Chlorhexidine solutions are very toxic to aquatic life with long lasting effects. Avoid release to the environment. Collect spillages. Dispose of the contents as pharmaceutical waste.

Chan HP, Zhai H, Hui X, Maibach HI. Skin decontamination: principles and perspectives. Toxicology and Industrial Health 2012; 29(10):955-68. Another skin tip: Don’t forget to have your patients degerm before surgery, not just through pre-op bathing and nasal decolonization, but also “by simply having them wash their hands before surgery because they will likely touch their wound or dressings after surgery.” There was no evidence on the use of skin antiseptics in babies. However, the committee were aware of risks, such as burns, associated with their use in this population, and wished to highlight this. The committee noted that the MHRA has published MHRA advice on the use of chlorhexidine for skin disinfection in premature babies. A Practitioner working in the Operating Theatres, who has completed their dual role competencies for Skin Preparation and Draping,Reduce the risk of patient injury. It’s important to recognize specific patient safety dangers that can occur during antisepsis, including skin damage for multiple reasons, says Ms. deKay. Aly R, Maibach HI. Comparative antibacterial efficacy of a 2-minute surgical scrub with chlorhexidine gluconate, povidone-iodine, and chlororxylenol sponge-brushes. Am J Infect Control 1988; 16:173-7. One randomized controlled trial was included in this report comparing skin preparation to no skin preparation prior to injection. No relevant cost-effectiveness studies or evidence-based guidelines were identified regarding preparing the skin for injection. Contaminated: an incision undertaken during an operation in which there is a major break in sterile technique or gross spillage from the gastrointestinal tract, or an incision in which acute, non-purulent inflammation is encountered. Open traumatic wounds that are more than 12 to 24 hours old also fall into this category.

The global number of aesthetic procedures performed continues to rise exponentially [1]. The recent data from The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (2017) confirms an overall 5.1% increase in the number of aesthetic procedures undertaken, in comparison to those performed in 2016; as well as a 40.6% increase over the past five years. Furthermore, non-surgical procedures increased by 4.2% in 2017, compared to 2016. Cruz D, Ocampo C, Brendolan A, et al. Effectiveness of sodium hypochlorite in the prevention of catheter related infections. Contrib Nephrol 2007; 154:97-102. Application of DuraPrep™ Surgical Solution (3M Health Care, St. Paul, MN). Adapted with permission from 3M Health Care.If you have oily or acne-prone skin, look for non-greasy formulas that are labelled as oil-free and non-comedogenic. The best SPF to buy Robson MC, Payne WG, Ko F, et al. Hypochlorous acid as a potential wound care agent. J Burns Wounds 2007; e:55-67. Cunarro Alonso JM, et al. Paper presented at: XIII National Symposium on Pressure Ulcers and Wounds Heritage; 2010; Spain. This is the first RCT to specifically examine the effect of alcohol swab skin cleansing on the incidence of local skin reactions and infection in children undergoing vaccine injections. We found no evidence of a difference in the rate of local skin reactions and no cases of cellulitis or infectious abscess when alcohol swabs were and were not used” (pp997) Cleansing looks a little different at night and will need to be more thorough with a double-cleanse. Start by removing every trace of makeup, grime, and SPF with a cleanser that’s been formulated to sweep away makeup and excess sebum – micellar waters, cleansing oils and balms are all firm favourites, thanks to their ability to draw out and dissolve impurities. Most also contain hydrating ingredients to boost skin health. If using a cleansing oil or balm, use a warm, damp muslin cloth or flannel to remove the product.

This document is prepared and intended for use in the context of the Canadian health care system. The use of this document outside of Canada is done so at the user’s own risk. Bigliardi PL, Alsagoff SAL, El-Kafrawi HY, et al. Povidone iodine in wound healing: a review of current concepts and practices. Inter J Surg 2017; 44:260-8. Recognizing this substantial morbidity and economic burden, in 1999 the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) issued standardized guidelines for the prevention of surgical infections. These included making specific evidence-based recommendations for modifying patient factors that may predispose to infection, for the use of antimicrobial prophylaxis, for optimizing sterility in the operating room, and for the use of antiseptic agents for skin preparation. Aqueous solution of chlorhexidine At the time of publication (April 2019), 4.0% aqueous chlorhexidine (Hibiscrub) was licensed for 'preoperative and postoperative skin antisepsis for patients undergoing elective surgery'; however, relevant instructions were limited to use as a body wash to be used before the person enters the operating theatre. Other formulations of aqueous chlorhexidine were off label for this use. See NICE's information on prescribing medicines.Mr. Graves and Ms. deKay agree that collecting compliance data through audits, and analyzing and sharing infection rate data, are key to monitoring and improving skin antisepsis. They each offer several tips to help in this area. Maiwald M, Chan ESY. Pitfalls in evidence assessment: the case of chlorhexidine and alcohol in skin asepsis. J Antimicrob Chemother 2014; 69:2017-21. Chan et al. propose that the desirable traits of a good skin decontaminant are that it can effectively remove the contaminant of interest, is readily available, acts rapidly, does not enhance percutaneous penetration / absorption of the contaminant, can be readily removed without residue, and does not damage the skin [7]. This paper will explore some of the commonly used skin preparation formulations used for aesthetic injectable treatments. Chlorhexidine A registered healthcare professional (nurse, ODP or other allied health professional) who has extended the scope of their practice to work as a member of a surgical team performing surgical intervention, preoperative & postoperative care under the supervision of the Consultant Surgeon. There was little evidence to support the use of povidone-iodine, but based on their clinical experience the committee agreed that it should be an option when chlorhexidine is contraindicated, for example, in people with hypersensitivity to chlorhexidine.