Might be a stupid question..hand gels and wipes

[Dee in California]

I am very big on those anti-bacterial hand gels and wipes, which I use on my hands after things like shopping carts, public bathrooms, amusement parks, etc. I have not been sick in *many* months with colds or flus. I used to catch every sniffle and sneeze that passed by in the vicinity.

If I fly to Europe, will the Amercian hand gels be of any use there, or do they have a whole arsenal of different germs to battle? Do they sell these there for their illnesses?

Thanks

[Bill4728]

These products are a great idea and as you have said work great to reduce colds and flu.

The anti-bacterial soaps and wipes will work against all germs, even the european germs.

Good luck

[Dee in California]

Thanks, Bill. I wondered because of all the times I have gotten a cold when I travelled. I always figured it was because I had no natural immunity to the germs in that location, whereas at home, your system has seen them all and learned how to fight them off.

Seems like the world over must have a lot of different germs depending on location. For example, when the the so-called "Russian flu" came through, and none of us had immunity to it because it came from there. Are the makers of the gel including germs from everywhere?

I have my daughter hooked on these too. Really, when you go into a store and put your hands on a shopping cart handle, the past person to use it may have been coming there for 4 different meds for a screaming cold, and sneezed all over the handle to boot. Who needs to catch it?!

[Hoc]

Remember that the anti-bacterial gels are attacking bacteria, not viruses. Something as simple as plain alchohol will kill all bacteria, and they don't have to be targeted towards particular ones.

It's viruses where the killing power has to be targeted, and there are different methods for dealing with them. The antibacterial gels are of no use for fighting viruses (like the Russian Flu -- also colds are generally thought to be caused by the Corona Virus, not a bacterium), so whatever protection you get using such gels will not differ in between locations.

It would not surprise me if the mere fact of washing your hands frequently, and not the product used, is what is reducing your incidences of cold and flu. Viruses can remain on things like doorknobs, hands, etc. for about 24 hours after they are originally placed there (such as by turning a doorknob). You pick them up on your hands, and then when you touch your eye, nose, or face, you introduce them into your system.

By washing your hands frequently, you minimize your exposure. But the antibacterial gels used have no impact on that process.

[CaliDave]

Originally Posted by Hoc

Something as simple as plain alchohol will kill all bacteria.

No wonder I don't get sick on vacation.

[Kay H]

Very good, Dave.

[travel bug]

I have heard of a lot of people that will get sick after traveling on an airplane. They say that the air on the airplanes is just basically recirculated so if you have sick people on the flight you're exposed as well. We will take Airborne or echanicia a day or so before we fly and then maybe for a day afterward. It does seem that either of those products can stop a cold if taken right at the start of the cold - at least they seem to work for my husband and myself.

[iconnections]

Originally Posted by CaliDave

No wonder I don't get sick on vacation.

Plain alcohol works fine on your hands but is drying when you are not in a position to wash your hands otherwise, washing your hands often will do the same job.

All these anti bacterial products will make the bacteria only get stronger in the long run and our immune system weaker.

Hoc is right that it doesn't kill a virus and a cold or flu is a virus often with a bacterial infection too. Don't shake hands so you don't get a virus from someone who has a cold and if they are sneezing, stay out of their way.

[Patri]

I don't wash my hands all that much, and don't use the gels, and I have not had a cold or flu for years, maybe even a decade. (Of course, I do wash my hands those times when you really are supposed to!)

[Dee in California]

I know about the viruses and that gels are no help, but my body seems to fight them off better. I do wash my hands a lot, but you are just not always in a position to do that. You can't carry it with you!

[abbekit]

Purell brand hand sanitizer is an alcohol base product (NOT anti-bacterial). You could probably use plain isopropyl alcohol but Purell is so much easier and more pleasant to use. I use it religiously while traveling, especially while on planes after touching the tray tables, bathroom doors, etc. So far, so good.

I started using in when we traveled to Europe a few years ago during the year of the flu vaccine shortage (we didn't qualify for the flu shots that year and I was really worried about getting sick). We stayed healthy all year even without the vaccine. Of course if someone next to you sneezes on you there isn't much you can do about that!

