Is Hand Sanitizer Killing Your Immune System?

Have you heard the debate on hand sanitizer? Sometime in your life someone has probably told you that you are going to build up bacterial resistance from using hand sanitizer so much. At least, that's what my mother told me when I tried to use hand sanitizer as a replacement for washing my hands before dinner every day. It's an easy alternative, but is it impacting our health? To answer this question I watched AsapSCIENCE's video on hand sanitizer and you should too.

Basically, hand sanitizer can kill about 99.9% of bacteria with the alcohol present, and even some viruses. Some hand sanitizers simply prevent the multiplication of bacteria. Hand sanitizer will not get rid of dirt as it just spreads it around. A study from Australia in 2009 showed that soap and water proved most effective for getting rid of the influenza virus, preventing infection.

The classic soap and water is the best way to go. Also, hot water is not needed to wash your hands- just use some room temperature water and you'll be just as clean.

Can hand sanitizer cause bacterial resistance? No! Hand sanitizer is made up of mostly alcohol; this will not cause resistance.

You wouldn’t bathe in hand sanitizer, so don't replace your hand cleaning with it either!