If 2020 taught us anything, it’s that basic hygiene starts with a good hand sanitizer. And while the Corona Virus made us more aware of how easily contamination spreads, the increase in chemical sanitizers have had adverse effects too. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently issued warnings against 75 hand sanitizer products containing dangerous levels of toxic methanol (known to cause blindness and death when ingested).
Hand Sanitizer
Naturally, hygiene and sanitation is not an area in which one should take risks – especially amidst a global pandemic. That said, it’s equally important to be aware of the side effects that many chemical-based products can have. These include:
• Dehydrated and dry skin causing dermatitis to the affected region
• Inhaling methanol fumes can cause vomiting, dizziness, headaches, weakness, visual impairment, and the loss of consciousness
• Chemical fumes are highly flammable – another potential danger
• Alcohol Poisoning: The active ingredient in some hand sanitisers is a type of alcohol that acts as an antimicrobial and kills bacteria. Children who may ingest it by mistake suffer grave health implications as well as hospitalization
• Weakened Immune System: Chemical sanitisers – especially those containing triclosan – can harm the immune system. This is because it has been shown to make certain bacteria resistant to antibiotics. In other words, some chemical hand sanitisers can lower the resistance to diseases by killing off the good bacteria (which we need to protect us against the bad bacteria).
Best Hand Sanitizer in dubai
The American Association of Poison Control Centers reported a 59% increase in the number of hand sanitiser exposure cases in the USA as of July 2020. Naturally, these statistics have nothing to do with the UAE and are no reflection on the state of affairs in this region. However, it does serve to highlight the importance of choosing a reliable hand sanitiser, as many of the toxic ones are readily available in supermarkets.
How to spot a safe sanitiser:
- Do your research: Go to brands that have a proven track record of reliability
- Read labels: Make sure that the product you’re buying has ethanol/ethyl alcohol or isopropyl/isopropanol as their active ingredient
- Glycerin, hydrogen peroxide, and sterile water have also been identified by the FDA as necessary ingredients
Due to the many warning being issued against manufactures not following approved guidelines, many consumers have started making their own hand sanitizers at home. Generally, this seems easy enough: Mix pure alcohol with an essential oil (such as rosemary or eucalyptus), and add aloe vera gel to preserve its germ-fighting power.
But this too poses a few problems. Firstly, alcohol is highly flammable and dangerous to keep in the home – and in the UAE, illegal. Besides, unless you are sure that your home is 100% sterile, your homemade sanitiser can easily become contaminated. Lastly, the consistency of your sanitiser is important too. To get the consistency right, thickeners and emollients need to be added to it (usually requiring an industrial mixer).
So if you’re looking to find the ultimate balance between a natural product that has none of the toxic side effects, but has also been made correctly, then SterilOx is your answer. Take a look at our wide selection of product offerings as well as the revolutionary technologies that created them. Your health and safety really couldn’t be in better hands.
