Chlorhexidine / Isopropyl Alcohol
Chlorhexidine / isopropyl alcohol is an antiseptic combination used across several topical products to prepare skin before surgery or injection and reduce the risk of infection.
🧬 Where this information comes from Click to expand
The clinical label records used on this page are FDA-filed Structured Product Labeling (SPL) retrieved through openFDA. We identified 7 clinical label sets within the page’s selected clinical scope after exact ingredient or ingredient-combination matching and applicable route/form matching. Forms, routes, brands, labelers, strengths, and NDC product-record counts are built separately from matching FDA National Drug Code Directory records. The linked DailyMed document is a representative official source for verification, not the page’s only clinical source. View the linked label on DailyMed →
📖 Chlorhexidine / Isopropyl Alcohol: Patient Information Guide
A plain-language walkthrough of Chlorhexidine / Isopropyl Alcohol — what it treats, how it works, how it’s taken, side effects, warnings and interactions. Tap any section to expand it.
What Chlorhexidine / Isopropyl Alcohol is used for
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Chlorhexidine/isopropyl alcohol topical products are antiseptics used by healthcare staff to prepare a patient's skin before procedures. Specific approved uses vary by product:
- 3M SoluPrep S: preoperative skin preparation before surgery
- ChloraPrep Swabstick: skin preparation before surgery
- ChloraPrep One-Step: skin preparation before surgery or injection
- Prevantics Maxi Swabstick: skin preparation before surgery or injection
- Prevantics Swabstick: skin preparation before surgery or injection
- Prevantics Swab: skin preparation before injection
How Chlorhexidine / Isopropyl Alcohol is taken (dosage)
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All of these products are applied topically to the skin once before a procedure, then discarded. Each applicator or swab is single-use only. Application technique and scrubbing time differ by product and by site type (dry vs. moist skin). The solution must be allowed to air dry completely before the procedure begins — never blot or wipe it away.
- Dry sites (e.g., abdomen or arm): generally scrubbed for 30 seconds, then allowed to air dry
- Moist sites (e.g., skin folds): generally scrubbed for 2 minutes, then allowed to air dry longer
- Follow the specific directions on whichever product is being used; do not use the entire amount if less is needed to cover the area
Chlorhexidine / Isopropyl Alcohol side effects in detail
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Most side effects from these products involve the skin at the application site. Possible reactions include:
- Skin irritation, redness, or rash
- Hives
- Skin sensitization (increased sensitivity with repeated exposure)
- Chemical burns, particularly in premature infants or infants under 2 months of age
Severe allergic reactions — including difficulty breathing, shock, or facial swelling — are possible. Stop use immediately and seek emergency medical care if any of these occur.
Chlorhexidine / Isopropyl Alcohol warnings and precautions
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- Flammability risk: The solution contains alcohol and gives off flammable vapors. Wet hair is also flammable and can take up to 1 hour to dry. Do not use any ignition source (such as cautery or laser equipment) until the area is completely dry — at least 3 minutes on hairless skin. Never allow the solution to pool.
- Eye, ear, and mouth contact: Serious or permanent injury can occur if the solution enters the eyes, ears, or mouth. If contact happens, rinse immediately with cold water and contact a doctor.
- Severe allergic reaction: Symptoms can include wheezing, difficulty breathing, shock, facial swelling, hives, or rash. Stop use and get emergency help right away.
- Do not use on certain areas or patients: Not for use on open wounds, for lumbar puncture (spinal tap), in contact with the meninges, or in anyone with a known chlorhexidine gluconate allergy.
- Infants: Use with extra caution in premature infants or infants under 2 months — risk of irritation and chemical burns is higher.
- If swallowed: Call Poison Control or get medical help immediately.
Chlorhexidine / Isopropyl Alcohol interactions: what it interacts with
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The FDA label for these topical products does not identify specific drug or food interactions.
This is not a complete list of interactions. Always talk with your doctor or pharmacist before starting, stopping, or changing any medication.
