Usually, soap offers the same protection against bacterial infections as expensive antibacterial soaps, according to a study by Korean specialists published in the Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy. The main thing is to wash your hands often.
Antibacterial soaps have long been controversial. The specialists of the University of Seoul decided to check how effective they are in a laboratory experiment simulating natural conditions. The volunteers’ hands were infected with E. coli bacteria, salmonella and listeria. After that, they wash their hands for 20 seconds, with plain soap on one try and antibacterial soap on the other.
Usually, soap has been shown to be as effective against microbes as it is anti-microbial. Therefore, the most important thing is to wash your hands regularly and thoroughly, especially after leaving the toilet. Use soap as it removes microorganisms more effectively than water alone. The latest research shows that it does not have to be more expensive antibacterial soap.
Antibacterial soap contains triclosan, a compound from the group of chlorinated phenols, used as an antifungal and bactericidal agent. It is also used in deodorants, toothpastes, cosmetics, antibacterial fabrics and plastics.
However, Triclosan has many disadvantages. In the human body, it acts as a hormone, animal experiments have shown that it can weaken muscles and is harmful to the environment. It is suspected that its use too often may make bacteria resistant to its effects. It should only be used in special situations, mainly by medical workers and nurses. (PAP)