Purell Hand Sanitizer Can Prevent Illness
Purell hand sanitizer is one important step in preventing disease. One of the major means to prevent disease, especially in children, is good hygiene. Soap and water remains the best element in hygiene but when it is not feasible or available, this product is the next best thing in preventing pathogen transmission and the resulting illnesses that can occur.
Some products are better than others. Some have antibacterial ingredients as their active ingredient and others have alcohol. There is a big difference in the safety of these ingredients. Either one kills germs but work in different ways, very significant ways, that affect the safety of these products such as with vinyl gloves.
The sanitizers with antibacterial ingredients have a negative side. These ingredients kill the germs but they don’t kill all the germs. No product does. With repeated use, the germs that survive develop a resistance to these antibacterial products. This means that when an antibiotic is needed to fight a systemic or localized skin infection caused by these resistant bacteria, they won’t be effective due to the resistance that the bacteria have built up. Alcohol based products don’t have this negative side effect as they use only alcohol as their active ingredient.
There is a health hazard sheet published on all chemical products. OSHA, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, requires companies to reveal potential hazards. This is a strictly regulated document. This document, MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet), is aimed primarily at the worker handling these products but is also beneficial to consumers. The sheet for Purell Hand Sanitizer shows almost no safety cautions, making it a safe alternative to soap and water cleanliness.
The areas of concern on the MSDS are rated from 0-4 and N for no information. An asterisk (*) is assigned to indicate a chronic health hazard. The lowest score, meaning minimal risk, is 0; 1 is slight; 2 is moderate; 3 is serious; and 4 is severe. This product only showed a 1 for health risk, which results from ingesting by a nonstandard route and eye irritation, and a 3 for flammability (due to the alcohol). Overall, it was rated as safe, presenting no immediate or long term health hazard.
The most common cause of infections by bacteria, viruses, and fungi is their transmission through the mouth, nose, and conjunctiva of the eyes. Since the hands frequently come into contact with these portals, and since the hands come in contact with so many areas where pathogens are residing, it is safe to assume that keeping hands relatively germ free is a great preventative.
No product is allowed to claim to prevent any particular illness. However, since swine flu and MRSA are transmitted by the hands, it is a good idea to practice good hygiene to help prevent their transmission. Though measures to kill pathogens will also kill the good residential bacteria, they will be quickly replaced. The impact on the residential bacteria is not so great as to override their benefit.
It is obvious that Purell Hand Sanitizer is a beneficial product. It can help prevent illnesses that are transmitted by contamination from the hands. Its health hazard, if used as directed, is extremely low. Its use of an alcohol base instead of an antibacterial one, make it the best product choice. For helping to avoid illnesses, it is a convenient, beneficial product when soap and water are not readily available or appropriate.
Good health and the prevention of illnesses are always of paramount importance. If such a simple procedure and product can help to do this, it is well worth using and one such product is Purell hand sanitizer. Just make judicious choices by checking any health warnings and concerns or use disposable gloves. Used as directed, the alcohol based products are relatively harmless and of great value in keeping healthy.
