Silver Sulfadiazine Uses

Silver sulfadiazine is used to prevent and treat wound infections in people with severe burns (second- and third-degree burns).

There may be other uses of silver sulfadiazine—your pharmacist or doctor can give you further drug information.

Silver Sulfadiazine Mechanism of Action

Silver sulfadiazine kills the bacteria that can cause burn wound infections. 

Studies using radioactive micronized silver sulfadiazine, electron microscopy, and biochemical techniques have shown that silver sulfadiazine acts on the cell membrane and cell wall of bacteria to cause its bactericidal effect. Therefore, the silver sulfadiazine action and bactericidal effect differ from such agents as silver nitrate and sodium sulfadiazine.

Silver Sulfadiazine Doses

Silver sulfadiazine is available as a 1% cream. The usual recommendation is to apply 0.2-cm or 1/16-inch thickness of silver sulfadiazine cream once or twice a day on burn wounds.