Before taking Chlorhexidine / Isopropyl Alcohol
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- Tell your care team if you or your patient has a known allergy to chlorhexidine gluconate or any ingredient in these products
- Premature infants and infants under 2 months of age are at higher risk for irritation and chemical burns — use with extra care
- Do not use for lumbar puncture (spinal tap) or anywhere the solution could contact the meninges (the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord)
- Do not apply to open skin wounds
- These products are not intended as general everyday skin cleansers
Chlorhexidine / Isopropyl Alcohol overdose: if you take too much
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If this product is swallowed, get medical help or contact a Poison Control Center right away. Do not wait for symptoms to appear.
How to store Chlorhexidine / Isopropyl Alcohol
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store between 15-30 ºC (59-86 °F) avoid freezing and excessive heat above 40 ºC (104 °F) Other information store between 15-30 ºC (59-86 °F) avoid freezing and excessive heat above 40 ºC (104 °F)
📄 Written from Chlorhexidine / Isopropyl Alcohol’s FDA-approved label information, summarized in plain language with AI, and reviewed by our pharmacy team before publication. Every point is grounded in that labeling — nothing is invented. How we use AI →
🩺 Chlorhexidine / Isopropyl Alcohol: pharmacist answers to common questions
Quick, plain-English answers to the questions patients ask most about Chlorhexidine / Isopropyl Alcohol — the kind of thing our pharmacy team would talk through with you at the counter.
What exactly is this product used for?
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Why does the nurse or surgical tech have to let it dry before the procedure starts?
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Can this product cause an allergic reaction?
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Is this safe to use on a baby or young child?
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What if the solution accidentally gets into the eyes or mouth?
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Is there a difference between the various brands, like ChloraPrep and Prevantics?
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Is Chlorhexidine / Isopropyl Alcohol available over the counter?
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When was Chlorhexidine / Isopropyl Alcohol first available?
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Who makes Chlorhexidine / Isopropyl Alcohol?
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💬 Answers drafted from Chlorhexidine / Isopropyl Alcohol’s FDA-approved label information, summarized in plain language with AI, and reviewed by our pharmacy team before publication. Grounded in that labeling — nothing is made up. How we use AI →
🧰 More about Chlorhexidine / Isopropyl Alcohol on HelloPharmacist
💊 Chlorhexidine / Isopropyl Alcohol forms and strengths (how it comes)
Chlorhexidine / Isopropyl Alcohol is available in 2 forms. Different forms and brands can have different approved uses, doses, schedules, and directions. Follow the instructions for your exact product, and do not switch forms without guidance from your prescriber or pharmacist.
Topical solution
How this form is used
- 3M SoluPrep S: preoperative skin preparation to reduce bacteria before surgery
- ChloraPrep Swabstick: skin preparation to reduce bacteria before surgery
- ChloraPrep One-Step: skin preparation to reduce bacteria before surgery or injection
- Prevantics Swab: skin preparation before injection only
- 3M SoluPrep S and ChloraPrep One-Step: apply to clean, completely dry, intact skin; scrub dry sites for 30 seconds and moist sites for 2 minutes; allow to air dry fully (minimum 3 minutes on hairless skin, up to 1 hour in hair) before draping or using any ignition source
- ChloraPrep Swabstick: place foam flat side down on treatment area; scrub dry sites for 30 seconds and moist sites for 2 minutes; allow to air dry (about 30 seconds for dry sites, about 1 minute for moist sites); do not blot or wipe away
- Prevantics Maxi Swabstick and Prevantics Swabstick: apply both sides of the foam tip with back-and-forth strokes; scrub dry sites 15 seconds per side (30 seconds total), moist sites 1 minute per side (2 minutes total); allow to air dry
- Prevantics Swab: apply to the injection site with back-and-forth strokes for 15 seconds; allow to air dry for 30 seconds; do not blot or wipe dry; discard after single use
Oral solution
📊 Chlorhexidine / Isopropyl Alcohol on the U.S. market: products, makers and brands
How Chlorhexidine / Isopropyl Alcohol appears in the FDA’s National Drug Code Directory — including its dosage forms, strengths, brand names, manufacturers, and FDA-listed product records. These are directory records, not sales or prescription volume.
