Finally, there is a hand sanitizer in the market that is effective against SARS-COV-2 Virus (COVID-19), gentle to the hand, and can last 24 hours in one application, thanks to the dermatologists from DS Skin Clinic in Singapore to develop it. Yes, a true invent-in-Singapore product.
If you have done your homework, you will know that alcohol on the skin is not going to be good, especially those with skin issues (e.g. eczema). And most of the effective hand sanitizers in the market contain more than 60% of it. Thanks to our Singapore dermatologists, they have incorporated skincare and hand sanitizer into one product, the DS Skin Clinic ALL-DAY HAND SANITIZER.
BTW, the product is finally launched in the market. More details below that will help you to understand the product better.
The key highlights about this product.
And I am very sure you want to know how it compares with other hand sanitizers in the market. BTW, I think people will be interested in the humectant in this product that can keep our hands moist. Based on the dermatologist, it is emollient commonly found in skin products
This product is tested by Eurofins Mechem/Eurofins Scientific SE.
Do note that there are alcohol content in this hand sanitizer. However, in this case, it helps to dry up the product fast and form a thin layer of protection on the skin while the rest of the ingredients actually moisturizes your skin.
The product is S$15 per spray bottle. You can buy the 10-bottle pack at S$99. Purchase can be done online via the DS Skin Clinic eShop or you can just scan this QR code (below) to access it.
Here are the product fact sheet if you are interested.
Annex B: Product Fact Sheet for DS Skin Clinic All-Day Hand Sanitizer
BTW, this is my first event via telecommute. It might be the norm in future.
Check out the Press Release for more information.
Dermatologists Develop Hand Sanitizer to Fight COVID-19
DS Skin Clinic All-Day Hand Sanitizer kills the SARS-COV-2 virus immediately, lasts all day, and is gentle on the skin.
- Formulated by dermatologists who understand skin care and patient needs.
- Locally researched and developed by our Chief Scientific Officer.
- Immediately kills 99.99% of most household germs and viruses – including SARS-COV-2.
- Maintains effectiveness for 24 hours even with hand washing, reducing need for re-application.
- Moisturizes the skin to prevent rashes and skin irritation even with repeated and prolonged use.
- Can be applied to surfaces to disinfect and provide a lasting, protective layer.
17 June, 2020, Singapore — DS Skin Clinic and its international group of clinics has launched the DS Skin Clinic All-Day Hand Sanitizer – a skin sanitizer that is fast-acting and effective in killing the SARS-COV-2 virus that causes COVID-19. In addition, it is long-lasting and remains effective for 24 hours from application, whilst being gentle on the skin.
With the end of the Circuit Breaker in Singapore, and many countries and cities worldwide coming out of lockdown, people around the world have become more mindful about how they can protect themselves and their loved ones from COVID-19, the disease that has infected 7.3 million and killed 413,000 victims around the world1.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) emphasizes the importance of hand hygiene as an effective way to prevent the spread of pathogens and infections. An effective hand sanitizer is a key component of a multi-pronged protection regime, which includes social distancing, thorough hand-washing, frequent hand-sanitizing, wearing of
masks and avoiding the touching of the face with the hands.
“As a dermatologist, I see the need for a good hand sanitizer for our patients that’s effective, long-lasting and gentle on the skin . We tried to look for such a sanitizer in the market and, to our surprise, couldn’t find one that satisfied all these requirements,” says Dr Henry Loh – Chairman & Executive Director, RMH Holdings Ltd.
These considerations prompted DS Skin Clinic to come up with our own unique formulation, that we believe will meet the needs of consumers who are emerging from lockdown isolation and getting onto public-transit systems, returning to the office, and visiting more places.This
means we will be increasingly exposed to the SARS-COV-2 virus on lift buttons, railings, door handles etc. that may have been contaminated by an infected person who had previously touched these surfaces.
As hand-washing facilities are not available at all places and most times, an effective hand sanitizer is needed to disinfect our hands as we come into contact with people in different situations, eg. handling cash and documents that we pass from one person to another. It is therefore important to ensure that our hands are constantly free of the SARS-COV-2 virus, through the application of hand sanitizers to kill the virus.
Fast Acting and Effective
The hand sanitizers in the market are either alcohol-based or non-alcohol-based. The former type, if concentrated enough, is fast-acting and effective in killing germs – but can be dehydrating on the skin. The alcohol-free sanitizers, although more gentle on the skin, tend to be less effective and slow-acting, and are more suitable for object surfaces.
CDC supports the use of alcohol-based hand rubs (ABHR) for the effective reduction of pathogens that may be present on the hands of healthcare providers after brief interactions with patients or the care environment. It recommends the use of ABHR with greater than 60% ethanol or 70% isopropanol2.
The Singapore Government (National Environment Agency) lists 70% ethyl alcohol and 0.05% benzalkonium chloride as active ingredients (and working concentrations) that are effective against coronaviruses3.
The DS Skin Clinic All-Day Hand Sanitizer contains 75% ethyl alcohol and 0.1% benzalkonium chloride, and is therefore highly effective and fast-acting in killing 99.99% of most household germs and viruses – as tested by independent German laboratory Eurofins.
“From a commercial perspective, this represents a business opportunity because of the lack of such a product locally and worldwide. Furthermore, with COVID-19 affecting the revenue for medical services worldwide, this is a strategic move to diversify RMH Holdings from solely offering services and consultations, to also offering innovative products to the market,”
adds Dr Loh.
