With cold and flu season upon us, and now a subtle threat of Ebola, we lather up with hand sanitizer from dispensers located just about everywhere. How safe is this stuff? And, how effective is it really? What you may not know is that even the best hand sanitizer does not kill ALL germs. It does not have the capability to eliminate Norovirus, a germ that causes horrible GI distress. It also has zero effect on Clostridium difficile (or C. diff for short). This is another GI bug associated with overuse of antibiotics and can be a deadly hospital-associated infection.
For hand sanitizer to be effective, it must have a minimum alcohol concentration of 60%. Some of the decorative chic or fancy smelly bottles on display may be marketed as antimicrobial hand sanitizer, but if they don’t contain at least 60% alcohol, they will not actually reduce the bacteria count on your hands. Make sure you read the label!
Another reason to read labels is to ensure your hand sanitizer does not contain triclosan. This is a chemical found in antimicrobial products that may actually contribute to an increase in germ resistance. Fortunately, most alcohol-based products do not contain this.
For hand sanitizer to be effective, it must have a minimum alcohol concentration of 60%. Some of the decorative chic or fancy smelly bottles on display may be marketed as antimicrobial hand sanitizer, but if they don’t contain at least 60% alcohol, they will not actually reduce the bacteria count on your hands. Make sure you read the label!
Another reason to read labels is to ensure your hand sanitizer does not contain triclosan. This is a chemical found in antimicrobial products that may actually contribute to an increase in germ resistance. Fortunately, most alcohol-based products do not contain this.
| For best results, hand sanitizer must be applied in appropriate amounts (based on brand) and rubbed over the entire hand and finger surface until completely dry. Due to the high alcohol content, hand sanitizer is often irritating to the skin. Germs can migrate into the body through broken skin and cause illness. A forgotten detail of hand hygiene includes moisturizing to keep skin from drying out and cracking. | 
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TRUE, hand sanitizer has been proven to be a cost-efficient practice for reducing illness. However, keep in mind that hand sanitizer was meant to augment, not be a replacement to, classic hand washing with soap and water!
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