First aid when you are not at home

Illness is the last thing you want when you’re on vacation. But it’s easy to cut yourself on a seashell or graze your leg when climbing. Better not be searching for a pharmacy in a foreign place!

Put together your personal first-aid kit in good time. Remember first of all to take a sufficient amount of your personal supplies – they may be hard to get hold of abroad. The basic components of a first-aid bag are the same as for a medicine cabinet – but they may have to be adapted to your destination:

• 1% hydrocortisone cream 
• antibacterial or antifungal ointments 
• digital thermometer 
• oral rehydration salts 
• antiseptic wound cleaner 
• aloe gel for sunburns 
• insect bite anti-itch gel or cream 
• bandages 
• disposable gloves 
• cotton swabs (Q-Tips) 
• tweezers 
• eye drops 

Don't forget to bring your individual supply of prescription medicines, medical supplies, over the counter medicines, supplies to prevent illness or injury and medical documents. Depending on the area you are travelling to, you should consider talking to a specialized physician such as a tropical medicine specialist to get further medicine recommendation.