Is hand sanitizer good or bad?

Answer 1

Hand sanitizer is good because it helps to clean the bacteria off your hands when you go to the hospital or doctor's to help stop the infection.

Answer 2

The pros of hand sanitizer:

• It kills germs. No one can dispute alcohol’s ability to kill germs and bacteria. Hand sanitizer has proved to be effective at reducing the number of sick days in work environments as well as preventing the spread of viruses at schools.

• Accessibility. When you don’t have access to soap and water, a small bottle of hand sanitizer can feel like a life saver for someone who is constantly on the go. It can conveniently be stored just about anywhere.

• It’s cost effective and long lasting. Most hand sanitizers are relatively inexpensive and have a shelf life of 2-3 years. Small bottles can last for weeks at a time with consistent use, while large bottles can last for months, making less of a need for frequent purchases.

The cons of hand sanitizer:

• Some brands are ineffective. While most popular brands do meet the 60 percent minimum alcohol concentration required to effectively kill viruses and bacteria, there are those available in stores that do not. As with any product, it’s very important to read the label to know what makes up the product.

• Can't be used on grime. Hand sanitizer may be effective against germs, but it’s no substitute for soap and water when needing to remove any bodily fluids, grease, dirt or blood from hands. These substances need to be completely removed. Using hand sanitizer on them will just move around the bacteria.

• Weakens immunity to germs. This is a hot topic when talking about the use of hand sanitizer. Some researchers say that frequent use of hand sanitizer will cause a resistance to both good and bad bacteria, which could hurt your immune system in fighting off infections. The Food and Drug Administration acknowledges this data and stresses that hand sanitizer is not a replacement for frequent hand washing.

- Elite-Star Medical Transport