Hydrogen peroxide is a compound made up of two hydrogen atoms and two oxygen atoms. ... These contain an enzyme called catalase, which breaks down the hydrogen peroxide into water and oxygen. The fizzing you see in the form of bubbles is the oxygen gas escaping.

Do peroxide bubbles mean infection?

While not necessarily a “mistake”, a common misconception is that if hydrogen peroxide bubbles, it means your wound is infected. Hydrogen peroxide will bubble whether your wound is infected or not. A chemical reaction occurs while cleaning and creates little oxygen bubbles. Don't sweat over the bubbles.

Is it bad if hydrogen peroxide foams?

What you are buying is a 3-percent solution, meaning the bottle contains 97-percent water and 3-percent hydrogen peroxide. Most people use it as an antiseptic. It turns out that it is not very good as an antiseptic, but it is not bad for washing cuts and scrapes and the foaming looks cool.