Table of contents:
- What is contained in a hand sanitizer?
- Health risks that may occur if you use hand sanitizer frequently
- 1. Resistance to antibiotics
- 2. Lowering immunity
- 3. Contains hazardous chemicals
- It's safer, make your own hand sanitizer gel at home from natural ingredients
Hand sanitizer is a practical substitute solution for hand washing soap. You no longer need to bother washing your hands when you bring this hand sanitizer. However, is it safe to use hand sanitizer?
What is contained in a hand sanitizer?
Hand sanitizers contain alcohol, such as ethyl alcohol, which acts as an antiseptic agent. Nearly 90% of hand sanitizer products on the market contain ethanol or ethyl alcohol.
Some hand sanitizer products that claim to be alcohol-free replace them with an antibiotic component called triclosan or triclocarban. This ingredient is also found in soap and toothpaste.
The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reports that triclosan may carry several health risks as discussed below. Other studies also doubt whether hand sanitizers are really more effective at cleaning hands than the traditional method, by washing hands with soap.
Health risks that may occur if you use hand sanitizer frequently
1. Resistance to antibiotics
Antibiotics are effective against bacteria. But the triclosan content in the hand sanitizer gel that functions as an antibacterial is believed by medical experts to play a major role in making bacteria resistant to antibiotics.
2. Lowering immunity
Frequent use of hand sanitizers containing triclosan or triclocarban can lower your immunity to disease by killing good bacteria in the body to fight bad bacteria. If the immune system is weakened, the body will be more susceptible to infection.
Long-term use of the above chemicals has the risk of causing impaired skeletal and heart muscle function. What's more, the effects of using a hand sanitizing gel containing triclosan or triclocarban will not be felt immediately. Usually, routine use within a period of three to five new years will result in dry and sensitive skin.
3. Contains hazardous chemicals
If you kiss hand sanitizer, then you will feel a pungent smell like chemical. Hand sanitizer fragrance comes from a synthetic chemical compound called phthalate, an odorless liquid that is a good and inexpensive dissolving agent for perfumes. In fact, it helps dissolve expensive scented oils in perfume sprays, shower creams, gels, etc.
Phthalates are associated with various endocrine disorders, toxicity to the development of the fetus and the reproductive system, decreased motility (movement) and concentration (number) of sperm, as well as allergies, asthma, and cancer. The content of phthalates in cosmetic products is also suspected of causing diabetes.
It's safer, make your own hand sanitizer gel at home from natural ingredients
As a substitute for commercial hand sanitizers that can be harmful to the body, it is better if you make your own homemade hand sanitizer using pure essential oils, such as tea leaf oil (tea tree oil) which is naturally antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral so it is considered effective to replace the chemicals contained in hand sanitizer.
The essential oils of citrus and lavender flowers also have antiseptic and antioxidant functions. As a source of antioxidants, this oil will regenerate the skin cells of your hands so that your hands will always be soft and supple. To help prevent the growth of viruses or bacteria in the body, antioxidants can strengthen your immune system.
But the most recommended is to wash your hands with soap and water. Whenever you can, wash your hands for about 20 seconds using plain soap. This is better than using a hand sanitizer. Soap can keep the good bacteria in your body which can help fight the bad bacteria.
