Monday, March 22, 2010

Antibacterial Soap

Do you really need to use antibacterial soap? Does it protect your family more than conventional soap, or is it harming them?

Many people fell into the fad of using antibacterial products. Numerous products hopped on the bandwagon- soap, toothpaste, children's products, etc. However, this was a trend that may have actually resulted in harming the health of the public, rather than protecting it.

Multiple studies have shown that triclosan (the most common antibacterial product) containing soaps are no more effective at reducing the symptoms of illness, or bacterial levels on hands, than ordinary soap! We have a populace that has been fooled into believing that antibacterial products are better, when they have the same efficacy as conventional products. However, there is a dark side to using antibacterial products that doesn't exist with conventional ones.

Research has shown that many common bacteria are resistant to triclosan! These products that people are using to protect themselves from bacteria have instead created antibiotic-resistant strains. In a world where pathogens are rapidly gaining antibiotic resistance, why are we increasing the chance? People using antibiotic soaps are using products that are no more effective than conventional ones, while putting the entire population at risk for antibiotic resistant bacteria.

Do yourself and society a favor, stop using antibacterial products!


I’m participating in Kitchen Stewardship’s Spring Cleaning Carnival, Get the Antibacterials Out.

3 comments:

Katie @ Kitchen Stewardship said...

Well said! Thank you for putting it so succinctly, and for linking into the carnival.
:) Katie

Antibacterial Soap said...

Yes i agree to you, up to an extent.... But some antibacterial soap are really good.But thanks for sharing.....

Tristin Mock, ND said...

I've written an update to this post that you will likely want to read:
http://docmock.blogspot.com/2010/04/antibacterial-soap-update.html

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