Patient's question:
NoDoctor's answer:
After the umbilical cord falls off, a small amount of exudate is often present in the umbilical fossa. At this time, you can use a cotton swab dipped in 75% alcohol to clean the umbilical fossa, and then cover it with sterile gauze. In the past, some people advocated applying 1% gentian violet (purple solution) locally because gentian violet has antibacterial and astringent effects. However, due to its weak penetration, sometimes a scab has already formed on the surface while an abscess is still hiding underneath. Therefore, it is now generally recommended to use cotton swabs dipped in 75% alcohol for disinfection.