HWN Suggests

People on TikTok Are Using Surgical Cleansers as Everyday Skin Care. Please Don’t

Cleansers that contain CHG—such as Hibiclens and Hibiscrub, which are traditionally used to prep a patient’s skin before surgery—have been experiencing a surge of popularity on TikTok. And while they do effectively kill the microbes that can cause some common dermatological issues, they may also give you a nasty rash, impair your skin’s ability to fight infections, or lead to other uncomfortable problems. In very rare cases, CHG may even cause blindness or deafness, if used near your eyes or ears, or result in death due to anaphylactic shock.

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Articles of Interest

An evidence-based review on the safe and effective use of antiseptic agents in health-care environments

Alcohol and chlorhexidine are easily accessible in most health-care environments. While both support infection control, they differ in their intended uses, mechanisms of action, spectrum of activity, residual effect, and potential adverse effects. The appropriate use and concentration of each depend on the clinical situation and the patient’s condition.

Chlorhexidine is a universal antiseptic for skin, wounds, throat and gynecology

Unlike alcohol antiseptics, chlorhexidine does not cause burning or dry out the skin, making it convenient for regular use. However, despite its safety, it is not without limitations – for example, it cannot be used to treat eyes or deep wounds, as this can cause irritation.

Chlorhexidine Resistance or Cross-Resistance, That Is the Question

Chlorohexidine (CHX) is a widely used biocide in clinical and household settings. Studies over the last few decades have reported CHX resistance in different bacterial species, but at concentrations well below those used in the clinical setting. Synthesis of these findings is hampered by the inconsistent compliance with standard laboratory procedures for biocide susceptibility testing.

Daily chlorhexidine washes?

So, to combine all these findings: chlorhexidine washes appear to reduce the skin bioburden in patients and healthcare staff. There are a number of preparations and methods of application for chlorhexidine washes. There may be benefits in daily washing for at-risk patients in the intensive care setting; particularly those with central venous catheters. Chlorhexidine may be used in umbilical cord care, however, in the developed world hospital setting, the benefit is negligible. Chlorhexidine may not be accepted as a viable whole-body cleaning agent due to skin reactions or parental concerns.

Hibiclens: the Germ Killing Soap with Staying Power

The active ingredient is 4% chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG), a powerful topical disinfectant often prescribed for pre-and-post-operative cleansing. CHG begins to kill germs on contact, binds to the skin for up to 24 hours and increases in effectiveness after multiple uses.

Revealing the Truth About Chlorhexidine, and a Better Alternative

Exploring five myths about chlorhexidine demonstrates that OraCare rinse offers a more effective clinical alternative.

Skin deep: Chlorhexidine - history and efficacy

Chlorhexidine is a well-established antimicrobial agent, being discovered in 1946 and introduced into clinical practice in 1954. It is an antibacterial chemical (classed as a cationic polybiguanide, diguanide or bis-biguanide, chemical formula - (1:6-di[4-chlorophenyldiguanido]-hexane)) and is primarily used as a disinfectant for skin and hands, for the purposes of hygienically cleaning an area of skin. There are two common forms of chlorhexidine: chlorhexidine gluconate and chlorhexidine acetate; here the digluconate form is the type most frequently used in skin disinfection.

Resources

ChlorhexidineFacts

Chlorhexidine is an ideal broad-spectrum antimicrobial. It is effective against Gram-positive bacteria, Gram-negative bacteria and fungi. These organisms are commonly associated with Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAIs). With its low toxicity level, chlorhexidine offers a safe side effect profile.

Safety and efficacy of the antiseptic chlorhexidine gluconate

Chlorhexidine gluconate offers an alternative to available antiseptics for the skin. It has been shown to be a fast acting, broad spectrum antimicrobial agent, with an extremely low potential for eliciting dermal reactions.