Millions of people are now reaching for a bottle of hand sanitizer when wanting to disinfect their hands. It’s especially convenient in an office environment, keeping your hands germfree throughout the day. But how safe are hand sanitizers? Could the constant use of antibacterial chemicals actually be causing more harm than good? We give you a few “scary” reasons why it’s best to stay clear of them!
Muscle weakness:
Most antibacterial washes contain the ingredients triclosan/triclocarban which are toxins absorbed through the skin and have been shown to suppress skeletal and cardiac muscle function. Rather reach for a light and fresh hand care that will leave your hands feeling clean, refreshed and moisturized without harmful ingredients. Try The Body Shop’s Absinthe Hand Care Range. Absinthe extract, also known as wormwood or Artemisia absinthium, is a powerful botanical long-believed to have medicinal powers.
Excitotoxins that cause damage of brain cells:
Research of triclosan found that it causes the calcium levels inside the surface of the brain cells to rise, so that the cells become overworked, resulting in cellular death. This can impact mental development and behaviour, particularly among children with developmental delays and autism. If you are looking for a hand sanitizer that does not contain triclosan the try Dettol – Instant Hand Sanitiser.
Dangerous hormonal changes:
Triclosan has been shown to bind to receptor sites in the body and block normal thyroid function resulting weight gain, type II diabetes and other chronic health problems. Triclocarban also reacts with and increases the effects of testosterone and estrogen already produced in the body. This can lead to reduced fertility in men and women, early puberty in girls and increased testosterone in boys.
Bacterial resistance:
Constant use of antibacterial washes can lead to resistance of other “friendly” bacteria that kill off and protect us from infection.
Many hand sanitizer’s also contain dyes and other ingredients that can be absorbed through the skin and cause allergic reactions and sensitivities.
When it comes to keeping our hands clean, It’s best use ones we knoe are safe! We recommend you try the Woolworths Earth Friendly Moisturising Hand Wash and the Oh So Heavenly – Squeaky Clean Hygiene Hand Wash.