Hand Sanitizer
Keeping your hands clean and germ-free is an important part of disease prevention. Hand sanitizers provide a quick and convenient way to kill bacteria on your hands, especially in situations where you don't have access to soap and water. Hand sanitizer gel is kinder to hands, especially if you work in a job, such as nursing or in a daycare setting, where you wash your hands frequently. The dangers associated with hand sanitizer are few, but important to consider.
Ingredients
Most hand sanitizers contain either ethyl or isopropyl alcohol, in concentrations above 60 percent. Non-alcohol-based hand sanitizers may contain triclosan, a potent antimicrobial that also is used in many antibacterial household products and soaps.
Dangers
The concentration of alcohol in many hand sanitizer products may cause toxic reactions if children ingest large amounts. In an October 2009 alert, the American Association of Poison Control Centers reported more than 21,000 calls related to hand sanitizer ingestion in 2005 and 2006, the majority of them in children under 6 years of age. None of the cases resulted in death, and only two, both involving adults, resulted in serious medical problems.
Triclosan:
European research on triclosan has raised concerns about the safety of the commonly used antimicrobial, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration reported in April 2010. While the FDA considers triclosan safe for human use, the agency also notes that it has no evidence that triclosan is more effective than washing with soap and water. In a 2009 brief on hand sanitizers, the Connecticut Department of Public Health recommended avoiding products that contain triclosan.
Many health care workers, who wash their hands frequently as part of their jobs, report a burning sensation or irritation when they first use alcohol-based hand sanitizers, and some may have an allergic reaction, according to a study by G. Kampf and H. Loffler, published in the September 2003 issue of the "Journal of Hospital Infection."
Misconceptions
The high alcohol content of hand sanitizers has raised concerns about fire hazards. A June 2007 review published in "Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology" analyzed fire reports connected to alcohol-based hand rubs in German hospitals. Study authors G. Kampf and A. Kramer found seven minor fires in more than 25,000 hospital years, all of them caused by human action rather than technical failure.
Prevention/SolutionKeep hand sanitizer out of the reach of young children and supervise its use carefully. Store hand sanitizer away from open flames and direct sunlight as a safety precaution.
Reduce skin reactions by avoiding the use of hand sanitizer on irritated skin or on skin with breaks or open wounds. Kampf and Loffler recommend using hand sanitizer with emollient, as well as avoiding hand-washing immediately before or after using hand sanitizer to reduce skin irritation.
Use Recommendations
Only use alcohol-based hand sanitizers when you have no access to soap and water and when your hands are not visibly dirty. Squeeze a dime-sized amount of hand sanitizer into the palm of one hand. Rub your hands together for 30 to 60 seconds, making sure to get the sanitizer between your fingers and over the entire hand surface. The alcohol should be completely evaporated after 30 to 60 seconds, eliminating the danger of accidental ingestion.
Ingredients
Most hand sanitizers contain either ethyl or isopropyl alcohol, in concentrations above 60 percent. Non-alcohol-based hand sanitizers may contain triclosan, a potent antimicrobial that also is used in many antibacterial household products and soaps.
Dangers
The concentration of alcohol in many hand sanitizer products may cause toxic reactions if children ingest large amounts. In an October 2009 alert, the American Association of Poison Control Centers reported more than 21,000 calls related to hand sanitizer ingestion in 2005 and 2006, the majority of them in children under 6 years of age. None of the cases resulted in death, and only two, both involving adults, resulted in serious medical problems.
Triclosan:
European research on triclosan has raised concerns about the safety of the commonly used antimicrobial, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration reported in April 2010. While the FDA considers triclosan safe for human use, the agency also notes that it has no evidence that triclosan is more effective than washing with soap and water. In a 2009 brief on hand sanitizers, the Connecticut Department of Public Health recommended avoiding products that contain triclosan.
Many health care workers, who wash their hands frequently as part of their jobs, report a burning sensation or irritation when they first use alcohol-based hand sanitizers, and some may have an allergic reaction, according to a study by G. Kampf and H. Loffler, published in the September 2003 issue of the "Journal of Hospital Infection."
Misconceptions
The high alcohol content of hand sanitizers has raised concerns about fire hazards. A June 2007 review published in "Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology" analyzed fire reports connected to alcohol-based hand rubs in German hospitals. Study authors G. Kampf and A. Kramer found seven minor fires in more than 25,000 hospital years, all of them caused by human action rather than technical failure.
Prevention/SolutionKeep hand sanitizer out of the reach of young children and supervise its use carefully. Store hand sanitizer away from open flames and direct sunlight as a safety precaution.
Reduce skin reactions by avoiding the use of hand sanitizer on irritated skin or on skin with breaks or open wounds. Kampf and Loffler recommend using hand sanitizer with emollient, as well as avoiding hand-washing immediately before or after using hand sanitizer to reduce skin irritation.
Use Recommendations
Only use alcohol-based hand sanitizers when you have no access to soap and water and when your hands are not visibly dirty. Squeeze a dime-sized amount of hand sanitizer into the palm of one hand. Rub your hands together for 30 to 60 seconds, making sure to get the sanitizer between your fingers and over the entire hand surface. The alcohol should be completely evaporated after 30 to 60 seconds, eliminating the danger of accidental ingestion.
