It’s
crazy how often we are washing our hands, sanitizing them, yet it’s
considered a healthy habit and not an obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Washing
hands and sanitizing them is a good way of preventing the virus. So,
while it’s a healthy practice to prevent germs, the effect of the
harsh soap followed by alcohol-based sanitizer is making the skin dry
and flaky. A lot of readers wanted to know is it okay to apply hand
moisturizer or hand cream after using sanitizer – does hand
cream/moisturizer negate the effect of sanitizer?
Before
we get into the dry skin and hand cream discussion, we must
understand ideal hand hygiene. According to experts, hand
sanitizers (
https://www.walmart.com/search/?query=hand%20sanitizer
) should be used when you do not have
access to soap and water for washing hands. Hand sanitizers come in
handy when you are on the move, or out some place where you do not
have access to soap and clean water for washing hands. Hand
sanitizers are effective in killing germs, but not all germs. Germs
and bacteria such as the highly contagious stomach bug norovirus,
some varieties of parasites like Giardia, and the
diarrhea-causing bacterium Clostridium difficile are not killed
by sanitizers, not even by alcohol-based sanitizers. Whereas, washing
hands with soap
(
https://www.walmart.com/search/?query=hand%20wash%20antibacterial&typeahead=hand%20wash)
and water removes dirt and kills germs, which is comparatively more
effective. In either case, the technique is important for it to work.
For instance, when you wash hands rub soap lather on the front and
back of your hands, in between the fingers, on the tips of your
fingers, up to your wrists, all of it for over 20 seconds. Similarly,
take the hand sanitizer in your palm and rub it on your hands as
though you would wash them, and let the rub last till the hands are
dry from the sanitizer.
Sanitizing
your hands after washing them doesn’t really contribute to better
hand hygiene, you might as well save your skin the trouble.
Is
it okay to apply hand cream after washing hands?
Applying hand
cream (
https://www.walmart.com/search/?query=hand%20cream
) after washing hands won’t really
affect your hand hygiene. But yes, hand creams are greasy and if you
touch anything after applying the hand cream, there is a fair chance
of dirt, grit and possibly bacteria sticking to your skin. So even if
you have washed your hands, try avoiding touching your face.
Is
it okay to apply hand cream after sanitizing them?
After
you sanitize your hand, alcohol in the sanitizer kills the gems and
bacteria, but if the germs and bacteria get another medium to cling
to like hand cream, there are chances that they may survive. The good
news is, this may not really be the case. Hand sanitizers work on
contact, which means as soon as the alcohol comes in contact with the
skin, the bacteria and gems sitting on the surface of the skin are
killed. Effectively, by the time you apply the hand cream, the
sanitizer has mostly done its job.
Like
we mentioned earlier, the technique of both, washing hands and
sanitizing, is important. If done right, your hands are all hygienic,
and you can apply your favorite hand cream to keep your hand soft and
gentle.
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