Here are five things you should consider when choosing a styptic pencil. Top 5 “Styps” for Finding Best Styptic Pencil 1. Sealing the Wound Styptic pencils stop bleeding by hardening or coagulating the surface of a wound, just like a scab. Answering this question about styptic pencils should be easy now that we have explained the basics. But in case you didn’t catch what a styptic pencil is from the paragraphs above, a styptic pencil is basically an “old-school” product used to help stop bleeding. Styptic pencils have been around for centuries and are still one of the most popular methods for stopping bleeding. They are small, easy to use, and perfect for everyday emergencies.

Rinse and pat-dry any excess blood that is coming out of the cut before applying the styptic pencil to it. Make sure you’re only getting wet what will be applied to the wound, not the entire thing – if too much gets on there, it can end up being more painful than helpful! Each styptic solution has been created differently to stop the bleeding from shaving cuts. The main ingredient in styptic pencils is anhydrous aluminum sulfate. It comes in different forms and not everyone uses the same formula to create their own styptic solution – a.k.a “styptic pencil”. Clubman Pinaud has remained the premier source for barbers across the globe throughout the past three decades. Recognized mostly for its talc powder, the brand’s styptic pencil is its hidden gem. The tube is larger than all other selections on our list, still it’s a great size that warrants consistency with sleek grip control. Don’t hesitate to use this pen on bug bites or other irritable scratches.Q. Many decades ago, Dad used a styptic pencil to stop the bleeding when he’d cut his face shaving. Later on, he used an electric razor and didn’t need the pencil. Shaw CA, Tomljenovic L. Aluminum in the central nervous system (CNS): toxicity in humans and animals, vaccine adjuvants, and autoimmunity. Immunol Res. 2013 Jul;56(2-3):304-16. Styptic Pencil: It can last you a long time but it requires additional maintenance and requires you you to dry it (2-3 minutes). It can last a very long time as it is just pure aluminum sulfate.

Basic styptic pencils are cheap and widely available. You should be able to find them in groceries, “megamarts,” chemists/drug stores, etc. Clubman Pinaud Styptic Pencil In 2017, Glyder’s Styptic Balm was ranked #1 by GQ, and Editor Choice at AskMen.com. Antonio Centeno from Real Men Real Style created the chart below around products that stops bleeding from shaving cuts and styptic balm ranked #1.If someone has swallowed part of a styptic pencil, get help with the web POISONCONTROL ® online tool or call 1-800-222-1222 . Whether you log on or call, Poison Control expert assistance is available 24 hours a day. Moreno A, Domínguez P, Domínguez C, Ballabriga A. High serum aluminium levels and acute reversible encephalopathy in a 4-year-old boy with acute renal failure. Eur J Pediatr. 1991 May;150(7):513–4. Al-Ghadeer H, Al-Amry M. Corneal Thinning Induced by Self-administered Alum Substance: A Case Report and Analysis of the Active Components. Middle East Afr J Ophthalmol. 2020 Apr 29;27(1):59-61. It causes blood to clot, so yes, it really does work. The strategy is usually to run the tip of the “pencil” under water so that the aluminum salts start to dissolve. If you then touch the wet pencil to the wound it will normally causes blood to clot. Within a few seconds the bleeding should cease. Most regular styptic pencils only have two ingredients: aluminum sulfate–to stop the bleeding and titanium dioxide to hold the pencil together. Nothing fancy—they’re made solely to stop blood flow, and they do a great job.

The lifespan of a styptic pencil can vary depending on the formulation. Let’s look at the old school styptic pencil vs. the new school styptic balm. Despite what your pops taught you, rubbing alcohol and shreds of toilet paper are not the way to salvage your wounds. Using them tends to only trigger inflammation and prolongs the healing process. Sprinkling talcum powder doesn’t do you many favors either, as most experienced barbers discourage its use for shaving purposes. What’s left? The styptic pencil. Styptic pencils are made from crushed alum crystal. Easier to use, their small size makes them ideal for travel. Gosselin RE, Hodge HC, Smith RP, Gleason MN. Clinical toxicology of commercial products. 5th ed. Baltimore: Williams & Wilkins; 1984. p. II-181.Goullé JP, Grangeot-Keros L. Aluminum and vaccines: Current state of knowledge. Med Mal Infect. 2020 Feb;50(1):16-21. Styptic pencils are powders formed into a pencil shape, and they can crumble. Clean up crumbles that fall to the floor to prevent little ones from putting them into their mouths. Aluminum is excreted by the kidneys. Those with impaired kidney function might accumulate aluminum and be more likely to have rare adverse reactions, but even in this population an accidental taste of a styptic pencil should be okay.