If you've been a dedicated user of antibacterial soap, you may be unhappy about the FDA's recent ruling that manufacturers must stop producing most of these products. In the next year, antibacterial soap makers have to remove triclosan and triclocarban from hand soap and other products. You should not mourn this decision, however. The products were not keeping you healthy.
Effects
Anti-bacterial soaps have long been criticized by the healthcare community as being ineffective. The FDA has now determined that these soaps do not clean your skin or dishes better than regular soap and water would. The manufacturers of these products also could not prove that these soaps would not harm people over the long term. In short, they are simply not effective at keeping you and your family healthy. The FDA is considering banning three other substances as well. In another year, you may not be able to buy any type of antibacterial soap.
Alternatives
To avoid illness, simple hand washing with mild soap is your best choice. You do need to wash your hands frequently throughout the day, including after you pet the dog, use the restroom, dust the furniture, or even go get the mail. Remember that touching public surfaces is a great way to pick up and spread germs. When you do wash your hands, you need to scrub them for twenty seconds, much as you see doctors do on TV medical dramas. If you use bar soap, experts say you need to rinse it as well after you use it. If you can't wash your hands, using a hand sanitizer is an effective substitute.
Over-disinfecting your home is actually counter-productive. Your body needs to develop a strong immunity to ward off illness. If you rarely come in contact with these germs, you are more likely to take ill when you do. Even your infants are better off when they are exposed to certain microbes. Super-clean babies may be more susceptible to illnesses than those that are familiar with dirt.
Antibacterial soaps only made you feel safe from germs. They didn't actually help you fights off viruses or infections, and their safety hasn't been proven. You will do more good for your family by promoting frequent and lengthy hand washing throughout the day, particularly during flu season. Remind your children not to rub their eyes with dirty hands and introduce them to simple, unadorned soaps. You may even benefit from the change.
You can talk to an immunologist for more information.
Share7 October 2016
When I first got married, I didn't think twice before swiping my credit card. Unfortunately, this attitude caused my spouse and I to get into serious financial trouble early on, especially after a medical situation. Soon, we found ourselves struggling to pay the bills, even though we both worked full-time. After a financial intervention from a few of our family members, we learned ways to save money on everything from groceries to medical equipment. Because the cost of healthcare can be staggering, we decided to create a website dedicated to helping you save money on your medical expenses. I hope that as you peruse the articles on our website, you can find a few tips to save some cash.