How do I get rid of the formaldehyde smell on my hands?

[Izabelle]

Does anyone have any idea about how to get rid of the formaldehyde smell on my hands? It's making me cringe all day and night after gross lab. And I use gloves.

I would love to find a soap that works so I can bring it to lab for everyone to use.

I've used all kinds of different soaps and, even after washing them 20 times, the smell is still there.

Any ideas? What works for you guys?

Thanks in advance for the help.

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[NonTradMed]

What type of gloves do you use? I used nitrile gloves. My hands didn't smell too badly after I finished with gross anatomy. Actually, my hands smelled like my gloves after I was done.

 

[Random]

What kind of gloves? Nitrile and neoprene gloves generally do better with keeping the formaldehyde out than latex. Good luck with anatomy but most of all, be sure to have fun.

 

[Izabelle]

Yeah, I've been using the latex gloves. I'll try the nitrile....didn't even think of that. I assumed it was inevitable, regardless of the type of gloves.

Thanks so much.

 

[Law2Doc]

Does anyone have any idea about how to get rid of the formaldehyde smell on my hands? It's making me cringe all day and night after gross lab. And I use gloves.

I would love to find a soap that works so I can bring it to lab for everyone to use.

I've used all kinds of different soaps and, even after washing them 20 times, the smell is still there.

Any ideas? What works for you guys?

Thanks in advance for the help.

The smell goes away on its own within a few weeks after you complete anatomy. No point getting rid of the smell prior to that -- it will just come back. Enjoy it -- it is the smell of first year.

 

[Chronic Student]

I also found the nitrile gloves to work better and if you can stand it, double-glove.

-Mike

 

[MattD]

the nitrile will help, but they're quite expensive compared to latex.

Once the smell is on your hands, you can either a.) wait for it to wear off on it's own or b.) amputate

 

[MarzMD]

The smell goes through my nitrile gloves and my hands smell really bad. My lab partners nitrile gloves keep his hands from smelling. I think I have to start double gloving because it makes eating lunch afterwards a real chore.

 

[Shodddy18]

Does anyone have any idea about how to get rid of the formaldehyde smell on my hands? It's making me cringe all day and night after gross lab. And I use gloves.

I would love to find a soap that works so I can bring it to lab for everyone to use.

I've used all kinds of different soaps and, even after washing them 20 times, the smell is still there.

Any ideas? What works for you guys?

Thanks in advance for the help.

Double glove, and change gloves every hour in lab. If they still smell, its probably your wrists or something and not your hands.

 

[Foodie]

Does anyone have any idea about how to get rid of the formaldehyde smell on my hands? It's making me cringe all day and night after gross lab. And I use gloves.

I would love to find a soap that works so I can bring it to lab for everyone to use.

I've used all kinds of different soaps and, even after washing them 20 times, the smell is still there.

Any ideas? What works for you guys?

If you wash your hands 20 times and the smell is still there, it might be coming from elsewhere -- formaldehyde steeped in your pores. Is your anatomy lab poorly ventilated? You can also try soaking your hands or taking a hot bubble bath... That's what I used to do to get rid of the smell.

Some people brought car air freshners to the lab and wore it on their neck. No joke. I miss anatomy.

 

[45408]

Nitrile isn't that pricey - it was only $10 for a box of 100. Ten cents a day isn't too bad.

I do put Vicks VapoRub inside my nostrils though. The cadaver smells minty fresh.

 

[potato51]

Use nitrile and double-glove if you'd like. I've heard putting lotion or Listerine (yes the mouthwash) on your arms also helps.

 

[tulane06]

Nitrile isn't that pricey - it was only $10 for a box of 100. Ten cents a day isn't too bad.

I do put Vicks VapoRub inside my nostrils though. The cadaver smells minty fresh.

Wow, where did you find nitrile that cheap?

 

[Beau Geste]

Does anyone have any idea about how to get rid of the formaldehyde smell on my hands? It's making me cringe all day and night after gross lab. And I use gloves.

