Soapy
I have a few pet peeves, particularly when it comes to American's being afraid of their shadows.
This edition focuses on anti-bacterial soaps. From Health Central:
Antibacterial soaps and body washes are no more effective in preventing illness than regular soaps, experts told a panel advising the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Thursday.What the hay. Afraid of a few microbes? People need to realize that if you were to take a picture of the microbes on a human being, and then remove the human being, you would still clearly see that person....clearly...due to all the microbes that live on your body. And the danger of creating antibiotic resistant strains is quite real.
In fact, the experts said, the antibacterial products could actually cause harm by breeding resistance to antibiotics, the Associated Press reported.
Finally, studies have shown that it's the mechanical action of hand washing that is effective, not the soap.
I wonder if hand-wringers have less colds?
posted by greyhair @ 8:34 AM
1 comments
1 Comments:
"And the danger of creating antibiotic resistant strains is quite real."
I always assumed that was because most people don't wash long enough. I've read that you need to wash long enough to run through a chorus of Yankee Doodle Dandy in your head, or about 30 seconds. Most of the women I observe in the restroom give it about 5 seconds. About half do not use soap. IMHO they are merely wasting water and paper towels.
I will continue to thoroughly wash my hands, with soap, regardless of the science du jour. I haven't had a cold or the flu in almost 10 years.
Post a Comment
<< Home