Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsHow It WorksHow to ApplySide EffectsContraindicationsEffectivenessHow Expensive Is Silvadene?Frequently Asked Questions
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
How It Works
How to Apply
Side Effects
Contraindications
Effectiveness
How Expensive Is Silvadene?
Frequently Asked Questions
Silvadene cream (silver sulfadiazine) is a prescription-only topical medication for treating and preventingsevere burnwounds.
Silvadene contains antimicrobial silver ions bonded with an antibacterial sulfa drug.The combination can effectively stop the growth of bacteria that may infect an open burn wound.
Silvadene may be used alone or with other burn or wound treatments in people over 2 months old.Healthcare providers may also prescribe it for other skin infections.
This article explains how Silvadene works and how to use it. It also goes over the potential side effects and effectiveness of Silvadene.
How Silvadene Works
Silvadene is part of a group of medications called sulfa drugs (or sulfonamides)—the oldest type of antibacterial drugs.Silvadene contains sulfadiazine bonded with silver ions, which are also known for antimicrobial effects.
Silvadene can be used on third-degree burns (those that destroy both top layers of skin and may even penetrate the innermost layer) andsecond-degree burns(those that involve the outer layer and part of the lower layer of skin). It’s been widely prescribed for more than 50 years.
Silver has been used in wound care for centuries. Today, silver-infused wound dressings and other products are popular because they have solid and broad infection-fighting qualities.
What Is Colloidal Silver?
How to Use Silvadene
Verywell / Brianna Gilmartin
Silvadene is typically applied once or twice daily and reapplied throughout the day when necessary.The National Institutes of Health (NIH) lists the following guidelines for applying Silvadene cream:
Keep using the cream until the burn area has healed sufficiently. Make sure to stick to your Silvadene routine for as long as your wound is open enough to be infected.
Reach out to your healthcare provider if your skin’s condition hasn’t improved or has worsened with the treatment.
How to Treat a Burn
Silvadene Side Effects
Silvadene can have side effects. They’re usually mild and limited to the areas where the cream is applied. Rarely, you may get serious side effects that can prevent you from using the cream.People can also experience an allergic reaction to Silvadene.
Common Side Effects
Common side effects of Silvadene occur in the areas where it’s applied. They include:
If any of these symptoms are severe, contact a healthcare provider right away.
Serious Side Effects
Serious side effects of Silvadene are uncommon. If you experience any of the following, it’s important to see a healthcare provider:
Does Silvadene Lower Your White Blood Cell Count?
In a few cases, people have experienced a temporary lowerwhite blood cellcount from using Silvadene. In particular, Silvadene can cause a low level of neutrophil cells (neutropenia).Neutropenia was at its worst within two to four days of using Silvadene and went away within two to three days, whether people continued to use Silvadene or not.
You may not feel any symptoms, but neutropenia can increase your chances of getting an infection.
That said, neutropenia doesn’t happen in everyone who uses Silvadene—and the cream still has essential benefits such as preventing infection, reducing inflammation, and helping with healing.Don’t stop using Silvadene without consulting your healthcare provider first.
What Causes Low White Blood Cells?
Silvadene Safety Precautions
You and your healthcare provider must weigh the risks and benefits of using Silvadene based on your health status and history. You may need to avoid using the cream if:
Is Silvadene Safe for Babies?Silvadene cream is not recommended for premature babies, newborns, or children younger than 2 months old.
Is Silvadene Safe for Babies?
Silvadene cream is not recommended for premature babies, newborns, or children younger than 2 months old.
Use in Pregnancy and Breastfeeding
Make sure to tell your healthcare provider if you’re pregnant. Silvadene is not advised for use if you’re close to your due date.
Studies in pregnant rabbits have shown no effects of Silvadene on the fetus—but there haven’t been good human studies. Your healthcare provider may still recommend Silvadene if they find it necessary.
Also, tell your healthcare provider if you’re breastfeeding—a severe reaction can occur in infants exposed to sulfa drugs.You may need to stop nursing while you are using the medication.
Natural Remedies for Burns
How Effective Is Silvadene?
Silvadene’s active ingredient, silver sulfadiazine, remains the most commonly used topical (applied to the skin) medication for burn wound infections. However, scientific literature from 2010 and beyond has questioned its effectiveness.
