Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Bazuka!

The words salicylate acid suddenly flashed up on my TV screen. Actually I think it was salicylic acid. "Contains  salicylic acid" said the footnote about a product called Bazuka! which is sold for verruccas.

For a moment I thought it was an allergy warning. Maybe it was - or maybe they were advertising a magic ingredient.

 I have been on their web-site and think I have solved the mystery. There's an  "about" page which says the gels do contain salicylic acid - between 12 and 26% -  "which gently removes the infected skin tissue, thereby eliminating the virus". So it's not an allergy warning - as if!

That's fine - but it makes the Frequently Asked Questions problematic.

Nuts and lactose are mentioned. So is asthma - and the answer, if you have asthma, is "In the unlikely event of signs of hypersensitivity, or if there is known sensitivity to an ingredient in the Bazuka gels, then application should be stopped immediately." Okay so far as it goes - but you have to search around to find the ingredients.

Then there is this FAQ:

"16. How much aspirin is absorbed from the Bazuka gels into the main circulation?
None, there is no aspirin in Bazuka."

But it does contain large amounts of salicylic acid, which according to Wikipedia is the "main metabolite of aspirin". The denial does not ring true - there may be a scientific distinction but are they sure of it?

I am sure this product is excellent if you need it. But if it's worth a web-site, surely it's worth a decent and full page about the allergy risks?

RAS
PS Has anyone found any red cabbage? I am told I am getting anaemic

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

on a completely random note about Bazuka; when I had the anaphylaxis type reactions to salicylates - two veruccas i'd had for 10 years disappeared around the same time¬