5 Things you should consider before using hand sanitizers

huibing

03 Aug 2017

1/5
Increases absorption of BPA
You’ve probably heard of BPA (bisphenol A) and, chances are, they aren’t good things. Found largely in plastic corners (think of your takeout boxes and other food containers, and even receipt paper), these are safe to ingest, but only at small amounts. Still, the worry about them is very valid: BPA has been linked to detrimental health effects on your brain and prostate glands, especially in young children. And, hand sanitisers increase the absorption of BPA by over a hundred fold!

Photo: @wrayn_vasser
2/5
Lowers your immune system
Quite ironically, using hand sanitizers can actually lower your immune system as opposed to helping it. Essentially, our body requires a certain amount of 'good' bacteria to defeat the ‘bad’ bacteria, and hand sanitizers doesn’t discriminate— it kills all of them. Many studies have been done to prove the harmfulness of keeping an entirely sterile environment, pointing it as a reason why people tend to be more susceptible to illnesses.

Photo: @stayzon_skin
3/5
Chance of alcohol poisoning
Most hand sanitizers in our nearby pharmacy and supermarkets are alcohol-based. Often carrying upwards of 60% alcohol, taking a few drops from the bottle is pretty much the same as doing shots. Sure, while you probably wouldn’t accidentally drink it down, a child might accidentally ingest it through contact with his hands. This is made even more attractive with how incredibly colourful and bright the packaging have become.

Photo: @olikalife
4/5
Higher chances of antibiotic resistant viruses
If you think you’re safe for choosing a non-alcohol based hand sanitizers, it might not be the case as well. Unfortunately, most non-alcohol based hand sanitizers uses triclosan. Triclosan is an ingredient used in antibacterial soap and toothpaste so it should be good, right? Wrong. It has been proven to be harmful to hormones but, more than that, could actually lead to the growth of antibiotic-resistant germs. Essentially, not only is it bad for your health in the short-run, it also causes cross-resistance in bacteria. This means more germs that can’t be killed by antibiotics, which isn’t good for the world.

Photo: @waw.beauty.shop
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And contains harmful chemicals
And if your hand sanitizers smells good, it’s probably best to put it down. Artificial fragrances are often made up of harmful chemicals, and while they are usually acceptable in small doses,, the repeated usage of hand sanitisers does not bode well for your body. Phthalates, for example, are used to make the scent last longer, but are known as endocrine disrupters. They have also been linked to a plethora of other health consequences, so definitely choose an unscented version if you really want to use hand sanitisers.

Photo: @emiami_baby

The next time you’re reaching for your hand sanitizer, it’s probably best to put it down.

Just a few years back, hand sanitizers seem to be amazing inventions that have graced the world. Frequently packaged in clear bottles with colourful accents (and often dangling off of bags in the equally colourful cases), they have been lauded for its antibacterial and antiseptic properties. They can also be found everywhere— on the walls of your nearby fast food restaurants to the receptionist counter at the local hospital. Often alcohol-based, these are go-to items for germaphobes and simply a habit for others. And it sounds good, seeing as the high alcohol content means that germs can be killed easily.

But, is it really? Studies have shown that washing with regular soap and water is more effective at reducing the number of germs on our hands. This is as it removes the viruses, as opposed to killing them. And while many hand sanitizers boast of a 99.9% kill rate, chances are that using soap would do even better. This is especially so if you’re working in the food and beverage industry, or after you’ve used the bathroom. Ultimately, while hand sanitizers are amazing options to use when there is no sink around, it might be better sticking to plain-old soap and water. Plus, they are terrible things to use when you have visible dirt on your hands— they merely push them around anyway.

Okay, so we have established that using plain-old soap and water is better than using hand sanitizers. But, are hand sanitizers good at all? Scroll back up to check out our gallery of the five things you should know before reaching for the bottle hanging off your bag.

Lee Hui Bing

Photo: Getty Images

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