EOF recalls well-known antiseptic Dettol

The EOF National Medicines Agency is recalling Dettol antiseptic hand and surface spray.

The ban on circulation and distribution of the Dettol product is due to the fact that the product is not approved by the EOF, even though it is presented and promoted as an antiseptic.

RECKITT BENCKISER HELLAS HEALTHCARE AE. and any other company distributing the product must immediately contact the recipients of the product and withdraw it from the market within a reasonable period of time. Relevant documents are brought to the attention of the EOF.

Antiseptics. Why they can not be used regularly for a long time

Lack of personal hygiene can lead to many dangerous infections. Throughout the day, our hands touch dozens of different surfaces, which are inhabited by millions of bacteria and viruses that can cause serious diseases, such as the flu, COVID-19, or various intestinal disorders, etc. Of course, it will not be possible to completely eliminate “contacts” with pathogenic microorganisms, but still they can be minimized by using antiseptic hand products.

According to WHO, the most effective hand sanitizers are alcohol disinfectants. The effect of alcohol-based disinfectants was evaluated back in 2009, during the swine flu epidemic, when such antiseptics played an important role in overcoming the epidemic.

Pay attention to the label

The inscription: “antibacterial” means that the drug works only against bacteria. The antiseptic, in most cases, contains alcohol and is also able to act on viruses. That is, for effective hand disinfection, you need to choose a product indicated on the package “Antiseptic”.

The mechanism of action is quite simple – upon contact with the virus, alcohol destroys its shell, as a result of which the death of the virus and any other pathogenic microorganisms occurs. Alcohol in the composition of the antiseptic can be ethyl or isopropyl. Isopropyl is more toxic, has an unpleasant odor and is prohibited for use by children under 6 years of age. Therefore, give preference to an antiseptic based on ethyl alcohol.

How much alcohol should be in an effective antiseptic

Rospotrebnadzor recommends choosing hand sanitizers that contain at least 60-80% alcohol. It is this concentration that can destroy both bacteria and viruses. Of course, you can also use solutions with 95% alcohol content, but in this case you risk getting at least – dry skin, and at most – a chemical burn. And an alcohol concentration below 60% will be ineffective in the fight against viruses. At 60-80% alcohol concentration, the virus dies within 1-2 minutes after treatment, while the skin is not disturbed.

Dry hand skin after antiseptic: how to prevent

Even with the recommended alcohol content, frequent hand washing inevitably dries out the skin. Therefore, when choosing, you should pay attention to the list of additives that care for the epidermis. It can be D-panthenol, vitamins A, E, vitamins of group B.

D-panthenol is a substance that stimulates the healing of microcracks, relieves inflammation and irritation, and helps restore the natural protective function of the skin. Vitamins A, E help to normalize the hydrolipidic balance, strengthen the walls of small vessels, keep the skin young, and prevent inflammation. B vitamins activate regenerative processes in the cells of the epidermis, accelerating the healing and renewal of the skin.

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