you’re considering purchasing one to keep at home, which one should you choose? It’s also helpful to know when to use an antibiotic ointment and when it’s best to avoid one.
Read on to learn what you need to know about Polysporin, Neosporin, and bacitracin.
About wound care: Experts detail how to tell if a wound is infected — and steps to take to prevent it.
Bleeding wounds: Most cuts are minor and can be bandaged at home. Our experts provide step-by-step instructions for how to stop a bleeding cut and when to seek help.
First aid kit must haves: Read about expert-recommended items to keep in your first aid kit, so you're ready when injuries happen.
What are antibiotic ointments?
Antibiotic ointments are medications that are applied topically — on the skin — to help kill bacteria. Healthcare professionals often use them to treat minor skin injuries such as scrapes, cuts, or burns. Using antibiotic ointments is one part of caring for skin wounds. It’s also important to clean and sometimes bandage an injury.
Antibiotic ointments don’t help with pain, inflammation, or itching. But they do help treat and prevent infection. These symptoms can happen with infections, so treating an infection can help relieve this discomfort. Infected wounds may become more painful, red in color, or swollen. And infections can lead to serious health consequences if left untreated.
Polysporin vs. Neosporin vs. bacitracin
The OTC antibiotic ointments Polysporin, Neosporin, and bacitracin are useful for minor skin injuries, such as cuts, scrapes, and burns. Below is some basic information to know about each of these OTC antibiotic ointments. It’s important to keep in mind that cost may vary, especially if you’re purchasing a generic or store-brand version.
Neosporin (also called triple antibiotic ointment) | |||
Ingredients | Bacitracin and polymyxin B | Bacitracin, neomycin, and polymyxin B | Bacitracin |
Side effects | Mild skin irritation Redness Dryness Rash Itching Allergic reactions | Mild skin irritation Redness Dryness Allergic reactions | Mild skin irritation Redness Dryness Allergic reactions |
Reasons to avoid | Severe wounds Allergy to bacitracin, polymyxin, or any inactive ingredient in the ointment | Severe wounds Allergy to bacitracin, neomycin, polymyxin B, or any inactive ingredient in the ointment | Severe wounds Allergy to bacitracin or any inactive ingredient in the ointment |
Average retail cost (1 oz tube, generic version) |
Instructions for use
Instructions on how to use Polysporin, Neosporin, and bacitracin are the same for each product. First, clean the skin injury area with soap and water. Then, apply a small amount (about the size of the tip of your finger) on the wound 1 to 3 times daily. Cover the area with a bandage if needed.
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You should apply the ointment after cleaning the wound. If a wound doesn’t easily stay closed with a bandage or other basic dressing, you should seek the help of a healthcare professional. You may need stitches, sutures, or another treatment.
Good to know: Neomycin is a common cause of contact dermatitis, a type of allergic skin reaction. This ingredient is found in Neosporin, but not in Polysporin or bacitracin. If you have a history of contact dermatitis or sensitive skin, it may be a good idea to avoid using antibiotic ointments that contain neomycin.
What is the best antibiotic ointment?
OTC antibiotic ointments are more effective at preventing infections than not using an antibiotic. But there’s very little research that shows differences in how well particular products work. So, choosing the best antibiotic ointment for you will depend on your preferences, allergies, and recommendations (if any) from a healthcare professional.
Neosporin contains three active ingredients, whereas Polysporin contains two and bacitracin contains one. Keep in mind, having more active ingredients doesn’t necessarily mean the ointment will work better. For some wounds, bacitracin may work just as well as Polysporin or Neosporin. Your healthcare professional can let you know if your wound requires treatment with more than one antibiotic.
It’s also good to keep any allergies and sensitivities in mind when choosing an antibiotic ointment. For example, if you’re allergic or sensitive to polymyxin B, then bacitracin would be the best choice. That’s because Neosporin and Polysporin both contain polymyxin B. And if you’re allergic or sensitive to neomycin, either Polysporin or bacitracin would be acceptable.
Are there types of injuries that you should not treat with OTC antibiotic ointments?
You shouldn’t use topical OTC antibiotic ointments on serious injuries such as:
Moderate-to-severe burns
Puncture wounds
Animal bites
You should avoid using these products on infections or wounds caused by a virus or fungus (yeast). Antibiotics are ineffective for these infections. Using antibiotic ointments when they’re not needed might cause bacteria to become resistant to antibiotics. This could make it harder to treat future bacterial infections.
You should also avoid applying OTC antibiotic ointments to closed boils (reddish skin lumps filled with pus). Since these medications won’t penetrate closed (unbroken) skin, it won’t kill any bacteria causing the boil. These situations usually require oral prescription antibiotics, and a healthcare professional may need to drain the boil.
You should consult a healthcare professional if your wound doesn’t improve in about 1 week or if it’s getting worse. For certain types of skin wounds, you may need prescription topical antibiotics, such as mupirocin (Centany) or metronidazole (Metrogel).
In most cases, antibiotic ointments aren’t used to treat insect stings or ingrown hair. You should also avoid applying these products to an infant diaper rash, unless a pediatrician gives you instructions to do so.
What parts of the body should you not put OTC antibiotic ointment on?
You shouldn’t use OTC antibiotic ointments on your eyes, nose, mouth, or over large areas of your body. You also shouldn’t use them around the genital area unless a healthcare professional tells you to do so. If you apply too much ointment or if you get it in your eyes, you can rinse the area with water. If there is concern that you or someone else has swallowed an OTC antibiotic ointment, contact a healthcare professional or call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222.
The bottom line
Polysporin (bacitracin / polymyxin B), Neosporin (bacitracin / neomycin / polymyxin B), and bacitracin are all over-the-counter (OTC) antibiotic ointments that you can use to help treat or prevent infection for minor cuts or scrapes. The main difference between these ointments is that they have different active ingredients.
Since these ointments are very similar, you might select the one that’s right for you based on availability, cost, or an allergy to any of the ingredients.
You should always contact a healthcare professional if you have a serious skin wound. Serious wounds require different treatments. It’s also important to contact a healthcare professional if your wound gets worse or if you’ve been using an OTC antibiotic ointment for a week without improvement.
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References
American Osteopathic College of Dermatology. (n.d.). Boils.
Cosette Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (2023). Bacitracin ointment [package insert]. DailyMed.
CVS Pharmacy, Inc. (2024). Bacitracin zinc, polymyxin b sulfate ointment [package insert]. DailyMed.
Johnson & Johnson Consumer, Inc. (2023). Neosporin original [package insert]. DailyMed.
MedlinePlus. (2023). Contact dermatitis.
MedlinePlus. (2024). Neomycin, polymyxin, and bacitracin topical.
Nguyen, R., et al. (2024). Bacitracin topical. StatPearls.
Tong, Q. J., et al. (2018). A systematic review and meta-analysis on the use of prophylactic topical antibiotics for the prevention of uncomplicated wound infections. Infection and Drug Resistance.
Worster, B., et al. (2015). Common questions about wound care. American Family Physician.
