If you frequently use hand sanitizer, proper hygiene is obviously important to you.
But what does it actually do?
Here are a few things that you might want to know about if you're using the stuff on
a daily basis.
The primary reason that people use hand sanitizer is to kill bacteria and viruses, and it primarily
works because it's a vehicle for alcohol.
Writing for Verywell Health, registered nurse Kristina Duda broke down how and why it works,
saying,
"Alcohol-based hand sanitizer is simple to use, convenient, and often easy to find.
Alcohols have long been known to kill microbes by dissolving their protective outer layer
of proteins and disrupting their metabolism."
That's definitely good news for the health-conscious commuter, or anyone else who often finds themselves
suffering through circumstances that are less-than-sanitary.
But Duda cautions that using hand sanitizer isn't a substitute for washing your hands.
For all its strength and convenience, it can't do as much good for you as soap, water, and
proper handwashing technique.
As Duda put it,
"Hand sanitizer can help kill microbes, but it isn't effective on all germs."
Sorry, germaphobes.
Duda also added that hand sanitizer will do nothing for the other substances that may
be on your hands, like dirt, grime, or anything else you'd want to wash off.
It's also important to apply sanitizer properly for it to be as effective as possible.
So make sure you're using the right amount, fully coating both of your hands, and rubbing
your hands together until it dries.
One thing hand sanitizer is especially good at is killing microbes, which is how it keeps
people safe from a wide variety of illnesses.
However, sanitizer is actually a little too good at killing bacteria, according to microbiologist
Jonathan Eisen.
Speaking in an interview with Popular Science, he revealed that,
"One aspect of hand sanitizers that is usually overlooked is that they can affect bodies'
microbiomes in a few ways, and some of these ways could be bad."
In other words, hand sanitizer has the potential to kill off bacteria that's actually beneficial,
and helpful for keeping our bodies in order.
Because hand sanitizer can wreak havoc on our healthy bacterial communities, Eisen advises
against using it every day, saying,
"I recommend that people use hand sanitizers with caution, and only if really needed."
So if you're just hanging around your house or aren't coming into frequent, close contact
with other people, you can probably just stick to handwashing.
Hand sanitizer is definitely useful, but remember - there's a time and a place for everything.
If you're using hand sanitizer liberally every day, that can become problematic - not just
for you, but for the world at large.
As board-certified internal medicine physician Dr. Seema Sarin told us,
"According to the CDC, hand sanitizer with antibacterial ingredients may also contribute
to the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria."
In order to prevent creating those scary little microbes, washing your hands with soap and
water instead of reaching for the antibacterial hand sanitizer should always be your default
move.
What's so scary about antibiotic-resistant bacteria anyway?
According to the CDC, these pathogens have developed the ability to tolerate the drugs
that otherwise should be able to kill them, thanks to repeated exposure to antibacterials.
Like the prophet Kelly Clarkson told us, what doesn't kill you makes you stronger - and
you really don't want these bacteria to get stronger.
If you're unlucky enough to catch one of these bugs, your normal course of antibiotic medication
won't be effective at clearing them from your body - meaning you might be forced to fend
them off yourself, and that's a fight you might not win.
"Using antibiotics when they're not needed using antibiotics when they're not needed
can cause antibiotic resistance and limit your ability to fight off future infections."
That's the case for the 2.8 million Americans who get infected with antibiotic-resistant
bacteria or fungi annually, 35,000 of whom tragically die.
As helpful as they often are, that's a pretty compelling reason to be mindful of how and
when you use antibacterials like hand sanitizer.
The CDC asserts that hand sanitizer does effectively kill germs and is a good alternative to soap
and water when one is unable to wash their hands the usual way.
Still, hand sanitizer is definitely not a magical elixir - regardless of what the bottle
claims.
As registered nurse Kristina Duda points out, you can't always trust the claims of hand
sanitizer makers.
They are, after all, usually trying to sell you something.
She pointed out in an article for Verywell Health,
"The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has taken legal action against some hand sanitizer
companies for making unproven claims against salmonella, e. Coli, Ebola, rotavirus, influenza,
and MRSA."
That doesn't mean hand sanitizer is ineffective, though, as Duda noted that some science is
on the side of hand sanitizer manufacturers.
As she observed,
"Studies are beginning to suggest that alcohol-based hand sanitizers may be effective at killing
some of these germs."
Regardless of these encouraging studies, however, more research is needed - and some sanitizer
manufacturers remain in need of FDA approval, so any bold or unproven claims they make can't
necessarily be trusted.
If you work with chemicals all day, every day, you definitely want to make sure your
hands are clean at the end of your shift.
Such would be the case for cleaning service workers, farm workers who handle various forms
of pesticides, auto technicians, and any other profession wherein you have to work with ultra-strong
cleaning and degreasing agents.
You definitely don't want to go home with those all over your hands!
However, hand sanitizer is the last thing you want to reach for to clean your paws every
day, as the combination of the liquid gel and chemicals can be all kinds of bad for
your health.
According to a study published in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine,
farm workers who used hand sanitizer actually had increased levels of pesticides in their
bodies as opposed to those who didn't.
That's one reason why the CDC cautions against the practice and instead advises you simply
wash your hands with soap and water.
