germicidal wipes

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We understand the temptation to reach out for one of the convenient disinfecting wipes when you need to clean your hands, which has almost always existed in the COVID-19 era. After all, wet wipes are convenient and can kill bacteria, so… why not, right?
We even heard of people using them on the face. However, while disinfecting wipes may be antiseptics, this does not make them beneficial to your skin. Before you wipe your skin with wet wipes, you need to know the following.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) maintains a list of disinfectants, including wipes that can kill SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19). Only two products on the list-Lysol disinfectant spray and Lysol disinfectant Max Cover Mist-were tested directly against SARS-CoV-2 and were specifically approved by the EPA for COVID-19 in July 2020.
The other products on the list are either because they are effective against a virus that is harder to kill than SARS-CoV-2, or they are effective against another human coronavirus similar to SARS-CoV-2, so experts believe they will kill According to the EPA, so does the new coronavirus.
“Hand sanitizer works within 20 seconds. You rub it and your hands are dry and they are clean,” said Beth Ann Lambert, director of system infection control at the Ochsner Health Center for Quality and Patient Safety in New Orleans. “The contact time of these wipes can be up to 5 minutes. Unless your hands are kept moist during that time, they will not be completely disinfected.”
And they should not be used on your hands. “Most surface disinfectants do say [to] wear gloves or wash hands after use,” Lambert said.
“The skin on our hands is thicker,” said Carrie L. Kovarik, MD, associate professor of dermatology at the University of Pennsylvania Hospital in Philadelphia. “Face is a completely different ball game, and when we wear masks, our eyes and noses and everything else will be irritated.”
Wipes and other disinfectants are suitable for hard surfaces such as glass, steel and different countertops. According to Northern University, experts test these wipes or “towels” by placing some organisms on a glass slide, then treating them with sterile wipes, and then placing the glass in an environment where the organisms can normally grow. Carolina.
Ultimately, it depends on the ingredients in the product and how sensitive your skin is. But please consider these potential problems.
“This is a very different set of wipes, they are made of different things,” said Dr. Kovarik, who is also a member of the COVID-19 Working Group of the American Academy of Dermatology. “Some of them contain bleach, some contain ammonium chloride-which is contained in many Clorox and Lysol products-and most contain a certain percentage of alcohol.”
Bleach is a well-known skin irritant, meaning a substance that can cause harm to anyone, whether or not you have a specific allergy.
Lambert added that alcohol may be milder, but just because the product says it contains ethanol (alcohol) does not ensure it is safe.
Disinfectant ingredients can also cause contact dermatitis, which is an allergic reaction to a certain substance. Dr. Kovarik said that perfumes and preservatives are more likely to happen.
Studies have shown that according to the dermatitis study in January 2017, some preservatives found in wet wipes, and even wet wipes used for personal or cosmetic purposes, such as methyl isothiazolinone and methyl chloroisothiazolinone, can cause Allergic reaction. According to a study by JAMA Dermatology in January 2016, these contact allergies seem to be on the rise.
“They can dry out the skin, they can cause itching. They can cause redness on the hands like poison ivy, cracks in the skin, like cracks on the fingertips, and sometimes even small blisters-this will only attract more Many bacteria,” Dr. Kovalik said. The same thing can happen to your face. “They are taking away your skin barrier.”
She added that alcohol-based disinfectants can also cause some of the same problems, although they are not as easy as wet wipes because they evaporate quickly.
“If you have open sores, eczema, psoriasis, or sensitive skin, using these wipes to clean your hands may have a very bad reaction,” said Michele S. Green, MD, a dermatologist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the best way to wash your hands with or without COVID-19 is to wash your hands with soap under running water for about 20 seconds. Hand sanitizer (containing at least 60% alcohol) followed closely.
When you wash your hands, you are actually removing bacteria, not just killing them. Dr. Kovarik said that with hand sanitizer, you can kill bacteria, but they just stay on your hands.
But you need to wash your hands properly. She said that running water would splash in more places, such as between fingers and under nails.
In the COVID-19 era, CDC recommends that frequently touched surfaces such as door handles, light switches, handles, toilets, faucets, sinks, and electronic products such as mobile phones and remote controls are cleaned frequently. Always follow the instructions on the label. In fact, these instructions may tell you to remove your gloves when using the product or to wash your hands immediately after use.
Remember, according to the CDC, cleaning and disinfection are different. Cleaning removes dirt and bacteria, thereby reducing the risk of infection. Disinfection is actually the use of chemicals to kill bacteria.
Suppose you have been exposed to a known COVID-19 and there is no soap, water or disinfectant available. In this unlikely situation, as long as you don’t touch your eyes, rubbing a wipe on your hand may not cause you much harm. It is not clear whether it will actually kill SARS-CoV-2.
The problem is that you still need to wash your hands as soon as possible afterwards, which includes whether you wipe the surface with bare hands. “These chemicals shouldn’t stay on your skin,” Dr. Green said.
Never use wet wipes on hands or face frequently. Keep them away from children; their skin is more delicate and sensitive.
“I can see that worried parents might wipe their children’s hands or even their faces, which just [may] cause crazy rashes,” said Dr. Kovarik.
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