Phisoderm is a skin

detergent A detergent is a surfactant or a mixture of surfactants with Cleanliness, cleansing properties when in Concentration, dilute Solution (chemistry), solutions. There are a large variety of detergents. A common family is the alkylbenzene sulfonate ...

which assists persons who are allergic to soap and Phisohex, a detergent and sudsless cleanser which prevents the spread of infections. In the 1950s, both Phisoderm and Phisohex were manufactured by Winthrop Laboratories. Earlier, the product was made by Fairchild Brothers & Foster. Phisoderm was developed by B. Thurber Guild (1886–1958), a physician and pharmaceutical manufacturer. Guild practiced medicine in

Boston, Massachusetts Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...

, and was a specialist in

allergies Allergies, also known as allergic diseases, are various conditions caused by hypersensitivity of the immune system to typically harmless substances in the environment. These diseases include Allergic rhinitis, hay fever, Food allergy, food al ...

.''Dr. B. Thurber Guild, Allergist, Was 72'', ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'', June 17, 1958, pg. 29. The brand is currently owned by Mentholatum.

Withdrawal from sale and reinstatement

Both Phisoderm and Phisohex were removed by drugstores and retail outlet stores when the

Food and Drug Administration The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA or US FDA) is a List of United States federal agencies, federal agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Health and Human Services. The FDA is respo ...

halted the production and distribution of products containing more than 1% of

hexachlorophene Hexachlorophene, also known as Nabac, is an organochlorine compound that was once widely used as a disinfectant. The compound occurs as a white odorless solid, although commercial samples can be off-white and possess a slightly phenolic odor. It ...

, in September 1972." Germicide Limit Stirs Confusion", ''The New York Times'', September 24, 1972, pg. 53. Phisoderm continued to be produced by Winthrop Laboratories, a division of

Sterling Drug Sterling Drug was an American based global pharmaceutical company. It was also known as Sterling Winthrop, Inc., after the merger with Winthrop-Stearns Inc. which itself resulted from the merger of Winthrop Chemical Company Inc. and Frederick Ste ...

, in 1980. An

over-the-counter drug Over-the-counter (OTC) drugs are medicines sold directly to a consumer without a requirement for a prescription from a healthcare professional, as opposed to prescription drugs, which may be supplied only to consumers possessing a valid pres ...

, its advertising was carried out by Warren Muller Dulubowsky. By April 1989, Sterling Drug was owned by

Eastman Kodak The Eastman Kodak Company, referred to simply as Kodak (), is an American public company that produces various products related to its historic basis in film photography. The company is headquartered in Rochester, New York, and is incorporated i ...

. Three Sterling brands, Haley's M-O, Philips' Milk of Magnesia, and Phisoderm, were being advertised by N.W. Ayer. In 1991, the Phisoderm account was picked up by Ammirati & Puris of

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

. When

Bayer Bayer AG (English: , commonly pronounced ; ) is a German multinational pharmaceutical and biotechnology company and is one of the largest pharmaceutical companies and biomedical companies in the world. Headquartered in Leverkusen, Bayer' ...

bought Sterling in 1994,

Chattem Chattem, Inc. is an American, Chattanooga, Tennessee-based, producer and marketer of over-the-counter healthcare products, toiletries, dietary supplements, topical analgesics, and medicated skin care products. Originally named the Chattanooga Me ...

acquired the Phisoderm brand. In 2005, it was sold to The Mentholatum Company. In the current formulation, as of 2023, the anti-acne active ingredient is 2%

salicylic acid Salicylic acid is an organic compound with the formula HOC6H4COOH. A colorless (or white), bitter-tasting solid, it is a precursor to and a active metabolite, metabolite of acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin). It is a plant hormone, and has been lis ...

References

{{reflist Phisoderm Phisoderm Phisoderm Phisoderm