If you’ve visited a drug store recently you’ve probably noticed that the shelves where hand sanitizers usually sit are empty.
Keeping our hands clean has always been an important preventative measure against illnesses. The Center for Disease Control recommends washing your hands with soap and water whenever possible in order to stay healthy- this is even more relevant in light of the ever-developing situation around the spread of Covid-19. The CDC recommends the use of soap and water to properly clean your hands but hand sanitizer is good to use in a pinch.
Here are 3 common myths about hand sanitizer use.
MYTH: Overuse of hand sanitizer can create super -germs.
The most effective sanitizers are made of over 60% concentrated alcohol. Ethynol alcohol rapidly eliminates the cellular wall, or membrane of harmful germs. This rapid cell death doesn’t give the germ any time to resist or adapt against the sudden loss of protection the sanitizer takes away. Alcohol evaporates almost instantly- which prevents the bacteria from “learning” how to resist against it.
MYTH: Hand sanitizer is effective in cleaning skin that is visibly dirty.
Washing with soap and water for at least 30 seconds will always be better than only using hand sanitizer. Sanitizer does not generate enough friction to remove visible dirt off of skin. Hand sanitizer has been proven to not be effective in cleaning greasy, oily, or visibly dirty hands.
MYTH: Using hand sanitizer is equally as effective in fighting germs as washing your hands with soap and water
The CDC states that soap and water are much more effective in removing certain types of germs while still preserving the “good” bacteria on your hands. Your whole body is covered with bacteria, and if you remove those good bacteria, they can be replaced by other, potentially harmful, bacteria. Natural bacteria are there for a reason- to provide natural protection. This flora helpfulness include preventing harmful germs from populating the surface of your skin by competing for nutrients, secreting chemicals against the invaders, and by activating your skin's immune system.
In short, use soap and water to wash your hands whenever possible, try to use alcohol-based sanitizer when in a pinch, and make sure to wash your skin when it is visibly soiled. After all, the best defense against illness is cleanliness.
