My mom and I have both recently had surgeries that have required the use of ice packs. What I found is that sometimes you only need a small pack, especially if you need it for your face, hand, neck etc. You want it to be malleable too. It's hard to find small ones in the stores, but you can make your own.

I made a small one using a snack size Ziploc bag. All you have to do is mix 1 part rubbing alcohol to 3 parts water. Stick it in the freezer and it makes a slushy type substance. It's soft and flexible and works great for small areas.

Of course, if you need a larger one, use the same formula (1 to 3 ratio) and a larger Ziploc bag. Oh, and the best thing about these is they are reusable, inexpensive and they don't leak like putting ice in a bag.

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