Comments on: Hand Sanitizers

By: azawa

azawa — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 12:27:36 +0000

One thing that works is chlorhexidine, if you can get it. Hospital stuff for anyone who workd in a hospital. Then again just use soap and water, no need to go crazy killing what people assume to be hoards of germs waiting to attack them at any moment.

By: azawa

azawa — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 12:22:31 +0000

Hand sanitizers do not kill any viruses. They only kill bacteria which is important to remember. Many people think they kill viruses. It is all in the alchohol, alcohol kills better than anything.

By: sofalv

sofalv — Sat, 27 Oct 2007 04:12:15 +0000

One thing it is good for is on the spot acne treatment. I received this tip from a friend and it actually works! Don’t use too much though… see point above with the blisters/raw skin

By: btdtwjoy

btdtwjoy — Fri, 26 Oct 2007 14:38:36 +0000

Be careful using them on children - sensitive skin can actually be burned by the stuff, to the point that it blisters.

By: mom23boys

mom23boys — Fri, 26 Oct 2007 01:33:39 +0000

I know this is after the fact- but i wanted to point out that hand sanitizers can be poisonous if ingested even in very small amounts. Be careful not to leave it around small children. I believe a little boy died from ingesting a small amount. We do use them when we need them at my house and we also have them in my classroom where I work. It is not always possible for the kids to leave the classroom every time one of them sneezes or coughs into their hands. The parents send it in- but I am a watch dog with the stuff- as it still worries me that someone may try to lick the stuff. (I work with 7-8 years olds- but a dare is a dare! ;) ) So- just keep an eye on small fries if you have this in your homes or in your hotel rooms!

By: waiting in canada

waiting in canada — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 16:38:53 +0000

To Ratgirl..we are treated at the MCH…she is doing very well, and I m really happy to find out you already have your daugther. Our SW was not to sure about the whole situation of having a sick child in the home. We had to prove her wrong.. Yippi

By: JenT04

JenT04 — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 12:53:24 +0000

I can’t believe all the misconceptions about hand sanitizing gel! :) RQ, your blog post has it right and covers the most important points. I am an RN in one of the top US teaching hospitals (which has been promoting the hand gel for several years now), and hand sanitizer has been proven just as effective as soap and water in killing everything but c-diff. (The spores need to be washed off with soap and water). As for the statement that hand gels are “as bad as” antibacterial hand soaps, this is patently false. Bacterial hand soaps contain a chemical which may lead to changes in the bacteria and promote the development of drug restistant strains of bacteria, as well as kill healthy microbes in the environment.
Hand gel, on the other hand, is just alcohol and softeners. Does not promote any mutation of bacteria. Evaporates, so does not get into the environment and kill any beneficial bugs. So no, they are not “as bad” as antibacterial soaps and lotions.
The gels prevent the spread of infection. End of story.
The best way to do it is to wash your hands with soap and water, then use the gel. If you are dealing with a child with a suspected parasite or unexplained diarrhea in country, the safest thing to do (aside from the above) is to bring along disposable gloves. May look cold and institutional, but will be another layer of protection for the rest of the family.
And as RQ said, these gels can be very toxic if ingested, and it doesn’t take a lot for a small child to ingest a fatal amount of alcohol.

By: lynandjoe

lynandjoe — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 10:28:41 +0000

I have to chime in on this one as my entire family picked up a parasite in Mexico that made my son very very ill for a long long time. With the type of parasite my son had ( a protozoa) no amount of soap, water hand sanitizer or otherwise can kill it. Most experts say the act of wiping your hands is more effective at removing germs (in this case parasites) than the water or soap. I guess the thing to do is follow the method of evaporation and then after, even though your hands are dry, wipe your hands thoroughly with a cloth, becasue that’s the ONLY thinig that will remove the parasite my son had and other protozoa or amoeba.

By: sofalv

sofalv — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 04:45:05 +0000

~If you beg really well, your doctor at home has the antibacterial gels with lotion and don’t dry your hands.
~They have foaming antibacterial gels now.
~I carry a small bit of water in a flip top bottle as well as liquid soap in a flip top bottle. Hence handwashing wherever you go. If you really wanna get fast, add the water to the soap give a shake and squirt, then clean with the antibacterial gel or rinse with your drinking water (distilled water stays fresh longer).
~ Finally, if you are SOL and there is nothing around to help you clean those grubbies, a midwife told me that as a last resort, rub your hands in good clean dirt (soil). She said it cleans better than you think. Sounds gross but if I were facing the nasty sickness, I’d go for the old wife’s tale anyday. And this is a serious last resort. Heck it might actually remind you to keep the hands away from your child’s and your faces.

By: jenele

jenele — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 03:23:06 +0000

countingstars
I worked in a mico lab….I can tell you exactly what was growing on our keyboards…its not pretty:) Okay…so maybe I shouldnt feed your obsession:)