Well, I'm out of Brut... ;-) Seriously, I used to use Dial, but I stopped when they made it antibacterial, and started shuffling between various soap brands, ending up with a number of nasty rashes. As a last resort, I went to Irish Spring, and have had no trouble whatsoever since, close to a year now.
---------[ Received Mail Content ]---------- Subject : Re: [RE][scifinoir2] Antibacterial Soaps: Unnecessary Risks, No Benefits Date : Sun, 01 Feb 2009 04:40:49 +0000 From : keithbjohn...@comcast.net To : scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com Irish Spring? Funny, i haven't used that in ages. Next thing you'll be telling me you scrub down with Pumice, and get ready for a night on the town with some Brut on a rope! -------------- Original message ---------------------- From: "Martin Baxter" > Keith, I stopped using antibacterial soap years ago, for just the reasons > listed. > > Martin (Irish Spring man) > > > > > > ---------[ Received Mail Content ]---------- > > Subject : [scifinoir2] Antibacterial Soaps: Unnecessary Risks, No Benefits > > Date : Sat, 31 Jan 2009 20:28:24 +0000 > > From : keithbjohn...@comcast.net > > To : scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com > > > Well, been hearing about this for a while now. Guess it's time to throw out > the > Dial antibacterial soap and just stick with the old standards. Wonder if they > still sell Lifebuoy? Although I don't care what anyone says: still using > paper > towels to open public toilet doors! > > *********************************************** > > http://www.divinecaroline.com/article/22178/66003-antibacterial-soaps--unnecessa > ry-risks--no > > Antibacterial Soaps: Unnecessary Risks, No Benefits > By: Sarah Krupp (View Profile) > > Make no mistake about it. They are everywhere. Your body is swimming in them, > the keyboard on your computer is blanketed, and that five-dollar bill you > handed > to the cashier before eating your scone is a virtual minefield. Bacteria are > omnipresent. > > I have two friends with vastly different approaches to these microscopic > threats. One believes the best way to beat them is to commune with them and > recommends�only half jokingly�eating off the kitchen floor once a week to > build up the ol� immune system. The other friend washes his hands incessantly > and refuses to take public transportation for fear of infection. He tries not > to > touch anything. And although this approach is stringent, the truth is, we > Americans are becoming more and more like friend number two. We open restroom > doors with paper towels and disinfect after every handshake. In short, we are > becoming a nation of germaphobes. > > Fearing the insidious little creatures that make us sick but knowing we can�t > dodge them all, we aim to destroy them with an arsenal of antibacterial hand > soaps, detergents, toothpaste, and even mattresses and toys. It seems logical > to > want total eradication of the microorganisms that cause illness, infection, > and > in extreme circumstances, death�unfortunately, it�s not that simple. > > More Harm Than Good > For starters, there is little proof that the antibacterial soap you buy at > the > drug store actually kills the most-dreaded microbes: S. aureus (staph) and E. > coli. Plus, living in a disinfected bubble can actually be bad for your > health > and the environment. Many experts believe that too much sanitization weakens > the > immune system and may create lethal superbugs that are antibiotic resistant. > If > that�s not enough, the bacteria-killing chemicals go down the drain and into > our waterways, harming wildlife and potentially ending up back in our bodies > where they can present health risks. > > Although you have likely heard at least some of this before, you probably > still > reach for the antibacterial soap to clean your bathroom and wash your hands. > The > psychological draw is undeniable. In fact, scientists� warnings have not > dampened the burgeoning market. Antibacterial products are a one billion > dollar > industry and make up nearly 80 percent of all liquid soaps. In 2003, there > were > fewer than 200 antibacterial products on the market; currently there are over > 3,000. > > The biggest�and most publicized�concern is whether antibacterial products, > like the overuse of antibiotics, will eventually create more of the > untreatable > bacteria we fear. By creating a hostile environment, antibacterial agents > promote strains of bacteria with certain mutations that allow them to > survive. > These superbugs are also more likely to be immune to antibiotics. The most > commonly used antimicrobial in soaps�triclosan�has already shown resistance > to S. aureous. > > No Better Than Regular Soap > Still, the most important piece of information when you are staring at an > aisle > full of cleansers is whether or not the antibacterial soaps fulfill their > promise. > > According to the Food and Drug Administration and the American Medical > Association, they are no more effective at preventing infections than regular > soap. The bacteria-killing chemicals in common over-the-counter soaps are too > diluted to kill the heartier microbes that pose the most threat to humans; > they > do not present any advantage over using regular soap. Plus, the average > person > is a lazy hand washer. Most of us wash our hands for less than ten > seconds�five seconds is the norm�which gives the toxins little chance to > bind to the bacteria and do their job. In one study, a standard strain of E. > coli had to be bathed in store-bought antibacterial soap for a minimum of two > hours before being killed. Mutated strains survived for twice as long. > > So, these antibacterial agents, having failed at their mission, are then > washed > down the drain where they go on to cause serious environmental problems. Even > after water purification, a large percentage of the toxins remain, entering > our > waterways and our bodies. A 2007 study detected triclosan in seventeen of > twenty-one people. The chemicals were found in blood samples, urine, and > breast > milk. While it�s not yet clear that these chemicals negatively impact humans, > animal studies show that triclocarban interferes with rat reproduction and > triclosan triggers tadpoles to mature into frogs at a much more rapid rate. > Because of their unknown effects in humans, many scientists advise against > taking the risk. There is also evidence that when triclosan is mixed with > chlorine�even the low levels common in drinking water�it creates a toxin > that has been identified as a probable carcinogen. > > While the research on the negative effects of antibacterial soaps is far from > definitive, the evidence that they are no better at preventing illness than > regular soap is. So why use them? It doesn�t mean giving up on hygiene. > Don�t stop washing your hands�or start eating off the floor, for that > matter. Buy a regular bar or hand soap that doesn�t contain unnecessary > chemicals or look for brands with natural ingredients. And when you are > washing > your hands with your non-antibacterial soap, do it right. Lather up for ten > seconds and rub hard. Exfoliation is the best way to rid your skin of > bacteria. > Most importantly, until more is known about antimicrobial chemicals, avoid > them > if you are pregnant or have an infant. If triclosan and triclocarban are > dangerous to humans, the smaller the body, the greater the harm they can > cause. > > ------------------------------------ > > Post your SciFiNoir Profile at > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/scifinoir2/app/peoplemap2/entry/add?fmvn=mapYahoo! > > Groups Links > > > > > > http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQdwk8Yntds http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQdwk8Yntds
