Frequently Asked Questions
#1 – It’s pronounced, “Day-kinz“
Wondering how to use Dakin’s Solution®? Curious what wounds Dakin’s Solution can be used for? Want to order Dakin’s wound care products for your patients or yourself? Explore our common questions, or contact our team to learn more. Always follow your medical professional’s guidance and recommendations for wound care.
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Find Dakin’s Solution® Use and Efficacy Information for:
Q: What is Dakin’s Solution used for?
There are many reasons a doctor may recommend you use Dakin’s wound care solutions. Dakin’s Solution can be used to treat ulcers from diabetes or other causes, prevent infection around surgical sites, aid in the healing of cuts, skin abrasions, and burns, and to kill various viruses and bacteria. Washing away debris or dirt from wounds is also a key benefit, which helps treat and prevent infection. Always refer to your healthcare provider before using Dakin’s wound care products.
Q: How do I use Dakin's?
Flush wound or affected area until clean. For wound management, use as an irrigant, cleanser, or as the wetting agent for a wet-to-moist dressing.
Apply once daily for 5-10 minutes for a wound with light or moderate discharge. Apply twice daily for 10-15 minutes for a wound with heavy discharge.
Q: What type of wounds is Dakin's used on?
Anything from a scrape to a surgical wound! Additionally, Dakin’s can be used for ulcers and 1st or 2nd degree burns. Dakin’s Solutions also helps prevent and treat topical infections.
Q: What makes Dakin's by Century Pharmaceuticals, Inc. so unique?
While there are many Youtube tutorials and online guides on how to make Dakin’s Solution, no one has been able to replicate our process. We’ve buffered (which is not the same as diluting) Dakin’s so that it is pH balanced for use on the skin. No other version of Dakin’s is as stable or long-lasting. Homemade solutions may last for two days, but our products last a year or two, depending on the strength. We follow cGMP standards when manufacturing, and have been serving the medical industry as a company since 1966.
Q: Are Dakin's products available over the counter?
Yes, all of our products are available over the counter (OTC) and do not require prescriptions. View our list of current wholesalers here. For other sales inquiries please contact us.
Additionally, anyone can buy Dakin’s online through our store and through Amazon.com. Dakin’s can also be requested for pickup at any CVS Pharmacy or Walmart Pharmacy, as well as many other pharmacies across the US.
Q: How long does Dakin's by Century Pharmaceuticals last once opened?
Dakin’s products are rated for a two-year expiration, even when opened. The exception to this is Dakin’s Solutions Full Strength (0.5%), which lasts a year. For these products to last until expiration, simply keep the cap closed when not in use and store at room temperature (20-25° C /68-77° F), ideally in a medicine cabinet protected from light.
Any version of Dakin’s that is homemade or home-diluted will not be as stable, and we cannot speak to its effectiveness.
Q: What is the return policy for Dakin's products?
If you’ve purchased Dakin’s Solution from a pharmacy or website other than ours, please contact them directly. At this time, we do not offer returns or refunds directly.
Q: How is Dakin's price set?
Dakin’s is sold mainly to wholesalers at a competitive and consistent price, and you can order from us directly. We cannot control the pricing of Dakin’s from a pharmacy or a third-party online store. For a study on cost-effectiveness, please see the medical study here [WARNING: Graphic imagery of wounds].
Q: Can I dilute Dakin's?
We do not recommend further dilution of our Dakin’s products, due to the fact that we cannot control the process, nor the quality of the water used for the dilution. Although we are aware some facilities dilute our products, we cannot guarantee the diluted product’s effectiveness, nor its stability. If dilution is necessary, the final product should be stored in a poly bottle, protected from light, and used immediately.
Typical Sodium Hypochlorite Solutions deteriorate quickly, especially when exposed to light, heat, or contamination with metallic ions. The United States Pharmacopeia, current revision, states that Sodium Hypochlorite Topical Solution has a shelf life of seven days after the day on which it was compounded.
In contrast to typical Sodium Hypochlorite Solutions, Dakin’s products use high quality, purified water with low metallic ions, and the products are manufactured with special equipment, under current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP). Due to this extra care, the stability of our Dakin’s products is much longer than typical Sodium Hypochlorite Topical Solutions.
