I had a nasty MTB wipe out and some serious road rash (maybe more accurate to say gravel-rash). I made it back to my car and I was relieved I had stashed some Active Anti-Microbial Spray in my gear bag. I sprayed it on and headed home, showered out any dirt, then reapplied Active Spray and was good to go.

Here’s the thing – you don’t know when you’ll need it, but, at some point, you will- especially if you’re an adventure-seeking athlete. When you (or your kids) do eat pavement, you’ll be really happy you have Active in your bag of tricks.

Active is an Anti-Microbial spray that you can use on wounds and cuts and it WILL NOT STING. It’s amazing for road rash us endurance athletes seem to have trouble avoiding but can also be used on all sorts of skin issues – cuts, scrapes, rashes, chafing, sunburns, insect bites, saddle sore, athletes foot, and other skin irritations.

Our Chief Medical Advisor, 👨‍⚕️Dr. Kevin Sprouse, was so impressed with Active’s anti-microbial and skin healing abilities that he now carries it with him in his medical bag to all pro sporting events to treat his athletes. He plans to take it to Tour de France (if and when it happens, here’s to hoping!)

What Dr. Sprouse loves is that it doesn’t sting and uses a more natural anti-microbial approach so you don’t also hurt healthy tissue in disinfecting wounds.

Active Antimicrobial Spray

I can say confidently, that this is phenomenal stuff.

Not only does it live up to the claim that it DOESN’T STING, but it also works really well on cuts and road rash (we’ll get into How it Works in a moment)…

During the recent stay-at-home period, my kids negotiated aggressively to purchase them a motorized skateboard called One Wheel (can we say wipeout central?)

Let’s just say my kids are now well acquainted with road rash. The first time I swapped our regular antiseptic for Active, my kids put up the usual holy hell. My 13-year-old had just come in with a gnarly scrape on his knee. He actually tried to sneak by me, to avoid the first aid he knew was coming his way, but, thanks to my fatherly-spidey senses (and his obvious hobbling), I wasn’t fooled.

I called him over and told him we were going to try this new spray. At first, he was as resistant as even the most determined toddler. (to his credit, he didn’t resort to biting and kicking)

But, I convinced him (bribery may have been involved) to give it a try.

A couple of spritzes and he was ecstatic to report that it didn’t sting.

Now, they don’t even come to me to clean their wounds, they just grab the spray and do it themselves.

We’ve also noticed that it really does speed up the healing process. I haven’t done any clinical studies here, but so far all the wounds have healed up well and One Wheel action continues in our household.

Plus if you are unlucky enough to get road rash on your face (which is apparently common when you’re learning to ride a One Wheel), you can even spray it directly on your face wound because it’s perfectly safe and nontoxic for eyes, ears, nose, and mouth and (did I mention?) it DOESN’T STING!!

How Does It Work?

The active ingredient is HOCI, a molecule naturally produced by our bodies to fight infection and promote healing. In 2016 the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved products whose main active ingredient is hypochlorous acid for use in treating wounds and various infections in humans and pets (source)

Where did it come from?

BLDG was started by a couple of action and outdoor enthusiast friends (you may have met them at events like Xterra, GoPro Man Games, or Ironman’s over the last 3 years) and was recently acquired by the new consumer division of their supplier who makes HOCl products for the medical industry, which are used by Hospital’s around the country for wound care.

How much is it?

While the price seems steep ($30 per bottle), you get 500 pumps from each bottle, which can last quite a while.

How do I use it?

Spray it on any open wounds or cuts you have. It’s also safe to use on your face including around your eyes, nose, and mouth. It comes as a spray (which we prefer) and also a Gel version. The Gel provides a thicker and longer-lasting coating, but we find the Spray is more convenient as you can apply it from a distance, especially when applying to others.

What can I use it on?

Active suggest’s it is good for wounds, skin irritations, cuts, abrasions, insect bites, burns, and rashes.

What is an antimicrobial?

Antimicrobials are substances—natural or synthetic—that slow or kill the growth of any microorganism. Microorganisms include bacteria, viruses, protozoans, and fungi. HOCl is a known natural antimicrobial and functions as a preservative within Active hydrogel.