Long-Lasting Effectiveness
Regardless of whether a sanitizer is alcohol-based or non-alcohol-based, the germ-killing effect is usually only present during the point of application. After initial application, the skin begins accumulating harmful germs again as it comes into contact with contaminated surfaces, until the sanitizer is re-applied.
The DS Skin Clinic All-Day Hand Sanitizer remains effective for 24 hours after the initial application. The all-day protection is enabled by a skin-friendly, waterproofing polymer film formed over the skin upon evaporation of the alcohol. This prevents the active ingredients from being washed away, thus providing a long-lasting protection against germs.
This reduces the need to re-apply frequently for a period of 24 hours after initial application.
“The all-day protection is enabled by encapsulating 0.1% benzalkonium chloride (BKC), a very effective antimicrobial compound, in a polymer. After the alcohol fully evaporates, this forms a thin waterproof, disinfecting layer over the skin and further prevents the BKC from being washed away. This can last 24 hours even with mild handwashing,” says Dr Richard
Seow (PhD) – CEO, RMH Holdings Ltd & Chief Scientific Officer, DS Skin Clinic.
Gentle On The Skin
As the dermatologists from DS Skin Clinic are cognizant of the dehydrating effect of alcohol-based skin sanitizers, and have flagged this as a priority for the development of our sanitizer, our Chief Scientific Officer has added an emollient oil to the formula to hydrate the skin. This means that repeated and prolonged application of the hand sanitizer will not cause
any skin irritation or damage.
As a result, the DS Skin Clinic All-Day Hand Sanitizer provides the fast-acting germ-killing effectiveness of the alcohol in the formula, but still protects the skin from the dehydrating properties of the alcohol – whilst enabling the active ingredient to last all day after initial application.
This innovative hand sanitizer is the result of the skin care expertise from the dermatologists within DS Skin Clinic and the local research and development effort of our Chief Scientific Officer, despite the major disruptions to the global supply chain by COVID-19.
“A good sanitizer must be effective in killing germs, as well as be gentle on the skin. That’s why we emphasised from day one of its development that the hand sanitizer must protect the skin from dehydration, skin irritation and prolonged usage,” says Dr Coni Liu – Consultant Dermatologist, DS Skin Clinic.
Price And Availability
The DS Skin Clinic All-Day Hand Sanitizer is available in a 45-ml pocket-sized spray bottle at S$15 per bottle. Boxes of 10 bottles can be purchased at a discounted price of S$99 per box.
The DS Skin Clinic All-Day Hand Sanitizer can now be purchased at any of DS Skin Clinic’s four branches in Singapore at Orchard Paragon (Level 7 and Level 17), Parkway East and Shenton. It is also available online at our eShop @ www.dsclinic.com.sg
From August, the DS Skin Clinic All-Day Hand Sanitizer will also be available at our partner clinics and e-commerce websites.
The list of branches under DS Skin Clinic can be found in Annex A.
The hand sanitizer will soon be launched and available in Hong Kong with the opening of the Queen’s Road Medical Centre later this year.
— End of Release —
About DS Skin Clinic
DS Skin Clinic (Dermatology & Surgery Skin Clinic and its international group of clinics) is one of the largest private dermatology practices in Singapore with four clinics conveniently located at Orchard Road, Raffles Place and East Coast. All our dermatologists are specialists accredited by the Singapore Ministry of Health with listings at Specialist Registry.
DS Skin Clinic offers one-stop comprehensive services for all dermatology conditions affecting skin, hair and nails. A full range of surgical, laser and aesthetic services are provided, including Mohs Micrographic Surgery.
About RMH Holdings Limited
RMH Holdings Limited is listed on the Growth Enterprise Market of the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong and owns DS Skin Clinic (Dermatology & Surgery Skin Clinic and its international group of clinics). It is set to expand to Hong Kong with the impending opening of a multi-disciplinary specialist medical centre in the coming months.
1 As of 11 June, 2020 – according to the World Health Organisation Situation Report 143. https://www.who.int/docs/default-source/coronaviruse/situation-reports/20200611-covid-19-sitrep-143.
pdf
2 Guidance for Healthcare Providers about Hand Hygiene and COVID-19.
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/hand-hygiene.html
3 Interim List of Household Products and Active Ingredients for Disinfection of the COVID-19 Virus, Released 4 February, 2020; Revised 20 May, 2020.
https://www.nea.gov.sg/our-services/public-cleanliness/environmental-cleaning-guidelines/guidelines/interim-list-of-household-products-and-active-ingredients-for-disinfection-of-covid-19
ANNEX A: List of DS Skin Clinic Branches in Singapore
Orchard Paragon
- DS Skin & Wellness Clinic
- 07-11/12 Paragon
- 290 Orchard Road
- Singapore 238859
- Tel: 6513 4924
Orchard Paragon
- Dermatology & Surgery Clinic
- 17-01/02 Paragon (Office Tower)
- 290 Orchard Road
- Singapore 238859
- Tel: 6881 0028
Shenton
- Dermatology & Surgery Clinic
- 14-01 Income@raffles
- No. 16 Collyer Quay
- Singapore 049318
- Tel: 6881 0028
East
- Dermatology & Surgery Clinic
- 05-01, Parkway East MC
- Parkway East Hospital
- 319 Joo Chiat Place
- Singapore 427989
- Tel: 6471 2722