Are Hand Sanitizers are safe to use

Since our childhood, we have been taught a lesson that hands must be washed thoroughly with water and soap. This process keeps us safe from germs and keeps us healthy and fit. The times have changed, but the concept is still the same, with the only difference is that the water and soaps have been replaced with hand sanitizers. With the COVID-19, the Hand sanitizers are more in demand and have grown in demand and popularity. With just a few drops of liquid hand sanitizers on your palm, rubbing it properly and we are done with the process of washing our hands. But still, there is a concern ‘Are hand sanitizers are safe to use?’

With the variety of hand sanitizers available in the market, the best hand sanitizer is often a difficult task to do. Are all hand sanitizers safe to use is a concern that most often comes into the minds of the people. Let’s discuss this thing in detail.

As per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, we should only use hand sanitizers that contain at least 60-95% alcohol.  (source : https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/hand-hygiene.html) And fyi Sanitileum by Medwin Pharmatech Contains 70% alcohol along with Neem And Aloe vera. A Study Showed that, the Non-alcohol based hand sanitizers are less effective in protecting us from germs and can be harmful to our health. Such hand sanitizers are also more harmful in nature as the germs can develop resistance to such hand sanitizers. (source : http://www.ijlbpr.com/uploadfile/2015/0414/20150414053556552.pdf )

Apart from this aspect of safety, there is another issue associated with the hand sanitizers. The hand sanitizers are flammable in nature; thus, all the hand sanitizers must be kept away from fire (heat and flames). Hand sanitizer is flammable and should be stored away from heat and flames. After using hand sanitizer, we must keep a fact in mind that the hands must be completely dry after we put hand sanitizer at our hands, and only then the activities that involve heat, sparks, static electricity, and open flames must be performed.

Another aspect of hand sanitizer states that the hand sanitizers that involve Methanol must not be used. While, such hand sanitizers  were recalled from the market, but still if we find the hand sanitizers that contains Methanol, must not be used. Such hand sanitizers are toxic alcohol that has adverse effects, like nausea, vomiting, or headache. Such issues arise when a high amount of Methanol based hand sanitizers are being used on the skin. The issues are more serious with the effects, like blindness, seizures, or damage to the nervous system, if the Methanol based hand sanitizers are ingested. Also, drinking Methanol based hand sanitizer (accidentally or purposely) can be highly injurious to us. Medwin Pharmatech is GMP certified and our strict quality control procedures make sure that Sanitileum hand sanitizers are methanol free.

The hand sanitizers are safe to use, but they must be Isopropyl based hand sanitizers or ethyl based hand sanitizers. Avoid using Methanol based and 1-Propanol based hand sanitizers. Keep hand sanitizers out of reach of children and educate them on how to use hand sanitizers.