FDA-listed product records by dose form (tablet variants merged) — FDA National Drug Code Directory. Record counts are not sales or prescription volume.
Share of FDA-listed product records by manufacturer — FDA National Drug Code Directory. Record counts are not sales or prescription volume.
🔍 Compare Chlorhexidine / Isopropyl Alcohol products
A representative set of FDA-listed product records for Chlorhexidine / Isopropyl Alcohol — across manufacturers, strengths, and dosage forms, grouped by form with each product’s manufacturer and how the FDA approved it. The same medicine may be made and packaged by different companies, so a single drug can have many directory entries. (It’s also why a refill can look different — a new shape, color, or box — even though it contains the same medication.)
| Strength | Route | Manufacturer / Labeler | Category ⓘ | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 💊Oral solution | ||||
| CHLORHEXIDINE GLUCONATE 20 mg/mL; ISOPROPYL ALCOHOL 0.7 mL/mL | — | C.R. Bard | DRUG FOR FURTHER PROCESSING | View NDC → |
| 💊Topical solution | ||||
| 20; 0.7 mg/mL; mL/mL | Topical | 3M Company × 2 listings | NDA | View NDC → |
| CHLORHEXIDINE GLUCONATE 20 mg/mL; ISOPROPYL ALCOHOL 0.7 mL/mL | Topical | CareFusion 213 LLC × 2 listings | NDA | View NDC → |
| 20; 0.7 mg/mL; mL/mL | Topical | CareFusion 213 LLC × 19 listings | NDA | View NDC → |
| CHLORHEXIDINE GLUCONATE 20 mg/mL; ISOPROPYL ALCOHOL 0.7 mL/mL | Topical | CareFusion 213, LLC × 9 listings | NDA | View NDC → |
| ISOPROPYL ALCOHOL 0.7 mL/mL; CHLORHEXIDINE GLUCONATE 20 mg/mL | Topical | CareFusion 213, LLC | NDA | View NDC → |
| 20; 0.7 mg/mL; mL/mL | Topical | CareFusion 213, LLC × 15 listings | NDA | View NDC → |
| CHLORHEXIDINE GLUCONATE 31.5 mg/mL; ISOPROPYL ALCOHOL 0.7 mL/mL | Topical | Professional Disposables International, Inc. × 4 listings | NDA | View NDC → |
| 31.5; 0.7 mg/mL; mL/mL | Topical | Professional Disposables International, Inc. × 7 listings | NDA | View NDC → |
| CHLORHEXIDINE GLUCONATE 20 mg/mL; ISOPROPYL ALCOHOL 0.7 mL/mL | Topical | Solventum US LLC × 2 listings | NDA | View NDC → |
Showing 62 of 62 products — FDA National Drug Code Directory. See every product, package size and price: browse all 62 Chlorhexidine / Isopropyl Alcohol NDCs →
📈 Chlorhexidine / Isopropyl Alcohol side effects reported to the FDA (FAERS)
After a medicine reaches the market, patients, doctors and drugmakers can send the FDA reports of problems they think may be linked to it. Here’s what’s been reported for Chlorhexidine / Isopropyl Alcohol — a signal of what to watch for, not proof the drug caused it.
Source: openFDA, from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). These are voluntary reports — they don’t prove the drug caused the effect, and counts reflect how often something was reported, not how often it actually happens. Reports also often name the very problem the medicine is taken for — a common reason to file one is that the drug didn’t help — so for a pain reliever you may see “pain” high on the list; that points to why the report was filed, not to the drug causing the symptom. This counts every report that lists Chlorhexidine / Isopropyl Alcohol in any role, so the total runs higher than the FDA’s official dashboard, which counts only cases where the drug is the suspect. For the authoritative figures, see the FDA FAERS Public Dashboard. Always talk to your pharmacist or doctor.
🏛️ Chlorhexidine / Isopropyl Alcohol FDA approval history
How Chlorhexidine / Isopropyl Alcohol went from FDA review to the pharmacy shelf — the key milestones in its regulatory journey.
Source: Drugs@FDA.
