Antibacterials

Sandy asked me my opinion on the overuse of antibacterial products. I have been thinking all weekend about what I should post. This is another topic that can be quite controversial.

Almost all hand soaps now are antibacterial. It is hard to find any that aren't. If you look at the ingredients, the active ingredient is Triclosan. This ingredient is what makes these products "antibacterial." Although on its own this ingredient has been shown to work, there has been conflicting evidence as to its effectiveness when added to soaps and used on the skin. Most studies have shown that washing hands in just plain soap and water is just as effective as using antibacterial soap and water. The main factor in germ removal is not the Triclosan, but in how well and long you wash your hands. We just need to remove the germs from the hands and not necessarily kill them.

Although we do not currently use Triclosan as a treatment for any disease, if we were to ever need to use it or an antibiotic similar to it, it may not work. The more that we are exposed to such antibacterial products, the more resistant strains of bacteria develop which lessens its effectiveness. This is why doctors are sometimes hesitant to prescribe antibiotics unless they are sure of a bacterial infection (This is a whole other topic, some doctors prescribe them way too much, which is bad).

So why do products contain them if they do not help any? This is where I believe that companies prey on the ill-informed consumer. Some people are willing to spend extra money on something labeled "antibacterial" believing that this a healthy choice for their family. Now that you know, you can save a little money next time by not falling for the hype.

Another topic I want to talk about is hand sanitizers. Alcohol-based hand sanitizers are different from antibacterial soaps. Alcohol is not an antibiotic. Alcohol actually kills the bacteria on your hands as it dries. There is not an issue of resistance developing from overuse of these alcohol-based products. There are problems from overusing these hand sanitizers though.

First of all, there are good and bad bacteria on our skin. The good bacteria help protect our skin and help prevent infections by the bad bacteria(and fungi)  by competing for space and nutrients. We don't really want to sanitize our bodies too much because we don't want to kill all of the good bacteria. If it is possible to wash your hands instead of using hand sanitizers, do it. Hand washing does not destroy all of the good bacteria like hand sanitizers do.

Secondly, although alcohol-based hand sanitizers are quite effective against most bacteria, they are not 100% effective against all bacteria. There are many bacteria that form spores and alcohol does not do anything for spores. (We actually add alcohol to our spores in the lab to help purify them and get rid of the non-spores.) Some of these spore-formers are found in fecal material. So after changing diapers, going to bathroom, or assisting others in going to the bathroom it is always better to just wash your hands really well especially if some sort of gastrointestinal issue is going around your family.

Lastly, alcohol-based hand sanitizers dry your skin. If it dries it bad enough, your skin will crack and bleed. These cracks can be easily infected and if you have ever gotten any alcohol in them you know that they can be painful. Part of your skins' natural barrier to infection is it oiliness and by removing this, we make ourselves more susceptible. If you have to use hand sanitizers a lot, carry around a small bottle of lotion and put it on after using the alcohol to prevent your skin from drying out.      

In conclusion, the best way to protect yourself and your family is to wash your hands really well with any kind of soap. Make sure to rub your hands together for at least 20 seconds (sing your abc's or happy birthday) and make sure to clean under your nails, in between your fingers, and at your wrists.