For example, Silvadene is toxic to cells in the epithelium, the body’s protective lining, which can slow down minor burn healing.
One 2022 review found that wounds healed faster in people who used Aloe vera plant gel than in those who used silver sulfadiazine cream.Another 2017 review suggested that using honey may improve wound healing compared to silver sulfadiazine.
A 2016 review of silver sulfadiazine cream vs. newer wound dressings showed faster wound healing with the dressings, as well as higher comfort for patients.People may struggle with the application of Silvadene: It needs to be removed and reapplied daily.
You can purchase Silvadene at the pharmacy for as low as $18 for 25 grams (0.88 ounces) without insurance.The generic version of Silvadene, silver sulfadiazine, will cost you as low as $12 for 25 grams (0.88 ounces) without insurance.Check with your healthcare provider and insurance plan as to which version is covered and recommended.
The amount you need will depend on the extent of your burns—you’ll apply a layer of about 1/16th of an inch over all wounds.
Summary
Silvadene cream, or silver sulfadiazine, can prevent and treat infection in serious burn wounds. It’s been prescribed for more than 50 years, but research shows some newer wound dressings can promote faster healing without the need for daily reapplication.
Silvadene’s side effects are usually mild and limited to the areas where the drug is applied. In rare cases, you may experience severe or whole-body side effects—these require immediate medical care. People with certain health conditions or people who are pregnant may not be able to use Silvadene.
Your healthcare provider will review the risks and benefits of using Silvadene before prescribing it.
Frequently Asked QuestionsSilvadene is applied directly to a wound or burn area on your skin.Ensure you’ve cleaned the area before applying the cream.
Silvadene is applied directly to a wound or burn area on your skin.Ensure you’ve cleaned the area before applying the cream.
Silvadene is applied directly to a wound or burn area on your skin.
Ensure you’ve cleaned the area before applying the cream.
How to Dress a Wound
19 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.MedlinePlus.Silver sulfadiazine.StatPearls.Silver sulfadiazine.Pfizer.Silvadene cream.Venkatesan M, Fruci M, Verellen LA, et al.Molecular mechanism of plasmid-borne resistance to sulfonamide antibiotics.Nat Commun. 2023;14(1):4031. Published 2023 Jul 7. doi:10.1038/s41467-023-39778-7Satwinder SS, Prasad DN.Silver sulfadiazine: action on burn wound sepsis and infections.Journal of Drug Delivery and Therapeutics. 2022;12(4):154-161. doi:10.22270/jddt.v12i4.5419Spear M.Silver: an age-old treatment modality in modern times.Plast Surg Nurs. 2010;30(2):90-93. doi:10.1097/PSN.0b013e3181deea2eNational Institutes of Health.Silvadene.Willis MS, Cairns BA, Purdy A, et al.Persistent lactic acidosis after chronic topical application of silver sulfadiazine in a pediatric burn patient: A review of the literature.Int J Burns Trauma. 2013;3(1):1-8.MedlinePlus.Low white blood cell count and cancer.Munteanu A, Florescu IP, Nitescu C.A modern method of treatment: The role of silver dressings in promoting healing and preventing pathological scarring in patients with burn wounds.J Med Life. 2016;9(3):306-315.Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.Silver sulfadiazine.Abul Barkat H, Abul Barkat M, Ali R, Hadi H, Kasmuri AR.Old wine in new bottles: silver sulfadiazine nanotherapeutics for burn wound management.Int J Low Extrem Wounds. Published online May 7, 2023. doi:10.1177/15347346231166980Wasiak J, Cleland H.Burns: dressings.BMJ Clin Evid. 2015;2015:1903. Published 2015 Jul 14.Levin NJ, Erben Y, Li Y, Brigham TJ, Bruce AJ.A systematic review and meta-analysis comparing burn healing outcomes between silver sulfadiazine and aloe vera.Cureus. 2022;14(10):e30815. doi:10.7759/cureus.30815Aziz Z, Abdul Rasool Hassan B.The effects of honey compared to silver sulfadiazine for the treatment of burns: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials.Burns. 2017;43(1):50-57. doi:10.1016/j.burns.2016.07.004Heyneman A, Hoeksema H, Vandekerckhove D, Pirayesh A, Monstrey S.The role of silver sulphadiazine in the conservative treatment of partial thickness burn wounds: A systematic review.Burns. 2016;42(7):1377-1386. doi:10.1016/j.burns.2016.03.029Drugs.com.Silvadene prices, coupons and patient assistance programs.Drugs.com.Silver sulfadiazine topical prices, coupons and patient assistance programs.Mayo Clinic.Silver sulfadiazine (topical route).
