Best products for skin antisepsis

Application of antiseptic products to the skin plays an important role in prevention of a variety of health care-associated infections. Preoperative bathing or showering is widely recommended to reduce the risk of surgical site infections. Evidence of the impact of this measure on surgical site infection rates is mixed, and further prospective trials comparing standardized protocols for showering with plain soap or chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG)-containing soap, or bathing with 2% CHG-impregnated cloths are needed to establish the most effective approach. Current evidence favors the use of alcohol-containing solutions, often containing CHG or povidone-iodine, for surgical site preparation of the skin. Preparation of vaginal mucosa prior to gynecologic surgery may be performed using either povidone-iodine or CHG. Surgical hand antisepsis can be performed by scrubbing with an antimicrobial soap or by handrubbing using an alcohol-based handrub. Addition of CHG to alcohol-based handrubs intended for surgical hand antisepsis is not necessary if they meet recommended efficacy criteria. Daily CHG bathing of intensive care unit patients has been shown to reduce a variety of health care-associated infections, most commonly bloodstream infections (BSIs). Achieving and maintaining optimum application protocols may be challenging, suggesting the need for ongoing staff education, monitoring, and feedback. Additional studies are needed to determine the impact of daily CHG bathing of non-intensive care unit patients. Alcoholic CHG is currently the preferred antiseptic for skin preparation prior to insertion of central and arterial intravascular catheters. CHG-impregnated dressings have been shown to reduce catheter-associated BSI. Because of the widespread use of antiseptics, especially CHG, surveillance for emergence of increased tolerance or resistance is warranted. Antiseptics are applied to the skin for a variety of purposes in health care. Common scenarios in which topical antiseptics are used include preoperative bathing, surgical site preparation, surgical hand hygiene, daily bathing of intensive care unit patients, and prevention of intravascular catheter-associated BSI. The purpose of this article is to review recent evidence regarding the best products for skin antisepsis.