A hand sanitizer is your defense against germs

Washing hands is an important part of keeping yourself healthy, germ-free, and maintaining good hygiene. However, given the fast-paced lifestyle that we live today, washing hands with the good old liquid hand wash and water may not be possible without a sink nearby. That’s precisely why hand sanitizers come into the picture. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), using hand sanitizers is an ‘an excellent’ way to clean your hands when you’re not near a sink, and they say so because:

• Hand sanitizers are effective
• Hand sanitizers prevent the growth of bacteria
• Hand sanitizers are gentler on the skin when compared to soaps

Let’s take an in-depth look at each point mentioned above:

Effectiveness:

It is observed that hand sanitizers clean your hands more effectively than soap and water, and it also reduces the bacterial burden. Researches have shown that when you clean your hands with a hand sanitizer, they tend to stay clean longer than if you were to clean them using soap and water. The hand sanitizer also prevents the transmission of bacteria from person to another.

No more bacteria:

One of the myth that floats even today about hand sanitizers is that the use of hand sanitizers will make bacteria resistant to treatment. But, the way sanitizers work is based on the cell-membrane disruption caused by the chemicals present in the sanitizers, this is not something that the bacterium can become resistant to. This doesn’t cause any physical harm to you and keeps your hands clean and healthy.

Gentle than soap:

Soaps are made from chemicals that can be harsh on the skin if used excessively. However, the basic formula used for hand sanitizers is better for the skin and much gentler than a soap. Many studies across the globe have proven that people who used a hand sanitizer had better skin condition as compared to those who used soap or liquid hand wash and water.

While there are many benefits of using hand sanitizers, it is important that you use it correctly. Here are a few things to keep in mind when you are using a hand sanitizer:

• Before you use the hand sanitizer on your hand, ensure that your hands aren’t speckled with visible dirt
• Apply the product on the entire palm and rub it for approximately 20 – 30 seconds
• While you are rubbing the product, apply it between your fingers, under your nails, jewellery, along your wrists, and the back of your hands
• Then, let your hands dry
• Once they are dry, you are good to go

Here are a couple of don’ts that you need to follow while using a hand sanitizer:

• Do not wash your hands after you use the hand sanitizer
• Do not wipe your palms dry with a cloth towel or a paper towel

Doing this will counteract the effect of the hand sanitizer and will add bacterial from the tap or towels to your bacteria-free palms.