What to Look for in Hand Sanitizers

Information

Sep 7

Like toilet paper, hand sanitizers were hard to come by early on in the pandemic. And at that point a lot of us had to stop being picky about brands and such. Now that these commodities are becoming more readily available again, here are a few things to consider when choosing a hand sanitizer:

Alcohol content

About 60 to 95% as recommended by the CDC.

This is a recommendation by the CDC as rubbing alcohol with at least 70% alcohol (undiluted) will kill coronavirus on surfaces in about 30 seconds (2) . Though studies show that the effectiveness of hand sanitizers available commercially are most effective when rubbed in for 30 seconds, which most people don’t actually take the time to do (3) . So the ritual that people go through when applying the hand sanitizer is just as important as the content, if not more This is also a factor to take into consideration when disinfecting surfaces other people touch with sprays.

Scent (Not too strong)

Out of courtesy for others who are sensitive to scents, it’s always better to air on the safer side and go unscented whenever possible.

Mostly aloe

While you need alcohol in the hand sanitizers to kill the germs, alcohol can dry your skin up so the moisturizing effect of aloe is a vital balancing act, I purchased two different types of hand sanitizers and as you can see from the ingredients label on the back, the first ingredient listed in the Skin Care Gel Hand Sanitizer is water whereas the Honest Co Hand Sanitizer lists aloe respectively.

Pump or hands-free dispenser

Less hands contact with the container is better. If you need to resort to an easy purchase at the grocery store or pharmacy, try to find a hand sanitizer that comes in pump containers so that you don’t have to fidget with trying to open a lid or grabbing the bottle to squeeze it out.

If you do decide to invest in a touchless dispenser, consider getting one that has an area that catches any spillage below where your hands would go underneath the sensor like the one by iTouchless.

Where is it made?

The FDA warns that hand sanitizers manufactured by Eskbiochem SA de CV in Mexico may potentially contain methanol (wood alcohol) that can be toxic when aborbed through the skin or ingested. The following products are on the warning list of Eskbiochem hand sanitizers:

All-Clean Hand Sanitizers
Esk Biochem Hand Sanitizers
CleanCare NoGerm Andvanced Hand Sanitizer 75% Alcohol
Lavar 70 Gel Hand Sanitizer
The Good Gel Antibacterial Gel Hand Sanitizer
CleanCare NoGerm Advanced Hand Sanitizer 80% Alcohol
CleanCare NoGerm Advanced Hand Sanitizer 75% Alcohol
Saniderm Advanced Hand Sanitizer

1 https://www.fda.gov/drugs/drug-safety-and-availability/fda-advises-consumers-not-use-hand-sanitizer- products-manufactured-eskbiochem

2 https://www.uchealth.org/today/ins-and-outs-of-disinfecting- coronavirus/#:~:text=Isopropyl%20alcohol%20or%20rubbing%20alcohol,in%20about%2030%20seconds.

3 https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/26/7/20-0915_article

Emily Onoshi, CMT

Emily Onoshi is a Certified Massage Therapist and owner of More Mobility Massage in Cupertino, CA. A seasoned therapist for over 12 years working with clients from all walks of life. She has worked extensively with cancer patients, athletes, office workers, prenatal and pregnant women, as well as children. In her free time, she enjoys being with nature and hike the hills in Santa Cruz, CA.

http://moremobilitymassage.com