Cleaning the OWNDOC Dermaroller

[JMS]

I am very excited to receive my new OWNDOC Dermaroller and Dermaneedles! I have been looking for holistic, green alternatives to ethyl and isopropyl alcohols. I am wondering if one can use vinegar, witch hazel and/or hydrogen peroxide, or some combination of these, in order to achieve sterilization of the OWNDOC Dermaroller and Dermaneedles without damaging them. Kindly advise. Thank you!

[SarahVaughter]

Neither vinegar nor hydrogen peroxide are suitable for the disinfection of dermarolling instruments. Alcohol is a perfectly natural substance, created by yeasts so, apart from the distillation (by fire, which is also natural..), alcohol would be as holistic as you can get.

Then again, every molecule is 100% natural, since it's made of our good lord's atoms, all behaving according to the laws of nature..

Also, Hydrogen peroxide is rocket fuel and a lot more toxic and scary than Ethanol..

[JMS]

Thank you so much for responding Sarah! I ought to have been more specific in my question. The ethyl alcohol is great. Unfortunately, the 70% ethyl alcohol from CVS, and pretty much every other store brand I've encountered, e.g., Walgreens, etc., contain acetone and other synthetics. It appears, also, that personal purchase and consumption of pure ethyl alcohol without the additives is not possible, due to U.S. regulatory policies. Can a pure ethyl alcohol be obtained, and do you recommend this for cleaning the OWNDOC Dermaroller and Dermaneedles? Also, can I use diluted tea tree and witch hazel instead of alcohol on my skin, since it is sensitive and dries easily? Or, is there an non-synthetic alternative you would recommend?

[SarahVaughter]

Our dermarolling instructions contain a link to a furum posting on where to buy alcolhol solutions:
https://http://forums.owndoc.com/dermarolling-microneedling/can39t-find-proper-disinfection-alcohol/

Acetone indeed could cause the needles to fall out, since it could dissolve the glue that holds them in place.

You should only clean the skin with something that leaves no rests when the solvent evaporates, and alcohol is just about the only substance that conforms to that rule..  Otherwise you'll be rolling a complex cocktail of about a thousand organic chemicals into your skin. Some of them may be powerful anti-inflammatories for example.

[JMS]

Thank you very much Sarah! I did review that forum post and one of the earliest recommendations-- the first, I believe-- is a link to the CVS 70% ethyl alcohol, which contains acetone. I will check some of the others, but have not located anything thusfar. Would grain alcohol work?

[JMS]

Hello Sarah!

I believe I may have found something:

https://http://www.otcrx4u.com/ethyl-alcohol-rubbing-24-x-16-oz.html


It only comes in a case, but worth the money to properly disinfect and preserve the dermaroller, sans acetone, as well as the skin, without drying. Would you recommend, then, diluting the ethyl alcohol with 30% pure spring water?

Thanks Sarah!

[SarahVaughter]

Yes.

[JMS]

Thank you Sarah!

I am learning so much!

I telephoned the pharmaceutical company regarding the ethyl alcohol and found out that the Preferred Plus product is, in fact, 70% ethyl alcohol, mixed with acetone and other synthetics.

I searched online and discovered medical supply company with pure ethyl alcohol and telephoned them. Their supply rep notified me of some very interesting facts indeed: pure ethyl alcohol is heavily regulated in the U.S. by the FDA, and requires either a permit or a hefty fee for purchase! The rep suggested that I instead try Everclear, a brand of pure grain alcohol.

Is this permissible, still diluted with 30% spring water?

Here is one link to the product: https://http://www.totalwine.com/eng/categories/spirits/other-spirits

Thank you so much for your ongoing assistance!

[SarahVaughter]

You can buy grain alcohol because it is ethanol. You should dilute it to 70%.

90% ethanol is more or less regulated in some states or very expensive but 70% ethanol (or approx. 40% ethanol and approx. 30% isopropyl alcohol) is for sale. It is very difficult to be sure it has no acetone because it is somehow very difficult to find out the full ingredients of rubbing alcohol and similar products. I removed the link to the product containing acetone (good that you noticed). Perhaps the best for you is to use our Chloramine-T. We actually started to sell it because our customers had difficulties finding ethanol. An added bonus is that Chloramine-T really sterilizes, whereas alcohol merely disinfects.
 
The only reason why a very high percentage of (not denatured) ethanol is regulated is to prevent it to be used for drinking and thus avoiding the very high taxation of alcohol that is normally levied for alcohol indented for consumption.
 
In other words, they have to still allow for example laboratories or hospitals to purchase a high percentage ethanol cheaply (without high added taxes) but they have to prevent that it is sold for consumption because alcohol for consumption is subjected to huge taxation.
 
This is the reason why it is so difficult to get ethanol that is not denatured by isopropyl, acetone etc.
 
Isopropyl alcohol is also a solvent but we found out that in percentages up to or around 50% there was no problem to use it for soaking the dermarolling instruments. Several of our customers soaked their dermarollers in 80% isopropyl alcohol and the roller glue disintegrated.

To be honest, it did not cross my mind they would add acetone to rubbing alcohol because rubbing alcohol is intended for skin disinfection and there is no reason to add acetone.
 
I guess they added a little acetone to denature it (to make it impossible to drink).
 
Ethanol is usually denatured with isopropyl alcohol.
 
Rubbing alcohol usually contains ethanol or isopropyl alcohol or their mixture.

[JMS]

Thank you so much Sarah! Awesome answer!