🚨 Chlorhexidine / Isopropyl Alcohol recall history
A recall is when a specific batch of a medicine is pulled from the market — usually a manufacturing issue, not a problem with the drug itself. Class I is most serious, Class III least.
Source: openFDA drug enforcement (recall) reports.
RxNorm Concept Web — From Ingredient to Every Form and Strength
This page starts with one exact multiple-ingredient concept (MIN). The branches below show its dose-form concepts (SCDF), then the available clinical drug and strength concepts (SCD). A product with a different ingredient combination belongs on a different page.
RxCUI 484139 2 dose forms · 4 strengths
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Dose form (SCDF) Medicated Pad RxCUI 1191170No current FDA listingClinical drug / strength (SCD) chlorhexidine gluconate 20 MG/ML / isopropyl alcohol 0.7 ML/MLRxCUI 1918214chlorhexidine gluconate 31.5 MG/ML / isopropyl alcohol 0.7 ML/MLRxCUI 1191171 -
Dose form (SCDF) Topical Solution RxCUI 858725In current FDA listingsClinical drug / strength (SCD) chlorhexidine gluconate 20 MG/ML / isopropyl alcohol 0.7 ML/MLRxCUI 858726chlorhexidine gluconate 40 MG/ML / isopropyl alcohol 40 MG/MLRxCUI 1357990
Look up RxCUI 484139 in the RxCUI Atlas →
RxNorm is the U.S. National Library of Medicine’s normalized drug vocabulary. Its concept hierarchy can include forms that are not currently marketed; the status on each branch compares that concept with current FDA listings. RxCUIs identify vocabulary concepts, not individual packages or manufacturers.
📦 Chlorhexidine / Isopropyl Alcohol supply and shortage status
Whether Chlorhexidine / Isopropyl Alcohol is in short supply in the U.S. right now, plus any shortage history the FDA has on record. A shortage usually reflects a manufacturing or demand issue — not a safety problem with the drug.
Source: openFDA, from the FDA Drug Shortages database.
🏷️ Chlorhexidine / Isopropyl Alcohol brand names
🏭 Who makes Chlorhexidine / Isopropyl Alcohol: manufacturers and labelers
Chlorhexidine / Isopropyl Alcohol drug class (RxNorm)
Chlorhexidine / Isopropyl Alcohol belongs to the Antiinfectives and antiseptics for local oral treatment class.
Classified by RxNorm RxClass — the U.S. National Library of Medicine's standardized drug-classification service (Established Pharmacologic Class from the FDA, the ATC drug family from the WHO, and mechanism of action). Reference only, not medical advice.
🔬 Sources for this Chlorhexidine / Isopropyl Alcohol page
Core label, product, RxNorm, safety, and utilization data on this page come from the sources identified below. AI-written, editorial, and licensed sections are labeled separately.
How we combine label and product data
HelloPharmacist combines public FDA and NLM records; we don’t author the underlying clinical facts. We identified 7 FDA-filed SPL label sets within the page’s selected clinical scope after exact ingredient or ingredient-combination matching and applicable route/form matching. The representative label is the starting point for the displayed reference monograph; the 12 largest stored in-scope SPL records, which may include that representative, are compared section by section, and the longest available version of each section is retained. Forms, routes, brands, labelers, product-listed strengths, and product-record counts are aggregated separately from ingredient-matched FDA NDC Directory records; package records listed above are associated with the linked SPL; and the normalized concept hierarchy comes from NLM RxNorm.
For canonical ingredient pages, bounded product-attributed indication and administration excerpts may be added to the AI evidence, and the generator is instructed to preserve available product, brand, route, and form qualifiers instead of treating one label as universal. Where a section is identified as AI-written, its plain-language text is generated from bounded label evidence. New draft drug pages remain in the admin review queue before first publication. 3M Company is the representative DailyMed label linked for verification and dates; it is not the sole source used for the page.
This is general education, not medical advice — always consult your doctor or pharmacist about your medications and any medical condition. For the exact wording of the linked representative label, view that label on DailyMed; some displayed composite sections may come from other in-scope SPL labels. Learn how we use AI and our data sources & update cadence.