Antiseptics are applied to living tissue/skin to reduce the likelihood of infection.
Some antiseptics are true germicides, capable of destroying microbes, whilst others are bacteriostatic and only prevent or inhibit their growth.
Antiseptics are generally distinguished from antibiotics by the latter's ability to be transported through the lymphatic system to destroy bacteria within the body and from disinfectants, that destroy micro-organisms found on non-living objects.
