How to Find Hand Sanitizer in Houston — Compounding Pharmacies Make for a Great Under-the-Radar Source

French health authorities will soon have LVMH-made hand sanitizer in their coronavirus tool belt, but for those looking a little closer to home, it’s the neighborhood compounding pharmacy that just might have the coveted commodity. While grocery store shelves are bare and hand sanitizer companies are working constantly to meet the rising need, compounding pharmacies are an option if you’re not looking to DIY hand sanitizer.

If you’re accustomed to picking up prescriptions at national drug store chains like Walgreens and CVS, a compounding pharmacy give patients a more personalized medication based on preferences and restrictions. That flexibility is also what makes compounding pharmacies good places to find hand sanitizer.

Piney Point Compounding Pharmacy offers hand sanitizers to patients picking up prescriptions for free, but for those on the hunt for small amounts, the pharmacy sells two ounce bottles for $4 with a two bottle maximum. Pharmacist Priti Patel said they will keep making sanitizer as long as they have alcohol and aloe vera, the basic sanitizer ingredients.

“We are trying to help the community,” Patel tells PaperCity.

Haeckerville Compounding Pharmacy combines the charm of an old fashioned soda fountain and gift shop with a thoroughly modern pharmacy. The pharmacy team formulates new batches of hand sanitizer daily, and includes an emollient in the sanitizer that keeps hands from drying out so quickly.

“It has the same effectiveness, but less drying properties,” Dr. Ferryl McClain, Haeckerville BioEnergetic Pharmacist says. “We are trying to do what we can.”

It takes three hours for the sanitizer to be made and customers can go into the pharmacy, utilize curbside service or have it delivered with a fee. A 3.5 ounce bottle is $10 and the pharmacy limits customers to one bottle per person a day.

PaperCity placed calls to compounding pharmacies across the Houston area and found some produce hand sanitizer for employees only, while others are considering amping up production in the coming weeks. While not every compounding pharmacy is making hand sanitizer, it’s certainly worth a call — and much better alternative to pushing through the packed grocery store fray in pursuit of a lone bottle.