Antibacterial Soap
Ask our expert about the use of antibacterial soap
- I heard that using antibacterial hand soap doesn’t prevent germs or illness. In fact, I heard it’s harmful to my health. How can that be true?
- Don’t antibacterial soaps kill the germs that cause illness?
- What should I use to wash my hands?
- Do I need to wash for at least one to two minutes?
- When my kids are playing outside, they come home with dirty hands. Are you sure regular soap will be enough to get them clean?
- Are alcohol-based hand sanitizers a better option?
- Is there any case in which antibacterial soaps should be used?
- Will the FDA take antibacterial soap brands off the market?
Q: I heard that using antibacterial hand soap doesn’t prevent germs or illness. In fact, I heard it’s harmful to my health. How can that be true?
A: An FDA panel has confirmed after numerous studies that the use of antibacterial soap is no better than plain glycerin hand soap to reduce infectious disease. Also, studies have shown that antibacterial soaps may be harmful to you and your family in two ways:
- By killing good bacteria – Our skin and intestinal tract are lined by millions of "good" bacteria, which we need to keep the harmful bacteria away. By killing good bacteria, antibacterial soap makes space for the harmful bacteria, possibly weakening our immune system.
- By creating drug-resistant “super-bugs” – Antibacterial soaps also can cause bacteria to become resistant to antibiotics, making it more difficult for doctors to treat bacterial infections when they occur.
With two harmful effects and no benefit, nobody should use antibacterial soap, except in very unique circumstances when a surgical soap is prescribed by a doctor or when caring for patients in a health care setting.
Q: Don’t antibacterial soaps kill the germs that cause illness?
A: No. The most common sources of infection and illness are viruses, not bacteria. Antibacterial soaps don’t even touch viruses.
Q: What should I use to wash my hands?
A: This is one case when simpler is better, and you don’t need to spend a lot of money, either. Wash your hands frequently throughout the day with a little bit of water and plain glycerin hand soap. If your hands aren’t very dirty, you don’t even need soap. Also keep your hands away from your face, since the hands are the most common source of contamination, and the mouth and nose are where you receive viral germs.
Q: Do I need to wash for at least one to two minutes?
A: No, you only need to wash your hands for 5-10 seconds to get them clean enough.
Q: When my kids are playing outside, they come home with dirty hands. Are you sure regular soap will be enough to get them clean?
A: Believe it or not, a little bit of dirt is a good thing. It helps our childrens’ bodies develop immunity and resistance to disease. It is normal for school-age children to be sick about five to six times a year.
Antibacterial soap may prevent a child’s immune system from developing properly, by killing friendly bacteria and creating resistance to antibiotics. The best way to keep your children healthy is to give them healthy meals and snacks, make sure they get a lot of exercise and advise them to keep their hands away from their face.
Q: Are alcohol-based hand sanitizers a better option?
A: No, alcohol-based soaps are worse because they kill the good bacteria and also dry out the skin on your hands.
Q: Is there any case in which antibacterial soaps should be used?
A: In some rare cases (such as burn care) when the risk of bacterial infection is high, an antibacterial surgical soap may be prescribed by a doctor. However, there is no good reason to use the brands off the shelf.
Q: Will the FDA take antibacterial soap brands off the market?
A: The likelihood that the FDA will ban antibacterial soap products is slim. That’s why it is so important to educate consumers about the benefit-to-risk ratio. It is more likely that the FDA would develop new advertising requirements or a disclaimer label to be placed on the products.
This page last updated 1/6/09 01:52 PM