Gloves may be your friend as well, in some situations, though they aren't a substitute
for handwashing either - especially if you're getting hands-on with risky chemicals.
Have you noticed that using hand sanitizer every day has caused your hands to become
incredibly dry?
There's a reason for that, as noted by Janette Nesheiwat, a family and emergency medicine
doctor.
The expert told The List,
"Hand sanitizers contain alcohol, which will dry out your skin, but that can be fixed with
moisturizer and staying hydrated.
Or use soap and water instead of an alcohol-based sanitizer when possible."
Are you beginning to sense a theme here?
When it comes to personal hygiene, handwashing is simply king, folks.
It's also worth noting that dry skin can be more than just annoying.
Using hand sanitizer every day can cause some unpleasant skin irritation, according to surgical
oncologist Trevan Fischer.
He explained to MSN,
"Repeated use of anything, including hand sanitizer, can cause chronic irritation, skin
breakdown, and damage."
That would make it pretty tough to get things done, especially if you work extensively with
your hands.
According to Dr. Fischer, this is especially the case with specific kinds of hand sanitizer
that go heavy on the alcohol.
He said,
"If you're using very high concentrations of alcohol, it can cause [...] cracks in the
skin.
Not only does it not feel good when the alcohol hits the skin, but then the skin won't heal
as well."
If your hands are dry to the point they become cracked, you may even become more susceptible
to infection.
While it's far from the biggest risk, microbiologist David Coil told Reader's Digest that at the
very least, it seems plausible.
It's not something you have to worry about after one squirt of sanitizer - just don't
go overboard.
Try to use it in moderation instead of all day, every day.
If you want to avoid the adverse skin issues, you can select an alcohol-free hand sanitizer
instead, but know that it will be far less effective than alcohol-based formulas.
In fact, the CDC only recommends using hand sanitizer that contains at least 60 percent
alcohol.
It may not be the highest priority, but hand sanitizer does not care about your manicure.
As manicurist Erica Marton told Reader's Digest,
"It won't take off the polish, but it will break it down and make you more susceptible
to chips."
What's worse, using the product can actually cause your nails to become quite brittle,
according to clinical dermatologist Zoe Draelos.
She revealed in an interview with Dermatology Times
"Physicians will notice that the nails are broken, with fissures at the tips.
Although nails are largely of cosmetic importance, if the nail breaks, it can become quite painful,
and sometimes the nail plate can fracture and tear into the nail bed."
And that in turn can render your nails vulnerable to a number of conditions, like bacterial
and fungal infections.
To combat brittle nails, Dr. Draelos recommends using a nail moisturizer with urea and lactic
acid cream, as well as taking a biotin supplement.
Are you someone who reaches for an alcohol swab immediately after cutting yourself?
As it turns out, that's an antiquated practice, according to wound care expert Dr. Kazu Suzuki.
He told the Los Angeles Times,
"In the wound care world, we say, 'Don't put anything in your wound that you wouldn't put
in your eye.'
Yes, it will kill some bacteria, but it also kills and irritates healthy skin and the wound
bed."
It's also going to pack quite the sting!
"Aaaaaaaaah!!!"
That's also the mechanism at work when you use alcohol-based hand sanitizer on a cut
- which if you've ever accidentally done, you know it can hurt quite a bit.
Specifically, according to analytical chemist Joseph Glajch, putting alcohol on a wound
stimulates something in your body called the vanilloid receptor-1, or VR1.
And that hurts.
He said in an interview with Live Science,
"So, all of a sudden, you feel like you're getting burned, even though you're not getting
burned."
Let's say you've been working in the garden and your hands are covered in dirt.
Or, perhaps you've been cleaning around your house and your hands are visibly showing the
grime you've been accumulating.
When it comes time to clean your hands, don't reach for the sanitizer.
That's according to Graham Snyder, infectious disease specialist and medical director of
infection prevention at University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.
We've already talked about how hand sanitizer won't get the grime off your hands - but the
presence of dirt or other substances can make it harder for the sanitizer to kill germs,
too.
Speaking in an interview with Reader's Digest, Snyder said,
"Alcohol-based hand sanitizers do not remove dirt, and are less effective at killing bacteria
and viruses when hands are soiled.
It's important to use soap and water if your hands need to be cleaned of dirt."
That same rule applies when you've been in especially germy situations, such as changing
a diaper, taking out the trash, or cleaning the litter box.
The CDC would rather you opted for soap and water instead of sanitizer, as the former
is just more effective in those situations.
If you use alcohol-based hand sanitizer every day, you've probably noticed how strongly
it smells of, well, alcohol.
Given the CDC recommends you stick to sanitizer that is more than half alcohol in order to
stay healthy, the strong scent is not at all surprising.
After all, that's certainly a lot stronger than your average whiskey!
But, just because you're slathering your hands with super strong sanitizer every day doesn't
mean that it's going to render you intoxicated.
According to the BBC's Science Focus, while alcohol can indeed be absorbed into your skin
when you apply sanitizer to your hands, that won't have a noticeable impact on your blood-alcohol
level.
Additionally, the alcohol in your sanitizer is quite volatile, so the vast majority of
it will evaporate before your skin has a chance to soak it up.
As long as you're using it appropriately, you don't have to fear getting pulled over
for your hand sanitizer habit.
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