I would love to find a soap that works so I can bring it to lab for everyone to use.

I've used all kinds of different soaps and, even after washing them 20 times, the smell is still there.

Any ideas? What works for you guys?

Thanks in advance for the help.

Fresh lemons help get all sorts of smells off your hands (esp. fishy ones) but it's probably not practical to bring that to the lab! I would find out what works for garbagemen

 

[deleted109597]

My trick was to only go in the lab right before the test.

You know, when the cadaver was already dissected for me anyway.

Worked like a charm.

 

[hardy]

Nitrile isn't that pricey - it was only $10 for a box of 100. Ten cents a day isn't too bad.

You only wear one glove?

 

[Shodddy18]

You only wear one glove?

you beat me to it!

 

[SoCuteMD]

the nitrile will help, but they're quite expensive compared to latex.

Not if you *ahem* borrow them from the hospital!

 

[QuinnB]

people still use formaldehyde? Isn't it associated with an increased risk of cancer? The lemon trick worked for the stuff we used (some bio-preservation stuff).

 

[Izabelle]

Thanks you guys. I'll try everything.

Amputation, hot bubble bath, double glove, nitrile gloves...but not in that order, of course.

Thanks again.

 

[Jedix123]

The fat from my cadaver acts as a hydrophobic barrier that seals out the formalin... or so I hope. My hands aren't too bad after 1st day.

 

[NonTradMed]

The fat from my cadaver acts as a hydrophobic barrier that seals out the formalin... or so I hope. My hands aren't too bad after 1st day.

 

[potato51]

The fat from my cadaver acts as a hydrophobic barrier that seals out the formalin... or so I hope. My hands aren't too bad after 1st day.

Really? So I wasn't supposed to bring in a George Foreman grill to get rid of the lard?

 

[Taus]

try "gojo"...its the orange scented hand cleaner w/ pumice stone in it that mechanics use to get grease and other car gunk off....you can get it (or a similar product) at any autoparts store

 

[Jedix123]

Really? So I wasn't supposed to bring in a George Foreman grill to get rid of the lard?

Cuts right through the fat! *sizzle*

 

[NEATOMD]

people still use formaldehyde? Isn't it associated with an increased risk of cancer? The lemon trick worked for the stuff we used (some bio-preservation stuff).

I've heard that most use a glycerine (or some form of that word) mixture these days because of the carcigenic problems. Some schools still have old formaldehyde models because they last so much longer (except for plasticized models), but any of the newer is probably the glycerine stuff.

I used Nitrile gloves. Luckily, they didn't cost me anything. I aquired them from my work place by accidentally going home with one or two in my pockets alot. Fortunately, I saved them for just such an occaision.

 

[Law2Doc]

I've heard that most use a glycerine (or some form of that word) mixture these days because of the carcigenic problems. Some schools still have old formaldehyde models because they last so much longer (except for plasticized models), but any of the newer is probably the glycerine stuff.

Some places might, but I'm pretty sure most places still use the real deal.

 

[45408]

You only wear one glove?

yeah, kinda limits what you can do, but I'm on a strict budget.

 

[samenewme]

yeah, kinda limits what you can do, but I'm on a strict budget.

Billy Jean is not my lover...

 

[TxMed]

urine is the only way. preferably your own.

tm

 

[mendel121]

urine is the only way. preferably your own.

tm

Well played!

 

[bgtati]

Since Formaldehyde is Organic why don't you use something semi-polar/organic like EtOH. Look on the bright side you can lick your fingers after you are done washing and get twisted.

 

[FenderHM]

here's what makes that amazing smell:

In short, the procedure consists of a preembalming treatment with blood clot disperser, removal of blood clots, drainage of blood, and arterial embalming with an embalming machine via both carotid and femoral triangles of the body. The embalming fluid is prepared from methyl alcohol and a small amount of formalin as the fixatives, ethylene glycol as a preservative, and liquefied phenol as a mold preventive.

