Observational studyAesthetic plastic surgery2026
Rethinking Skin Preparation: Is Hypochlorous Acid (Clinisept+) a Safe Alternative Skin Preparation in Aesthetic Surgery?
Observational study in Aesthetic plastic surgery, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
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Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
8 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundSurgical site infections (SSIs) in aesthetic surgery, though rare (~1%), can compromise outcomes. Standard preoperative antiseptics such as chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) and povidone-iodine are effective but may cause irritation or toxicity. Clinisept+ is a stabilised hypochlorous acid (HOCl) solution with broad antimicrobial activity and excellent tissue compatibility, yet evidence for its surgical use is limited.
methodsA prospective, multicentre audit was conducted in four UK private aesthetic surgery clinics (January-August 2024). All patients received Clinisept+ as the sole preoperative skin preparation. Demographics, smoking status, procedure type, antibiotic prophylaxis, SSIs, wound complications, and skin reactions were recorded. SSIs were defined as infections requiring treatment. Associations with smoking and antibiotic use were analysed with Fisher's exact test.
resultsA total of 157 patients (median age 45 years; 78% female) underwent diverse aesthetic procedures. The SSI rate was 1.27% (2/157), both minor and resolving with oral antibiotics. All SSIs occurred in smokers without prophylactic antibiotics (p = 0.04 vs non-smokers). Wound-healing complications occurred in 5.1% (8/157), none infected. No skin sensitivity or allergic reactions were reported.
conclusionsClinisept+ yielded SSI rates comparable to historical data for CHG and povidone-iodine, with excellent tolerability and no observed skin irritation. HOCl-based preparation may be advantageous in patients with sensitive skin or when operating near mucosal or delicate regions. These findings support its safe use in aesthetic surgery, though randomised controlled trials are warranted to confirm non-inferiority. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE V: This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266.
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Registered trials
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