Alcohol Hand Sanitizer – Check the Ingredients

It’s important to look at the ingredient list on the back of the bottle to be sure you’re getting a product that’s going to keep you healthy. Using a discount brand that contains less than the recommended 60% will only move the germs around your hands, not kill them.

Be extra-careful to choose only brands that have 60% + alcohol.

Alcohol, as an ingredient, can be listed using many different names:

• ethyl alcohol
• ethanol
• isopropanol
• isopropyl
• Variations of the above words

How much gel or foam should you use to be sure the germs are killed?

The CDC Guidelines for health care workers says to vigorously rub all sides of your hands using enough of the product to get them wet. If your hands are dry within 10 to 15 seconds, you didn’t use enough. Skimping on the amount you use will only give you a false sense of security because you’re not really killing all the germs if you don’t use enough sanitizer on your hands.

What is the Recommended Best Practices for Using a Hand Sanitizer?

Use a large enough amount to cover your hands well. Be sure to rub your hands until they are dry to be sure all the alcohol has evaporated. Pay particular attention to your fingertips and fingernails. Rub all around your cuticles and under your nails.

Will Alcohol Hand Sanitizers Dry Out My Skin?

The outer layer of your hands is made up of a thin layer dead skin cells and a layer of oil. These layers form a barrier to protect the living cells just underneath. Alcohol will strip the outer layer of oil on your hands which can have a negative effect on the protection barrier. However, washing with detergent soaps strips a lot of the oils (lipids) from your hands. Ethyl alcohol is considered to be the least drying type.

Many alcohol sanitizing liquids contain various types of humectants (like glycerin), natural oils and moisturizers that will help to prevent skin irritation. You could be better off using an alcohol based product regularly throughout the day than washing with soap and water constantly.

Some people’s skin is quite sensitive and unable to tolerate the exposure to high levels of alcohol. Children especially. There are now non-alcohol hand sanitizers you can buy that have been proven to kill 99.9% of the pathogens on your hands.

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