 

[Law2Doc]

here's what makes that amazing smell:

In short, the procedure consists of a preembalming treatment with blood clot disperser, removal of blood clots, drainage of blood, and arterial embalming with an embalming machine via both carotid and femoral triangles of the body. The embalming fluid is prepared from methyl alcohol and a small amount of formalin as the fixatives, ethylene glycol as a preservative, and liquefied phenol as a mold preventive.

A rose by any other name...

 

[Arsenic]

Does anyone have any idea about how to get rid of the formaldehyde smell on my hands? It's making me cringe all day and night after gross lab. And I use gloves.

I would love to find a soap that works so I can bring it to lab for everyone to use.

I've used all kinds of different soaps and, even after washing them 20 times, the smell is still there.

Any ideas? What works for you guys?

Thanks in advance for the help.

either get nitrile gloves or double glove but rub a layer of vaseline on your gloves before you slide on the 2nd pair. i found the vaseline trick to help but nitriles really are your best bet.

 

[Tristy]

I actually tried rubbing my hands with white vinegar, and then washing them with soap (my husband's suggestion ). It actually worked! But I guess the nitrile gloves seem less of a hassle

 

[Vox Animo]

I love the smell of Formaldehyde in the morning.

 

[liverotcod]

A quick wash with aqua regia will do the trick. Although you will then need new skin. Or you could just take pride in that M1 smell.

I think latex gloves leave their own unpleasant smell on hands - maybe that's in part what you're smelling. I used nitrile when I wore gloves, but sometimes just skipped them, and never smelled all that bad.

 

[Law2Doc]

I think latex gloves leave their own unpleasant smell on hands - maybe that's in part what you're smelling.

Agree with that. Having worked in labs where absolutely no odiferous chemicals were used, I can assure you your hands can stink just from the gloves and the powder they leave on your hands. So it's win win.

 

[Evil Monkey]

don't go to lab... buy a color atlas of anatomy with pics of the ideal dissections and study that.

 

[Zargos]

gasoline

 

[Tiger26]

I like to go swimming after lab. Chlorine smells way better

 

[willow18]

Nitrile is the way to go. I glove up singly, and my hands don't smell at all even without soaping down at the end of the lab. You can find'em for as low as $6-7 for a box of 100.

 

[tulane06]

Somebody told me that the "new car smell" is from formaldehyde. I was skeptical at first, but I climbed into a pretty new car today and yes, that smell is formaldehyde for sure.

 

[DarkFark]

Double glove with a layer of hand soap in between layers. the layer of soap not only prevents the reekage from getting in, but also lubricates between the two gloves, so it really feels more like youre wearing a single layer. Like a serous membrane or something.

I went from hands smelling for the rest of the day to nothing at all 5 minutes after lab was over.

 

[strawberryfield]

I have been using synthetic latex gloves, they were half the price of nitrile, and I bought powder-free, but used baby powder on my hands before gloving up under the advice of the 2nd year students at my school. It has worked like a charm so far, NO cadaver smell after I wash them, but the first thing I do after gross lab is run home and take a really hot shower to rid myself of the stench. Most people at my school change into an old pair of scrubs prior to lab and leave them in our lockers afterwards... there's no need for your whole wardrobe to smell!! I can tell from visiting other groups that some cadavers are smellier than others, so maybe my lab group got lucky

 

[subi]

we dont use gloves!!! (actually we shouldnt )
and i really wanted it when the professor asked some of the students to touch the cadavers sternal part.. lucky for me i stood just back enough to hide from the professor
but the cadaver assigned for my batch was fat free and much better than others..
the only time i actually did some dissection was when i cut some fascia with scissors.
anyways i used to wash my hands with soap until it becomes half the size before
it was really difficult to have lunch after the classes for three or four days but got over it (thats when i realized that i am not doing any dissection and maintaining a distance of atleast three feet from the cadaver )