19 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.MedlinePlus.Silver sulfadiazine.StatPearls.Silver sulfadiazine.Pfizer.Silvadene cream.Venkatesan M, Fruci M, Verellen LA, et al.Molecular mechanism of plasmid-borne resistance to sulfonamide antibiotics.Nat Commun. 2023;14(1):4031. Published 2023 Jul 7. doi:10.1038/s41467-023-39778-7Satwinder SS, Prasad DN.Silver sulfadiazine: action on burn wound sepsis and infections.Journal of Drug Delivery and Therapeutics. 2022;12(4):154-161. doi:10.22270/jddt.v12i4.5419Spear M.Silver: an age-old treatment modality in modern times.Plast Surg Nurs. 2010;30(2):90-93. doi:10.1097/PSN.0b013e3181deea2eNational Institutes of Health.Silvadene.Willis MS, Cairns BA, Purdy A, et al.Persistent lactic acidosis after chronic topical application of silver sulfadiazine in a pediatric burn patient: A review of the literature.Int J Burns Trauma. 2013;3(1):1-8.MedlinePlus.Low white blood cell count and cancer.Munteanu A, Florescu IP, Nitescu C.A modern method of treatment: The role of silver dressings in promoting healing and preventing pathological scarring in patients with burn wounds.J Med Life. 2016;9(3):306-315.Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.Silver sulfadiazine.Abul Barkat H, Abul Barkat M, Ali R, Hadi H, Kasmuri AR.Old wine in new bottles: silver sulfadiazine nanotherapeutics for burn wound management.Int J Low Extrem Wounds. Published online May 7, 2023. doi:10.1177/15347346231166980Wasiak J, Cleland H.Burns: dressings.BMJ Clin Evid. 2015;2015:1903. Published 2015 Jul 14.Levin NJ, Erben Y, Li Y, Brigham TJ, Bruce AJ.A systematic review and meta-analysis comparing burn healing outcomes between silver sulfadiazine and aloe vera.Cureus. 2022;14(10):e30815. doi:10.7759/cureus.30815Aziz Z, Abdul Rasool Hassan B.The effects of honey compared to silver sulfadiazine for the treatment of burns: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials.Burns. 2017;43(1):50-57. doi:10.1016/j.burns.2016.07.004Heyneman A, Hoeksema H, Vandekerckhove D, Pirayesh A, Monstrey S.The role of silver sulphadiazine in the conservative treatment of partial thickness burn wounds: A systematic review.Burns. 2016;42(7):1377-1386. doi:10.1016/j.burns.2016.03.029Drugs.com.Silvadene prices, coupons and patient assistance programs.Drugs.com.Silver sulfadiazine topical prices, coupons and patient assistance programs.Mayo Clinic.Silver sulfadiazine (topical route).
