The FDA has warned against the sue of some 55 toxic hand sanitizer brands which has Methanol (also known as wood alcohol) which is a toxic chemical that can cause severe complications when absorbed among which is permanent blindness.

This is why when buying hand sanitizers, you’re to make sure that the product has at least 60% ethyl alcohol instead. Since the COVID-19 pandemic had swept through the globe inflecting millions of people and killing tens of thousands, there have been need to get protected among which is the use of hand sanitizers.

One thing was that during the beginning of the lock-down back in mid-March, people were panic shopping as though the world was coming to an end with people buying everything they could lay their hands on, nearly every stores ran out of supply goods.

While numerous hand sanitizers were sold out back then, there seems to have now been abundance of hand sanitizers meanwhile some of these hand sanitizers are labelled by FDA to be potentially dangerous to people due to the presence of Methanol (wood alcohol) which is a substance that can be toxic when absorbed through the human skin.

A large quantity absorption through the skin are said to be linked with numerous health complications among which is permanent blindness, seizures and vomiting. There have in fact been scenarios whereby individuals who have used the methanol hand sanitizer died from the process.

The FDA notes:

Consumers who have been exposed to hand sanitizer containing methanol should seek immediate treatment, which is critical for potential reversal of toxic effects of methanol poisoning. Substantial methanol exposure can result in nausea, vomiting, headache, blurred vision, permanent blindness, seizures, coma, permanent damage to the nervous system or death. Although all persons using these products on their hands are at risk, young children who accidentally ingest these products and adolescents and adults who drink these products as an alcohol (ethanol) substitute, are most at risk for methanol poisoning.

Earlier this week, the FDA identified five hand sanitizer brands that contain Methanol, a list that includes the following:

• Grupo Insoma’s Hand Sanitizer Gel Unscented, 70% alcohol
• Transliquid Technologies’ Mystic Shield Protection Hand Sanitizer
• Soluciones Cosmeticas’ Bersih Hand Sanitizer Gel Fragrance Free
• Soluciones Cosmeticas’ Antiseptic Alcohol 70% Topical Solution Hand Sanitizer
• Tropicosmeticos’ Britz Hand Sanitizer Ethyl Alcohol 70%

With that said, it’s advisable to ditch any hand sanitizer in your possession which contains this substance and if you’ve used it, you are required to seek an immediate medical attention.

This warning had earlier been issued out back in late June by the FDA whereby a list of the products that has these substances were made public but since then, more products have been added to the list of the Toxic Hand sanitizer.

As it stands now, other hand sanitizer brands to steer clear of include the following products from Eskbiochem:

• All-Clean Hand Sanitizer
• Esk Biochem Hand Sanitizer
• CleanCare NoGerm Advanced Hand Sanitizer 75% Alcohol
• Lavar 70 Gel Hand Sanitizer
• The Good Gel Antibacterial Gel Hand Sanitizer
• CleanCare NoGerm Advanced Hand Sanitizer 80% Alcohol
• CleanCare NoGerm Advanced Hand Sanitizer 75% Alcohol
• CleanCare NoGerm Advanced Hand Sanitizer 80% Alcohol
• Saniderm Advanced Hand Sanitizer

Two dozen more brands to avoid were added to the list by the FDA just this week alone and majority of the brands on the list were from manufactured in Mexico which makes them easier to identify.

Among the newly added brands to the 55 other toxic hand sanitizer brands includes Blumen Advanced Instant Hand Sanitizer, Hello Kitty by Sanrio Hand Sanitizer, Assured Instant Hand Sanitizer and Hand Sanitizer Agavespa Skincare. If you want to see the entire list, you can see it on the FDA website here.

One advise from the health governing agencies had been to wash hands with water and soap but it’s not clear whether to just stop using all hand sanitizers as it is instead opting for the first option which is a 20 seconds of hand wash with soap and water. Meanwhile an alcohol-based product with at least 60% ethyl alcohol could be the alternative if hand washing isn’t available wherever you are.