Antibacterial Hand Soap Vs Regular Soap
The topic of whether using antibacterial hand soap is more beneficial compared to using regular soap has been debated for quite some time now and for good reason too as consumers purchase more than $1 billion worth of these goods on an annual basis. The common ingredient, triclosan, is found in over 70% of all liquid soap that is currently sold in stores.
In addition, they are also found in other products like mouthwash, cosmetics, toothpaste, deodorant and even fabrics. While these companies make the argument that antibacterial products are more superior compared to the regular types, there is enough research to suggest otherwise.
What is most important is that you thoroughly wash your hands with warm water regardless of which type of soap you use. The fact of the matter is that there are those will argue otherwise but there is no evidence to suggest that antibacterial soaps fight off more germs or prevent more common illnesses. In fact, you can even just use a paper towel to rub your hands and this will remove some germs.
The addition of triclosan is the added chemical agent that is said to provide killing harmful bacteria. However, what these products do not mention is the fact that you would need to use them for several minutes in order for them to be truly effective. This is one of the reasons why these types of soap are commonly used in settings like hospitals.
While these may remove more germs compared to regular soap, most individuals simply do not wash their hands long enough to have the desired effect that triclosan is supposed to have. There are even proven studies that show that just properly washing your hands can be better for your health than relying on antibacterial soap and if you think about it, this makes a ton of research.
Most individuals will see what they are washing their hands with and assume that it will remove all germs in a matter of seconds. However, most people simply do not do this properly and as a result their hands are still infested with a ton of germs and other harmful bacteria. In fact, it is actually better to wash your hands properly with regular soap than it is to wash your hands improperly with antibacterial soap.
Despite the continued statements that are released from research institutes there are still those individuals who pay more for these products thinking that it is better for them. And then are companies like Dial or Lever who will make the argument that these products are better for your health. However, one study released in 2005 by the FDA actually came to the conclusion that antibacterial do not prevent illnesses any better when compared to other types of soap.
A study was actually done by Columbia University researchers that looked at hundreds of households and compared those homes that used antibacterial products versus those that did not. They came to the conclusion that there was no difference in terms of sore throats, coughs, runny noses and other illnesses. In other words, those households that used antibacterial soap saw no significant benefit when compared to those households that did not. Even the CDC (Centres for Disease Control) had a similar conclusion when it comes to acute respiratory infections and using antibacterial products.
The fact of the matter remains that despite all the research that has been made regarding this topic, people still choose to use these chemicals despite them not being proven to work any better than regular soap. What many individuals do not realize though is the environmental effects that triclosan and triclocarban have.
Each year, millions of pounds of these chemicals find their way into the environment and these chemicals do not quickly break down. In fact, the process can easily take 40-50 years and yet antibacterial products continue to thrive.
So the next time you are thinking about purchasing antibacterial hand soap for the home, do yourself a favor and consider just purchasing regular soap. There are no immediate benefits to using antibacterial products and some research has shown that it can even have benign effects but these studies are still inconclusive.
Resources:
http://children.webmd.com/news/20080529/safety-debate-on-antibacterial-soap
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antibacterial_soap
There are many other resources that are available online that point to the suggestion that there is no difference between using antibacterial soap and regular soap. Just be sure to remember this the next time you consider spending a little extra money on something that claims to be antibacterial. The differences may surprise you.