OT: Anti-bacterial soaps - NOT

Here's link to yet another article explaining the downside of the so- called "anti-bacterial" soaps, especially for our children and other vulnerable family members.

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We're folks who work with our hands (as well as our brains!)

Reply to
Higgs Boson
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I like to use UV radiation as an anti-bacterial agent, but it's also a known carcinogen, so now I'm just so confused.

:-)

Reply to
mike

These are actually anti-microbial soaps since the biocides contained within target non-specific kinds of biological organism and cells.

In a nutshell Triclosan and Triclocarban kill good and bad things without discretion. Not so good in the real world and not real good for bacteria that can become much more resistant to antibiotics after exposure to these chemical agents.

Reply to
Which Doktor

That's why good old fashioned soap is your best long term bet. Unless you're in the heath care field where you have to hand wash many times per day. Then the alcohol based sanitizers make more sense.

I banned anti-bacterial ( "Triclosan and Triclocarban" based) soaps from my household YEARS ago.

But its an uphill battle...........the stuff is in all sorts of products, even dish washing (not dishwasher) detergents. :(

And they're used in just about every home I visit.

SoftSoap makes some "non anti-bacterial" soaps but you've got to look.

cheers Bob

Reply to
DD_BobK

How does exposure to these two chemicals cause bacteria to become resistant to unrelated ones such as antibiotics?

Heck, an antibiotic only makes bacteria resistant to that antibiotic and maybe relatives of that antibiotic.

(Not that this negates *other* arguments against specific antimicrobial agents)

- Don Klipstein ( snipped-for-privacy@misty.com)

Reply to
Don Klipstein

Love the handle! Maiden voyage of the LHC recently. It's an exciting time to be into physics.

Anyway, in bio labs, the way you breed stronger strains of bacteria is to kill off -almost- all of them. The remaining strong ones will multiply to fill the void. Then repeat the cycle. That's the same thing that many antimicrobials are doing now.

For disinfecting your hands, the best thing may be regular 70% rubbing alcohol (ethyl or isopropyl). The 30% water content actually makes it more efficient, in that it 'hydrates' some spore-like organisms that respond to water, then the alcohol can get to them.

For anything nastier (possible MRSA, etc), use bleach. But that's really not good for long-term contact with skin. BTW, if you do get it on your hands, a bit of vinegar sprayed on will react and allow it to be washed off easily.

Reply to
VM

As it was explained to me... if you use anti-bacterial soap on a regular basis, you deprive your immune system from building it self up on a daily basis learning to kill small amounts of various easy to kill germs,virus... So instead of having an army of many antibodies ready to fight things off, your immune system is small and weak and has nothing to fight with so it has to try to build itself up for when you are already sick from being exposed to a higher dose of those germs/virus'.

Antibiotics can make bacteria resistant to other antibiotics also, especially when so many of the antibiotics are closely related. First, once again you deprive your bodies immune system from doing it's job and building itself up, so you are more susceptible to the same germ/virus in the future. Second, if your dose of antibiotics only killed 99.9 % of the illness, you leave the strongest 0.1%, to multiply. It's a fast type of evolution. Worst when people "feel better" but don't finish taking the prescription antibiotic as prescribed. Survival of the fittest. Unless you are so week that a simple virus is life threatening, the best thing is to avoid the antibiotics and let your immune system do its job which also makes it stronger. Save the antibiotics for when you are dangerously ill.

Reply to
Tony

Yeah, they finally made it, 2nd time around. Amazing how just some faulty magnets can **** up a gazillion-euro project! Waiting with baited breath to see if MY particle will turn up.

BTW - Just reading Steven Weinberg's latest: "Lake Views: This world and the universe" - a collection of his essays and speeches over the years on various topics. He writes with such beautiful clarity and simplicity that even science groupies like moi can be enlightened.

[...]

Another point on disinfecting hands: The doctor comes in, dutifully washes and disinfects his/her hands. Kewl. Then (if male) he adjusts his tie (why the hell are doctors wearing TIES on duty!!!). Male or female then picks up the FILTHY GERMY clipboard, scans it, and advances on patient...

'Nuff said! up the FILTHY clipboard,

Reply to
Higgs Boson

When I was a kid I was pretty upset about the bandaid packaging that read: "Sterility guaranteed unless package is opened". I could never figure out how to put one on without opening the packaging. I always envisioned bacteria floating on air molecules nearby saying:

"Get ready, he's going to pul lthe red string! Ready, ready, JUMP!" and my bandaid is ruined.

Reply to
dgk

LOL! I use another brand, do "Bandaids" still have the little string?

Reply to
Tony

No. They use a peel-apart wrapper. I imagine your brand has the same thing. All of the bandaids I've seen in the last few (10?) years have had that kind of wrapper. Probably costs a lot less to make 'em. They're generally easier to open, unless you've cut off the tip of your thumb. (Don't ask me how I know that.)

Cindy Hamilton

Reply to
Cindy Hamilton

I always thought the little red string in "Band Aid" Brand bandages was nice, except when it slipped into the split open bleeding callous on my fingertips.

Reply to
Tony

Wow, I'd totally forgotten the pull open string. I guess that answers the question. No.

Reply to
Stormin Mormon

Likely, the same way I know it's possible to get your keys off an Okay's Keysafe, not using the thumb that just got smashed to hell under a piece of duct work.

Reply to
Stormin Mormon

Tony wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@mid.individual.net:

I miss those strings.

Reply to
ktos

More of the same. The article does not claim ANY harm from using anti-bacterial soaps, only the POSSIBILITY that their use MAY cause hormonal disruption that, in turn, COULD cause various unknown and unnamed problems that MIGHT be hazardous because they are SIMILAR to other chemicals that do cause harm.

Bah!

Sounds like Global Warming tripe.

Reply to
HeyBub

Ths simplest reason, likely necessary for you, is that overusing antibiotics makes them less useful for when we really need them. Just more tripe for you though.

Reply to
dgk

I'd suggest you might want to read the definitions of antibiotic and antibacterial before you post any further.

Reply to
Robert Neville

Right. Expose yourself to infection now so that you'll be better prepared to fight an unknown one in the indefinite future when, most likely, more powerful bug-killers will be available anyway.

There is some merit to what you say. Mexicans are not nearly so vulnerable to food- and water-born diseases as tourists. This is because they got exposed to germs at an early age and developed immunities we Gringos can't even pronounce. 'Course many of them died as toddlers, but overall the practice seems to work.

Reply to
HeyBub

I've often thought about that while watching the various CSI's and other shows that have autopsy scenes. The guys and gals don their gloves and then dig into a body or head. Then they take their glasses off and pick up the phone or use the computer without ever taking off the gloves.

I keep imagining how nasty those glasses and phone must be!

Reply to
DerbyDad03

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