Anti-bacterial products are not recommended. You don't want to mess with your immune system.

[geekette]

Are you sure you get a cold? For me, it's allergies. I always find something I didn't know I was allergic to. Benedryl comes with me every time I leave home.

[Bill4728]

Several people have said that the hand gels, sometimes called anti-bacterial gels, don't kill virus and if used improperly will make bacteria stronger. This information is wrong. Hand gels are sanitizers, they kill all bacteria and viruses.

The reason for the confusions is that there are two very different products which we are talking about. Antiseptics (Sanitizers) and Antibiotics

Antiseptics are a cleaning products designed to kill all kinds of virus and bacteria. They can and should be used to prevent the spread of "germs". They are very effective and will kill all bacteria and viruses.

Antibiotics are a pharmaceutical product which should be used under the supervision of a doctor. Whenever you are given an antibiotic, please use it for only what your doctor ordered it for and use it all even if you're feeling better. The improper use of antibiotics has been linked to "making bacteria stronger". Also as stated in the other thread, antibiotics do not work on viruses.

Here is a link to an article which talks about the importance of hand washing and the use of these hand gels. Link

[iconnections]

Bill, you are right. I read the link and it is a good product and kills virus as well as bacteria 99.99%. Thanks for the link.

[grest]

But if you come into direct contact with body fluids, you need a good handwashing...
Connie

[Cat]

Bill is correct that hand sanitizers do not target only bacteria. They are an alcohol based product, and if you think about going to the doctor to get a shot of any sort, this is what they use to wipe the skin site before administering it.

Hand washing with any kind of soap is preferable, but the hand sanitizers are an effective substitute.

Another measure that helps to keep the germs off your hands is when you have to sneeze or cough, instead of putting your hands to your mouth/nose region, use your inner elbow. If you have allergies or a cold, that will eliminate the need to be washing or using hand sanitizer a gazillion times a day.

[JLB]

I'm surprised that this thread has not attracted the clean-freak paranoia critics this type of thread has always attracted in the past. Maybe they've moved on.

Personally I don't obsess about it, but I am concerned when we visit desitinations where we may be exposed to unfamiliar germs, like Orlando, or when we are confined to long flights, like to Hawaii.

It seems like when that happens we are always surrounded by coughing, sneezing and hacking people.

[pedro47]

We used both hand gels and wipes also on vacation. We also bring a can of Lysol Disinfectant Spray for bathroom t/s use.

[JudyS]

I just want to second (third?) the comments that hand sanitizing gels are alcohol and will kill most viruses as well as bacteria. If you look at the ingredient list of Purell or a store-brand gel, you will see that the active ingredient is ethyl alcohol -- the same as in booze. (However, hand sanitizer has other things added, so don't drink it.) Very few bateria or viruses can stand high concentrations of alcohol, which is why the gel kills them. Hand gel is not targeted to any specific germs, so it should work equally well here or abroad.

There is a real concern of bacteria mutating into "super-germs" with resistance to antibiotics, but hand sanitizers do not contribute to that problem. Basically, for bacterial resistance to develop, you need something that has lasting effects and suppresses bacterial growth over a period of hours or days (or more). Alcohol stops working as soon as it evaporates, so there is no time for bacteria for develop resistance to it.

The things that contribute to bacterial resistance are excessive use of antibiotics (both those that humans take and those in animal feed) and anti-bacterial ingredients such as triclosan, which is often found in liquid soaps. The FDA is thinking of making triclosan prescription only, and I wish they would already. But, there is no triclosan in Purell and Purell is not considered an anti-bacterial -- sanitizers and anti-bacterials are two different things.

As for those sanitizing wipes that some grocery stores provide for their shopping carts, and disinfecting wipes for cleaning bathrooms, I don't know what's in those. But you aren't supposed to use them on your skin.

[DrummerMom]

I have never gotten addicted to hand gels and mostly wash with warm water and soap. But the times I use it, or the kids in my class use it, I worry about the chemicals in the product. Is it safe to eat finger foods after using these products? I always want to wash my hands after using them which the defeats the purpose of waterless sanitizer.