Q: Who Uses Dakin's?
Any health care professional that needs to safely irrigate or wash wounds. We regularly sell to a range of medical professionals including endocrinologists, podiatrists, surgeons, wound care professionals, hospital pharmacists, and general pharmacies.
Q: What type of wounds is Dakin's Solution® used on?
Dakin’s has been used for all types of acute and chronic wounds, including:
Pressure Ulcers
Diabetic Foot Ulcers
Venous Stasis Ulcers
Pre and Post Surgery Wounds
Flush wound or affected area until clean. For wound management, use as an irrigant, cleanser or the wetting agent for a wet-to-moist dressing.
Apply once daily for 5-10 minutes for a wound with light or moderate discharge. Apply twice daily for 10-15 minutes for a wound with heavy discharge
Q: What makes Dakin's by Century Pharmaceuticals, Inc. so unique?
No other version of Dakin’s Solution is as stable or long-lasting, and no other sodium hypochlorite wound care solution comes in four pre-mixed concentrations. Our solution is monitored for pH to ensure maximum safety and efficacy.
This topical antimicrobial is also effective upon contact. It does not need to rely on a patient’s circulatory system or systemic delivery. Because it is effective locally, it triggers less systemic side effects.
Q: How long does Dakin's by Century Pharmaceuticals last once opened?
Dakin’s products are rated for a two-year expiration, even when opened. The exception to this is Dakin’s Solutions Full Strength (0.5%), which lasts a year. For these products to last until expiration, simply keep the cap closed when not in use and store at room temperature (20-25° C /68-77° F), ideally in a medicine cabinet protected from light.
Any version of Dakin’s that is homemade or home-diluted will not be as stable, and we cannot speak to its effectiveness.
Q: Are Dakin's products available over the counter?
Yes, all of our products are available over the counter (OTC) and do not require prescriptions. View our list of current wholesalers here. For other sales inquiries please contact us.
Additionally, anyone can buy Dakin’s online through our store and through Amazon.com. Dakin’s can also be requested for pickup at any CVS Pharmacy or Walmart Pharmacy, as well as many other pharmacies across the US.
Q: Where is the Safety Data Sheet (SDS) or other technical info?
The SDS can be found here. If you’re having trouble finding what you need, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
Q: How are stability and expiration monitored set?
Typical Sodium Hypochlorite Solutions deteriorate quickly, especially when exposed to light, heat, or contamination with metallic ions. The United States Pharmacopeia, current revision, states that Sodium Hypochlorite Topical Solution has a shelf life of seven (7) days after the day on which it was compounded.
In contrast to typical Sodium Hypochlorite solutions, our wound management solutions use high quality, purified water with low metallic ions, and the products are manufactured with special equipment, under current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP). Due to this extra care, the stability of our Dakin’s® and Di-Dak-Sol® (Diluted Dakin’s Solution®) products is much longer than typical Sodium Hypochlorite Topical Solutions.
Product shelf life based on thousands of stability studies performed in the past:
- Dakin’s Full Strength® (0.50%) — 12 months
- Dakin’s Half Strength® (0.25%) — 24 months
- Dakin’s Quarter Strength® (0.125%) — 24 months
- Di-Dak-Sol® (0.0125%) — 24 months
According to cGMP, at least one lot of each drug manufactured shall be tested annually, until its expiration date, in order to verify the expiration date of the product. In contrast, every single lot of Dakin’s® and Di-Dak-Sol is monitored and tested until its expiration date; and not only once, but many times per year.
While it is costly to perform several stability tests throughout the life of each lot of Dakin’s® and Di-Dak-Sol®, Century has decided to monitor these products for total customer satisfaction.
We do not recommend further dilution of our Dakin’s® and Di-Dak-Sol® products, due to the fact that we cannot control the process, nor the quality of the water used for the dilution. Although we are aware some facilities dilute our products, we cannot guarantee the diluted product’s effectiveness, nor its stability. If dilution is necessary, the final product should be used immediately.
Q: How is Dakin's price set?
