Red disinfectant is a thing of the past... These days, colorless disinfectant solutions are used.

Even if you fall or get your ears pierced... All are dominated by colorless sterilizing disinfectant.

Recently, hydrogen peroxide, disinfectant ethanol, and povidone-iodine are not commonly used. First, all three substances are highly irritating, causing ▲severe stinging, ▲inducing changes in skin tissue, and ▲potentially worsening scars. Additionally, hydrogen peroxide has weaker sterilization power compared to other disinfectants, and disinfectant ethanol is highly volatile, causing its disinfectant effect to diminish quickly. Dr. Kim Ye-ji, a member of the Academic Committee of the Korean Pharmaceutical Association, stated, "Hydrogen peroxide is ineffective on wounds with scabs, and disinfectant ethanol loses its effectiveness once it dries."

Povidone-iodine has excellent antimicrobial properties and remains effective for about 2 to 3 hours after drying, but due to the color of the medication, it can stain wounds and leave scars. It is also widely known that it should not be used by people with thyroid dysfunction due to its iodine content. Because of these strong irritations and the disadvantages inherent in each product, pharmacies generally do not recommend hydrogen peroxide, disinfectant ethanol, or povidone-iodine.

Therefore, recently pharmacies tend to provide colorless disinfectant solutions as alternatives to these three medications. This is because colorless disinfectant solutions are less irritating compared to other drugs and not only have disinfectant and sterilization effects but also possess allergy and pain relief as well as hemostatic properties.

Colorless sterilization disinfectant is mainly

Chlorpheniramine, an antihistamine component

Suppress itching and allergic reactions of the affected area

▲Local anesthetic component: Dibucaine hydrochloride

Relieves the pain of the affected area.

▲Disinfectant sterilizer: Benzalkonium chloride / Benzethonium chloride

Sterilization, disinfection

It is composed of, and depending on the product, the vasoconstrictor ingredient Naphazoline hydrochloride is added. Naphazoline helps with hemostasis. Unlike povidone-iodine, it is colorless, so there is no concern about staining the affected area.

Just like with piercing, using a colorless antiseptic solution on skin inflammation caused by metal is also because the risk of skin damage and discoloration is not high. The area where the ear was pierced for a piercing already has an open wound, and using regular alcohol or hydrogen peroxide on this wound can cause skin damage due to strong irritation. Povidone-iodine is also avoided because it not only causes strong irritation but also raises concerns about staining. Dr. Oh In-seok, president of the General Medicine Pharmaceutical Research Association, said, "Using povidone-iodine on areas with inflammation caused by piercing can cause discoloration, so it is not recommended, and hydrogen peroxide should also be avoided," adding, "Especially, hydrogen peroxide can also cause damage to the pierced metal."

On the other hand, there are cases where using colorless disinfectant solutions is ineffective, which mainly falls into two categories: wounds that do not heal well and secondary infections on the wound surface. If a colorless disinfectant solution is used but the wound does not heal well, applying ointments or bandages can help. However, in the case of secondary infection, it may be necessary to take antibiotics or apply antibiotic-containing ointments in addition to using disinfectant solutions, so consulting a doctor or pharmacist is advisable. Pharmacist Kim Ye-ji said, "Disinfectant solutions available over-the-counter should be used together with ointments if the wound is not severe," and "If there is severe bleeding or persistent inflammation, it is best to visit a hospital."

If the wound is not severe and there is no risk of secondary infection, it is not a big problem to avoid using disinfectants. Pharmacist Oh In-seok said, "The purpose of antiseptic solutions is ultimately to kill bacteria," and added, "If you judge that there is no concern of bacterial infection, rinsing with saline and applying a moist bandage is also an option."