Commercially available first aid kits available via normal retail routes have traditionally been intended for treatment of minor injuries only. Typical contents include adhesive bandages, regular strength pain medication, gauze and low grade disinfectant.
Specialized first aid kits are available for various regions, vehicles or activities. For example, first aid kits sold through marine supply stores for use in watercraft may contain seasickness remedies. Also, regions where malaria exist require antimalaria drugs, ...
Determining the right commercial kit may be done trough the sources as the EU-website Myfirstaidkit.eu. To make your own special first aid kit, guide books, certain websites (such as CDC.gov) and other literature may be used.
Typical contents
Dressings (sterile, applied directly to wound)
Pads
Sterile eye pads
Sterile gauze pads
Sterile non-adherent pads
Burn dressing (sterile pad soaked in a cooling gel)
Bandages Gauze roller bandages - absorbent, breathable, and often elastic
Elastic bandages - used for sprains, and pressure bandages
Adhesive, elastic roller bandages - very effective pressure bandages or durable, waterproof bandaging
Triangular bandages - used as slings, tourniquets, to tie splints, and many other uses
Adhesive bandages (band-aids, sticking plasters)
Straight adhesive bandages
Moleskin— for blister treatment
Butterfly (knuckle) bandages and wound closure strips
Instruments
Adhesive tape, hypoallergenic
Trauma shears, for cutting clothing and general use
Tweezers
Lighter, for sterilizing tweezers or pliers etc
20-cc syringe with catheter tip for wound irrigation with sterile saline solution
Rubber suction bulb, for clearing the airway of an unconscious patient
Equipment
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
Gloves, disposable non-latex
CPR mask or other breathing barrier such as a face shield
Scissors
Eye cup or small plastic cup
Torch (also known as a flashlight)
Instant-acting chemical cold packs
Sterile eye wash (commonly saline)
Sterile saline (used for cleaning wounds where clean tap water is not available, but note that even clean tap water should be converted to normal saline by adding salt)
Swabs, sterile non-woven
Space blanket (lightweight plastic foil blanket, also known as "emergency blanket")
Alcohol rub (hand sanitizer) or antiseptic hand wipes
Thermometer
Penlight
Medication
Antiseptics/antimicrobial
Povidone iodine wipes (use for first-aid disputed)
Benzalkonium Chloride (use for first-aid disputed)
Alcohol pads - used to prep unbroken skin for injections etc. or to disinfect equipment such as thermometers.
Antibiotic pills (use for first-aid disputed)
Antibiotic ointment - single, double, or triple antibiotic ointment in petroleum jelly base (use for first-aid disputed)
Antiseptic/anesthetic ointment, fluid or spray, for example Lidocaine
Anti-fungal cream
Anti-itch ointment
Hydrocortisone cream
Calamine lotion
Painkillers / fever reducers
Acetaminophen
Ibuprofen - anti-inflammatory, often more effective than acetaminophen.
Aspirin
Anti diarrhea medication such as Loperamide Immodium
Oral rehydration salt
Antihistamine
diphenhydramine (brand name Benadryl)
Aloe vera gel - used for a wide variety of skin problems, including burns, sunburns, itching, and dry skin; used as a substitute for triple-antibiotic gel to keep a wound moist and prevent bandages from sticking
Burn gel - a water-based gel that acts as a cooling agent and often includes a mild anesthetic such as lidocaine and, sometimes, an antiseptic such as tea tree oil
Epinephrine auto-injector (brand name Epipen) - often included in kits for wilderness use and in places such as summer camps, to treat anaphylactic shock.
Poison treatments
Activated charcoal
Syrup of ipecac
QuikClot is a hemostatic agent sometimes included in first aid kits, especially military kits, to control severe bleeding.
Tincture of benzoin— improves tape adhesion to skin, toughens cracked skin
