Where you should NEVER put itch-stopping gel

Darwin would love this one…

FDA officials recently issued a “consumer update” about Benadryl Extra Strength Itch Stopping Gel.

Some consumers have mistakenly swallowed the gel instead of spreading it on their itchy spots.

REALLY bad move! The agency reports that oral ingestion side effects include confusion, unconsciousness, and hallucinations.

Meanwhile, the folks at Johnson & Johnson (the maker of Benadryl) are doing what they can to help. They’ve changed the label to make “For Skin Use Only” more prominent. They’ve put a similar label on the product’s cap. And finally, they’ve begun studies to figure out why some consumers are misusing the gel.

That’s a study I’d like to see in action.

Researcher: Why did you take the gel orally?
Subject: It looked delicious!
Researcher: But when it tasted awful why didn’t you spit it out?
Subject: I was itchy.

Hard to argue with that.

To Your Good Health,

Jenny Thompson

Source:
“Don’t Swallow Benadryl Itch Stopping Gel—Use on Skin” FDA Consumer Update, 5/12/10, fda.gov