Is there any difference between hand sanitizer and disinfectant? Is hand sanitizer good for the skin?

During the epidemic, in addition to masks, disinfection products are also urgently needed. Protective products such as hand sanitizer and disinfectant have become must-have items for every household and business. So, what is the difference between hand sanitizer and disinfectant?

What is the difference between hand sanitizer and disinfectant?

The main ingredients and targeted groups of people of hand sanitizer and disinfectant are different. The main ingredients of hand sanitizer are trichlorohydroxydiphenyl ether, ethanol, skin care agents, etc. It mainly targets common bacteria such as Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. It is very convenient to use and is mainly used by ordinary people. The main components of hand-free disinfectants are ether, alcohol with a concentration of 75% or above, and chlorine-containing disinfectants. Compared with ordinary hand-free disinfectants, medical hand-free disinfectants contain higher ethanol concentrations and have better antibacterial effects. Currently, medical hand disinfectant is mainly used by medical staff before surgical operations. It can reduce the risk of infection at the surgical site and improve the success rate of the operation. It is also used in many daily medical operations and examinations to help avoid cross-infection.

Is hand sanitizer good for the skin?

Generally does not cause damage to the skin. Because the main active ingredients of hand sanitizer are alcohol or benzalkonium chloride, alcohol is a common bactericidal disinfectant in medical and other fields. The benzalkonium chloride content in hand sanitizer is very small and generally does not cause irritation to the skin. Alcohol is a disinfectant ingredient commonly used in the medical field. It is highly volatile and has little irritation to the skin.

In addition, hand sanitizers usually contain skin care ingredients such as glycerin and lipids, which can protect the skin to a certain extent after cleaning. Therefore, the use of hand sanitizers generally does not cause damage to the skin. However, if your skin is allergic to alcohol, using hand sanitizer may cause discomfort on your hands.

The dangers of using hand sanitizer

1. Hand-free disinfectant can only disinfect, not remove dirt. If your hands are dirty or dusty, using hand-free disinfectant will not clean your hands. In this case, you still need to clean your hands with running water.

2. Hand sanitizer contains alcohol. If your skin is allergic to alcohol, it may cause skin discomfort.

3. Frequent use of hand sanitizer may lead to excessive cleaning of hands, which may cause the skin of hands to become dry. Therefore, it is recommended to apply moisturizer in time after using hand sanitizer.