Styptic pencil
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A styptic or hemostatic pencil is a short stick of medication, usually aluminum sulfate anhydrous or titanium dioxide, which is used for stanching blood by causing blood vessels to contract at the site of the wound.
Before safety razors were invented it was an essential part of a shaving kit and was used to seal cuts caused by improper shaving, although many people still continue to use safety razors and styptic pencils.
Styptic pencils are also useful for stopping the flow of blood when trimming a cat or dog's claws. While effective at stopping blood loss, the sting of the medication as it takes effect has been said to be worse than the pain of the cut itself. Hudson's Guide recommends "natural ingredients such as aloe" as a "more soothing alternative".[1]
A frequent source of confusion appears to be the difference between styptic and caustic pencils.
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