-amanda

I can't really answer your question very to the very minute detail for now, cause i'm still in camp. but these two extracts would answer your question. Just ignore the less important parts of it.

Here goes:

The microbiocidal action of Iodine is due to the active form, I2, which is polarized by water and like all halogens (chlorine, fluorine, bromine, etc.), acts as an extremely potent oxidizer. Activated iodine (I2) reacts in electrophilic reactions with enzymes of the respiratory chain as well as with amino acids located in cell membrane and cell wall proteins. The well-balanced tertiary structure necessary for maintaining the respiratory chain as well as cell integrity is destroyed and the microorganism is irreversibly damaged.

When the skin isn't broken, it's hard to beat iodine for killing bacteria. That's why doctors use it to clean an area before surgery. But when there's a cut, says dermatologist Robert Kirsner, a spokesperson for the American Academy of Dermatology, full-strength iodine, hydrogen peroxide and rubbing alcohol can be toxic to skin cells, impeding healing. The chemical reaction (and bubbling) that occurs when hydrogen peroxide hits the skin isn't only cleaning the wound -- it's killing healthy cells. And that stinging from the rubbing alcohol? This stuff hurts because it's wiping out healthy tissue.

Source: 1) WikiAnswers
2)Reader's Digest