National survey on the management of potassium permanganate by dermatologists

Potassium permanganate: a ‘desert island drug’ in dermatology

“…KMnO 4 solutions of 1 : 4000 to 1 : 16 000 dilution may be used as wet dressings to reduce weeping, or in 1 : 25 000 dilution as a medicated bath 4 . The British National Formulary (BNF) states that KMnO 4 is used as a 0.01% (1 : 10 000) topical solution 16 .…”

“…Staining, local irritation, redness, pain, hardening of the skin, melanonychia and chemical burns are common AEs observed with KMnO 4 use 3,4,17 …”

“…The mechanism of action and uses of KMnO 4 for dermatological conditions are shown in Table 1. 4,[8][9][10][11][12][13] The benefits of KMnO 4 compared with many other antiseptics include its lower cost, good wound-healing rate and reduced allergic potential. 8,10,11 It is effective in infected eczema when there are bullae, pus and/or oozing.…”

“…15 Preparation of potassium permanganate solution for clinical use KMnO 4 solutions of 1 : 4000 to 1 : 16 000 dilution may be used as wet dressings to reduce weeping, or in 1 : 25 000 dilution as a medicated bath. 4 The British National Formulary (BNF) states that KMnO 4 is used as a 0.01% (1 : 10 000) topical solution. 16 This can be prepared from a 1 : 10 dilution of a 0.1% solution, or by dissolving one 400 mg KMnO 4 tablet in 4 L of water.…”

“…It has oxidizing, astringent, antiseptic and antifungal properties that may be used to clean or deodorize wounds 3 . A national survey of UK dermatologists found significant gaps in knowledge about the preparation and clinical use of KMnO 4 , and the management of accidental ingestion 4 . In this review, we discuss the uses, adverse effects (AEs) and toxicity of this agent, with a focus on dermatology.…”