 

[Doctor Bagel]

we dont use gloves!!! (actually we shouldnt )
and i really wanted it when the professor asked some of the students to touch the cadavers sternal part.. lucky for me i stood just back enough to hide from the professor
but the cadaver assigned for my batch was fat free and much better than others..
the only time i actually did some dissection was when i cut some fascia with scissors.
anyways i used to wash my hands with soap until it becomes half the size before
it was really difficult to have lunch after the classes for three or four days but got over it (thats when i realized that i am not doing any dissection and maintaining a distance of atleast three feet from the cadaver )

How is that safe not to use gloves? My school requires us to wear gloves, and I think that's the norm.

 

[Law2Doc]

How is that safe not to use gloves? My school requires us to wear gloves, and I think that's the norm.

Formaldehyde is a carcinogen. However at least one (Japanese) study on PubMed seems to approve the use of bare handed dissection, while taking other precautions. See:

[Formaldehyde exposure levels and exposure control measures during an anatomy dissecting course]

[Article in Japanese]

Tanaka K, Nishiyama K, Yaginuma H, Sasaki A, Maeda T, Kaneko SY, Onami T, Tanaka M.

Department of Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine, Fukushima Medical University, Japan.

The evaporation of formaldehyde from cadavers can produce high exposures among students and instructors. A possible causal role for formaldehyde has been considered likely for tumor of the nasopharynx and the nasal cavities in human beings. Due to this reason, Japan Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) has set a guideline, which includes--decrease in gaseous formaldehyde in gross anatomy dissection laboratories and a guide to medical students about the toxicity of formaldehyde and protective method to avoid damages to skin, mucous, membrane, etc, in 2002. To understand what effective plans should be regarding the awareness of students about this notification, this study measured the gaseous formaldehyde concentrations in the anatomy dissection room and also analyzed the formaldehyde-related symptoms, and frequency of using protective measures. The study was conducted over a period of 3 months during the anatomy dissection exercise. We found that immediately after removing the cadavers' plastic covering, formaldehyde concentrations in the dissection room increased sharply. The concentration reached a peak point of 0.62 ppm after 10 minutes of starting of the class. This was much above the recommended level of 0.5 ppm set by Japan Society for Occupational Health. After 30 minutes of achieving the peak the formaldehyde level started decreasing gradually to a level of 0.11 ppm. Formaldehyde-related symptoms were observed in 59% of students. They had experienced symptoms of irritation of eyes, nose, throat, airways, skin, and headache during the course. Ocular discomfort was found significantly higher in the contact lenses users compared to the spectacle users or the normal eye sight group. Although, the guidelines about toxicity of formaldehyde and its protective measures to prevent damages to skin, mucous membrane etc. were informed to every student, only 52% of the students used both the mask containing activated carbon and the rubber gloves in every practical class without fail. Environmental Health Criteria 89 of International Program of Chemical Safety states, "It must be regarded that formaldehyde fluid is not absorbed directly into tissues through the skin". So the students may be allowed in some cases to touch the cadaver, treated by formaldehyde content fixative, by bare hands to understand the feel of certain organs and tissues. These results support that the rules of health supervision including necessity to use of protective measures, monitoring of indoor air formaldehyde etc. should be adhered by students and instructors in anatomy dissection room during the practical class.

PMID: 12833854 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

 

[subi]

the cadavers we had were doped with formalin...

but as soon as we enter the lab we feel the formalin cocentration and almost all of us have tears in our eyes and breathing becomes quite difficult but it becomes much better after some time.
but it all starts out again when someone cuts a nerve or do deeper dissection

and i had problems with my contacts. my eyesight became kinda blurry and somewhat like whitish.. i didnt get why it happened
then after two days i realized that the formalin was responsible and started using specs..
and how harmful is formalin?
coz i have to eat after my dissection classes..
if i did know about it being harmful may be i could sacrifice my scapel to my friends!