Comparison of Skin Antiseptic Agents and the Role of 0.01% Hypochlorous Acid

Abstract

Hypochlorous acid (HA) is known to kill germs and help wounds heal. It is becoming more popular for cleaning the face before procedures. This study compared how well four antiseptics—0.01% HA, 5% povidone iodine (PI), 4% chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG), and 70% isopropyl alcohol (IPA)—kill bacteria on the face. The study included 21 people. Bacteria were found after using CHG (10% of cases), IPA (71%), PI (81%), and HA (95%). CHG was the most effective in killing bacteria. There was no big difference between HA, PI, and IPA. CHG also reduced specific bacteria like Staphylococcus epidermidis and Staphylococcus capitis better than the others. Overall, CHG worked best, but HA, PI, and IPA showed similar results to each other. Even though HA didn’t perform as well as CHG, it still helped reduce bacteria and could be considered as an option for cleaning the face before procedures.

Note: The authors comment on the relatively low concentration/dose of HOCl used in this study.

Date: 2021

Source:  Tran, Ann Q. et al Aesthetic Surgery Journal 2021, Vol 41(10) 1170–1175