What exactly are hand sanitizers, and who needs to use them anyway? Most people know that bacteria on surfaces such as shopping carts, public telephones and shared keyboards can cause us to get sick. Hand sanitizers help keep our hands clean and illness at bay, but it is important to know how to use them safely. Here are the pros and cons of using hand sanitizers.

Pros

According to Purell's product information website (http://www.pfizerch.com/brand .aspx?id=310), hand sanitizers kill 100% of germs within 15 seconds, so they are an extremely effective way to decontaminate your hands. However, regular hand washing for 20-30 seconds with plain soap and water is the best way to achieve healthy hand hygiene. Proper hand washing does not need to be followed by the use of hand sanitizer. The best time to use a hand sanitizer is when you have come into contact with a contaminated surface and hand washing facilities are not available. So when you have just used a bank machine that has seen cleaner days and there is no sink available, hand sanitizer will kill those yucky germs in a flash and you're good to go.

Cons

After using a hand sanitizer your hands are germ free, but your hands will be re-contaminated as soon as you touch anything, so the effect is short-lived. There is also a safety risk involved with hand sanitizer due to the high percentage of alcohol, often between 60-95%, contained in the product. These high levels of alcohol are necessary to kill bacteria, and products with alcohol levels below 60% may actually be unsafe to use as they simply move bacteria around the hands instead of killing them. However, as reported on CBS, (http://wcco.com/health/local_ story_020151814.html), if a child ingests even a tiny amount of the product, they may experience alcohol intoxication or poisoning. For this reason children should not lick their hands after using a hand sanitizer until the product has fully dried, and hand sanitizers should always be stored out of reach of children.

Hand sanitizers are useful products that allow us to maintain good hand hygiene in situations where we cannot wash our hands with soap and water. However, because of the risks associated with the high levels of alcohol, it is best to store them safely away from little hands and ensure children are supervised while using hand sanitizers.

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