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
MedlinePlus.Silver sulfadiazine.StatPearls.Silver sulfadiazine.Pfizer.Silvadene cream.Venkatesan M, Fruci M, Verellen LA, et al.Molecular mechanism of plasmid-borne resistance to sulfonamide antibiotics.Nat Commun. 2023;14(1):4031. Published 2023 Jul 7. doi:10.1038/s41467-023-39778-7Satwinder SS, Prasad DN.Silver sulfadiazine: action on burn wound sepsis and infections.Journal of Drug Delivery and Therapeutics. 2022;12(4):154-161. doi:10.22270/jddt.v12i4.5419Spear M.Silver: an age-old treatment modality in modern times.Plast Surg Nurs. 2010;30(2):90-93. doi:10.1097/PSN.0b013e3181deea2eNational Institutes of Health.Silvadene.Willis MS, Cairns BA, Purdy A, et al.Persistent lactic acidosis after chronic topical application of silver sulfadiazine in a pediatric burn patient: A review of the literature.Int J Burns Trauma. 2013;3(1):1-8.MedlinePlus.Low white blood cell count and cancer.Munteanu A, Florescu IP, Nitescu C.A modern method of treatment: The role of silver dressings in promoting healing and preventing pathological scarring in patients with burn wounds.J Med Life. 2016;9(3):306-315.Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.Silver sulfadiazine.Abul Barkat H, Abul Barkat M, Ali R, Hadi H, Kasmuri AR.Old wine in new bottles: silver sulfadiazine nanotherapeutics for burn wound management.Int J Low Extrem Wounds. Published online May 7, 2023. doi:10.1177/15347346231166980Wasiak J, Cleland H.Burns: dressings.BMJ Clin Evid. 2015;2015:1903. Published 2015 Jul 14.Levin NJ, Erben Y, Li Y, Brigham TJ, Bruce AJ.A systematic review and meta-analysis comparing burn healing outcomes between silver sulfadiazine and aloe vera.Cureus. 2022;14(10):e30815. doi:10.7759/cureus.30815Aziz Z, Abdul Rasool Hassan B.The effects of honey compared to silver sulfadiazine for the treatment of burns: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials.Burns. 2017;43(1):50-57. doi:10.1016/j.burns.2016.07.004Heyneman A, Hoeksema H, Vandekerckhove D, Pirayesh A, Monstrey S.The role of silver sulphadiazine in the conservative treatment of partial thickness burn wounds: A systematic review.Burns. 2016;42(7):1377-1386. doi:10.1016/j.burns.2016.03.029Drugs.com.Silvadene prices, coupons and patient assistance programs.Drugs.com.Silver sulfadiazine topical prices, coupons and patient assistance programs.Mayo Clinic.Silver sulfadiazine (topical route).
MedlinePlus.Silver sulfadiazine.
StatPearls.Silver sulfadiazine.
Pfizer.Silvadene cream.
Venkatesan M, Fruci M, Verellen LA, et al.Molecular mechanism of plasmid-borne resistance to sulfonamide antibiotics.Nat Commun. 2023;14(1):4031. Published 2023 Jul 7. doi:10.1038/s41467-023-39778-7
Satwinder SS, Prasad DN.Silver sulfadiazine: action on burn wound sepsis and infections.Journal of Drug Delivery and Therapeutics. 2022;12(4):154-161. doi:10.22270/jddt.v12i4.5419
Spear M.Silver: an age-old treatment modality in modern times.Plast Surg Nurs. 2010;30(2):90-93. doi:10.1097/PSN.0b013e3181deea2e
National Institutes of Health.Silvadene.
Willis MS, Cairns BA, Purdy A, et al.Persistent lactic acidosis after chronic topical application of silver sulfadiazine in a pediatric burn patient: A review of the literature.Int J Burns Trauma. 2013;3(1):1-8.
MedlinePlus.Low white blood cell count and cancer.
Munteanu A, Florescu IP, Nitescu C.A modern method of treatment: The role of silver dressings in promoting healing and preventing pathological scarring in patients with burn wounds.J Med Life. 2016;9(3):306-315.
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.Silver sulfadiazine.
Abul Barkat H, Abul Barkat M, Ali R, Hadi H, Kasmuri AR.Old wine in new bottles: silver sulfadiazine nanotherapeutics for burn wound management.Int J Low Extrem Wounds. Published online May 7, 2023. doi:10.1177/15347346231166980
Wasiak J, Cleland H.Burns: dressings.BMJ Clin Evid. 2015;2015:1903. Published 2015 Jul 14.
Levin NJ, Erben Y, Li Y, Brigham TJ, Bruce AJ.A systematic review and meta-analysis comparing burn healing outcomes between silver sulfadiazine and aloe vera.Cureus. 2022;14(10):e30815. doi:10.7759/cureus.30815
Aziz Z, Abdul Rasool Hassan B.The effects of honey compared to silver sulfadiazine for the treatment of burns: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials.Burns. 2017;43(1):50-57. doi:10.1016/j.burns.2016.07.004
Heyneman A, Hoeksema H, Vandekerckhove D, Pirayesh A, Monstrey S.The role of silver sulphadiazine in the conservative treatment of partial thickness burn wounds: A systematic review.Burns. 2016;42(7):1377-1386. doi:10.1016/j.burns.2016.03.029
Drugs.com.Silvadene prices, coupons and patient assistance programs.
Drugs.com.Silver sulfadiazine topical prices, coupons and patient assistance programs.
Mayo Clinic.Silver sulfadiazine (topical route).
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