Aftershave poisoning

The harmful ingredients in aftershave are:

• Ethyl alcohol
• Isopropyl alcohol (isopropanol)

Aftershave may contain other harmful substances.

Aftershaves are sold under various brand names.

Symptoms of aftershave poisoning may include:

• Abdominal pain
• Change in alertness level (may become unconscious)
• Coma (decreased level of consciousness and lack of responsiveness)
• Eye irritation (burning, redness, tears)
• Headache
• Low body temperature
• Low blood pressure
• Low blood sugar
• Nausea and vomiting (may contain blood)
• Rapid heart rate
• Slowed breathing
• Slurred speech
• Stupor
• Throat pain
• Unable to walk normally
• Urination difficulties (too much or too little urine output)

Isopropanol may cause these other symptoms:

• Dizziness
• Unresponsive reflexes
• Uncoordinated movement

Children are especially prone to developing low blood sugar, which may cause these symptoms:

• Confusion
• Irritability
• Nausea
• Sleepiness
• Weakness

Seek medical help right away. DO NOT make the person throw up unless poison control or a health care provider tells you to.

If the person can swallow normally, give them water or milk, unless a provider tells you not to. DO NOT give water or milk if they have symptoms that make it hard to swallow. These include:

• Vomiting
• Seizures
• A decreased level of alertness

Have this information ready:

• Person's age, weight, and condition
• Name of the product (ingredients, if known)
• Time it was swallowed
• Amount swallowed

Your local poison control center can be reached directly by calling the national toll-free Poison Help hotline (1-800-222-1222) from anywhere in the United States. This national hotline will let you talk to experts in poisoning. They will give you further instructions.

This is a free and confidential service. All local poison control centers in the United States use this national number. You should call if you have any questions about poisoning or poison prevention. It does NOT need to be an emergency. You can call for any reason, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Take the container with you to the hospital, if possible.

The provider will measure and monitor the person's vital signs, including temperature, pulse, breathing rate, and blood pressure. Symptoms will be treated.

The person may receive:

• Blood and urine tests
• Breathing support, including tube through the mouth into the lungs and breathing machine (ventilator)
• Chest x-ray
• ECG (electrocardiogram or heart tracing)
• Dialysis (kidney machine)
• Endoscopy (camera placed down the throat to see burns in the esophagus and the stomach, if vomiting blood)
• Fluids through a vein (by IV)
• Laxative
• Medicine to treat the effects of the poison

Aftershave poisoning is more common in small children than in older children or adults. Alcoholics may drink aftershave when other alcohol runs out.

The outcome depends on how much the person swallows. The range of illness may vary from a condition similar to being drunk to coma, seizures, and severe lung problems. A product with more isopropyl alcohol could cause a more serious illness. Complications, such as pneumonia, muscle damage from lying on a hard surface for a prolonged period of time, or brain damage from lack of oxygen, may cause permanent disability.

Aftershave poisoning is not deadly in most cases.

Nelson ME. Toxic alcohols. In: Walls RM, ed. Rosen's Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 10th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:chap 136.

Olives TD, Ling LJ. The alcohols: ethylene glycol, methanol, isopropyl alcohol, and alcohol-related complications. In: Bakes KM, Buchanan JA, Moreira ME, Byyny R, Pons PT, eds. Emergency Medicine Secrets. 7th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2022:chap 71.

Updated by: Jesse Borke, MD, CPE, FAAEM, FACEP, Attending Physician at Kaiser Permanente, Orange County, CA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.