PERMETHRIN

INCI: PERMETHRIN | Function: Insecticide (Pharmaceutical) | Type: Synthetic Pyrethroid

What Is PERMETHRIN?

Permethrin (氯菊酯, CAS 52645-53-1) 是一种合成拟除虫菊酯 (synthetic pyrethroid) 杀虫剂。在医药领域用作治疗疥疮 (scabies) 和头虱 (head lice) 的外用药物 (5% cream/lotion)，NOT a cosmetic ingredient。在化妆品中不被用作常规护肤成分，仅以药品形式出现。含 Permethrin 的产品应作为药品 (drug/OTC) 而非化妆品注册。

Key Skin Benefits

+ Anti-parasitic — FDA-approved for scabies and lice treatment (NOT cosmetic)
+ Residual Activity — 在皮肤上持续有效数小时至数天

Pros

+ Gold standard for scabies treatment (5% cream)
+ Effective against head lice with single application
+ Well-studied pharmaceutical safety profile

Cons

− NOT a cosmetic ingredient — pharmaceutical/OTC drug only
− Can cause skin irritation, burning, and pruritus
− Toxic to cats and aquatic life — environmental hazard
− Do not use on broken skin, near eyes, or on mucous membranes
− Possible neurotoxicity concerns with occupational exposure

Specifications

Property	Value
Usage Areas	Body, Hair
Product Type	Leave-On
Source	Synthetic
Natural Level	Synthetic

Safety Ratings

Metric	Rating
Skin Sensitivity	4/5
Comedogenic Rating	0/5
EWG Score	4/10

Regional Regulatory Limits

Region	Leave-on %	Rinse-off %	Status
EU (CosIng)	Not cosmetic	Not cosmetic	Pharmaceutical only
US (CIR/FDA)	FDA OTC drug	FDA OTC drug	Drug — NOT cosmetic
Japan (MHLW)	Pharmaceutical	Pharmaceutical	Drug only
ASEAN	Pharmaceutical	Pharmaceutical	Drug only
China (NMPA)	Pharmaceutical	Pharmaceutical	Drug — NOT cosmetic

Typical Usage % by Product Type

Product Type	Typical %
Scabies Cream (Rx/OTC)	5%
Lice Treatment Lotion	1%

References

FDA — Permethrin prescribing information. https://www.fda.gov/
PubMed — Permethrin for scabies (Cochrane Review, 2018). PMID: 29608022
CosIng Database — Permethrin (Annex II — prohibited in cosmetics). https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/
EWG Skin Deep — Permethrin. https://www.ewg.org/skindeep/

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