Dakin’s is sold mainly to wholesalers at a competitive and consistent price, and you can order from us directly. We cannot control the pricing of Dakin’s from a pharmacy or a third-party online store. For a study on cost-effectiveness, please see the medical study here.
Q: Who Uses Dakin's?
Any health care professional that needs to safely irrigate or wash wounds. We regularly sell to a range of medical professionals including endocrinologists, podiatrists, surgeons, wound care professionals, hospital pharmacists, and general pharmacies. Dakin’s can be prescribed or sold over the counter.
Q: What are some of the most common Dakin's Solution® use cases?
Dakin’s has been used for all types of acute and chronic wounds, including:
- Pressure Ulcers
- Diabetic Foot Ulcers
- Venous Stasis Ulcers
- Pre- and Post-Surgery Wounds
- Burns
- Cuts and Skin Abrasions
How to use Dakin’s Solution: Flush wound or affected area until clean. For wound management, use as an irrigant, cleanser, or the wetting agent for a wet-to-moist dressing.
Apply once daily for 5-10 minutes for a wound with light or moderate discharge. Apply twice daily for 10-15 minutes for a wound with heavy discharge.
Q: What makes Dakin's by Century Pharmaceuticals, Inc. so unique?
No other version of Dakin’s wound care solution is as stable or long-lasting. We’ve taken a 100-year-old formula and modernized it, so it can stay stable for two years—instead of two days. Chemically, Dakin’s Solutions work with your white blood cells to fight infection and prepare your body for healing. Our formulations kill germs within 30 seconds, but won’t cause irritation when applied.
Q: How long does Dakin's by Century Pharmaceuticals last once opened?
Dakin’s products are rated for a two-year expiration, even when opened. The exception to this is Dakin’s Solutions Full Strength (0.5%), which lasts a year. For these products to last until expiration, simply keep the cap closed when not in use and store at room temperature (20-25° C /68-77° F), ideally in a medicine cabinet protected from light.
Q: What is the return policy for Dakin's products?
Unfortunately, we do not accept returns. Each batch of Dakin’s wound cleansing solution has a two-year expiration date* to lower the risk of expiration before sale.
*with the exception of Dakin’s Solution Full Strength, which has a one-year shelf life.
Q: I'm looking for a Safety Data Sheet (SDS) or other technical info, can you help?
The SDS can be found here. If you’re having trouble finding what you need, please don’t hesitate to contact us
Q: How are stability and expiration monitored set?
Typical Sodium Hypochlorite Solutions deteriorate quickly, especially when exposed to light, heat, or contamination with metallic ions. The United States Pharmacopeia, current revision, states that Sodium Hypochlorite Topical Solution has a shelf life of seven (7) days after the day on which it was compounded.
In contrast to typical Sodium Hypochlorite solutions, our wound management solutions use high quality, purified water with low metallic ions, and the products are manufactured with special equipment, under current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP). Due to this extra care, the stability of our Dakin’s® and Di-Dak-Sol® (Diluted Dakin’s Solution®) products is much longer than typical Sodium Hypochlorite Topical Solutions.
Product shelf life based on thousands of stability studies performed in the past:
- Dakin’s Full Strength® (0.50%) — 12 months
- Dakin’s Half Strength® (0.25%) — 24 months
- Dakin’s Quarter Strength® (0.125%) — 24 months
- Di-Dak-Sol® (0.0125%) — 24 months
According to cGMP, at least one lot of each drug manufactured shall be tested annually, until its expiration date, in order to verify the expiration date of the product. In contrast, every single lot of Dakin’s® and Di-Dak-Sol is monitored and tested until its expiration date; and not only once, but many times per year.
While it is costly to perform several stability tests throughout the life of each lot of Dakin’s® and Di-Dak-Sol®, Century has decided to monitor these products for total customer satisfaction.
We do not recommend further dilution of our Dakin’s® and Di-Dak-Sol® products, due to the fact that we cannot control the process, nor the quality of the water used for the dilution. Although we are aware some facilities dilute our products, we cannot guarantee the diluted product’s effectiveness, nor its stability. If dilution is necessary, the final product should be used immediately.