Protection Without Consequences: How To Choose The Right Antiseptic

Not so long ago, most of us thought that disinfection was something professional, from the life of surgeons. People who wash their hands too often and too thoroughly were treated with suspicion and condescension. Not everyone remembers that Howard Hughes ("The Aviator") was a financial genius, an aviation pioneer and filmmaker, but almost everyone knows his pathological suspiciousness and phobia of disease. He did not touch the doorknobs, constantly washed his hands, slept on specially disinfected sheets. The time has come for us to reconsider our attitude to such things. And even temporarily become germophobes, that is, people who do not leave their homes without a disinfectant.

“The most basic way to protect yourself from infection is to wash your hands with soap and water. If we do not have the opportunity to thoroughly wash our hands (and this happens quite often), then we use an antiseptic,”explains pharmacist Iskuhi Harutyunyan. - Since we are now living in an era of pandemic, ideally, doctors recommend that you first wash your hands thoroughly, and then also treat your skin with an antiseptic. In no case after do we blot our hands with a napkin or towel. Applied, pounded - everything. After that, you can safely touch your face or food: 30 seconds after contact with the skin, the antiseptic dries completely.

By and large, in which format the product will be presented - spray, gel, solution - does not matter. All such drugs have one purpose - to destroy viruses, microbes, bacteria, fungi. But the composition of disinfectants can be different: based on sodium hypochlorite, ethanol, chlorhexidine, peracetic acid, isopropyl alcohol …"

Speaking specifically about the coronavirus COVID-19, it is quite tenacious and is able to remain active for many hours after being hit on various surfaces, including electronic devices and clothing. But there is good news. “It is relatively easy to destroy CoVid-19, because, unlike some other viruses, its shell consists of fats, which means that it is actually enough to degrease the surface to get rid of it,” says a dermatologist, an expert in the development of cosmetics, author of a bestselling book. Beauty Myths”, the founder of the professional cosmetics brand Meder Beauty Science Tiina Orasmäe-Meder. “Well, and still 20 seconds of hand washing with soap and water is the best way to avoid problems. Soap can be the most common, surfactants in it destroy the virus effectively,even if there are no additional components in the composition. Antibacterial soap has no benefit because a virus is not a bacterium.

Antiseptic for hands Fabulous Hands, Margret Dabbs

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As for antiseptics, I urge everyone to pay attention to their composition. An alcohol-based antiseptic should contain at least 60% ethanol. Chlorine-based hand antiseptics are not used as they may be harmful to the skin.

It is important to understand that the virus can live in any microcracks, therefore, alas, covering nails with varnish, especially acrylic or gel polish, can increase the risk of infection. So I advise, if possible, to refuse to cover the nails during the prevention of the spread of the virus.

As for cleansing other parts of the body, in particular the face, the same rules remain in force here: wash with a quality product that removes dirt and excess fat, twice a day - in the morning and in the evening. To be on the safe side, if possible, I recommend washing your face every time you return from the street, after visiting public places or using public transport. There is no need to use antiseptics for the face: you do not need to wipe it with alcohol and even more so with a chlorine solution (as some sites sometimes advise)! This can damage the skin and impair its natural protective properties. But hair today can be safely washed daily. And don't forget to wash your clothes more often."

And, of course, one cannot fail to say a few words about face masks, which disappeared from all counters with fantastic speed. Not so long ago (albeit before "all of this") in the journal The Lancet published the results of a study that showed that only surgical four-layer masks and masks of the N95 type provide significant protection against the SARS virus. Disposable and three-layer paper masks are as effective as a regular headscarf tied around the face. All masks can do is reduce the risk of contracting the virus through a “splash” of sneezing or coughing. In fact, this is already a lot. But it is important to remember that such "protection" should be changed as often as possible, maximum every three hours. Otherwise, it itself becomes a source of infection, and even causes skin irritation. If you bought a respirator with a valve, then this, of course, is a more reliable option, but it requires some maintenance. After a day of wearing, it is advisable to sterilize such a mask - either keep it in a sterilizer, or treat it with a jet of steam (even from an iron with a water hammer), avoiding contact with the filter.

Antiseptics are something that is applied to the body, and disinfectants are designed to treat various surfaces: railings, countertops, door handles. Disinfection stories have recently supplanted the previously fashionable Instagram lifestyle stories about hygge and lag, elevating the worship of sterility into a cult. The first swallow in this matter can be considered the head of the fashion department of Instagram, the blogger-millionaire Eva Chen, who, long before the pandemic, every time she was on board the plane, treated the table and armchair handles with disinfectant wipes. Now she does it with special zeal, but not on the plane, but within the boundaries of her own home. Apparently, medical education (Eva studied at a medical college) has borne fruit.

Disinfectants for yoga mats are another unusual angle from a serious protective and preventive story. They are always worn for training by Gwyneth Paltrow, Christy Turlington, and Emma Watson.

Moisturizing hand sanitizer Power Mist, Touchland

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The most common form for household use is indoor air purification sprays. One of them, the Puressentiel Air Purifying Spray, has become a legend. It is a 100% natural product containing 41 essential oils.

It helps kill bacteria, viruses and mold, freshens the air and eliminates allergy sources. They can handle not only rooms, but also bed linen, in general, any surfaces. As a preventive measure, Puressentiel Cleansing Spray is recommended to be used twice a day, spraying in the air and leaving for 30 minutes, after which it is imperative to ventilate the room. “In 2015, Australian scientists compared the antifungal activity of essential oil versus industrial indoor disinfectants,” says aromatherapist Natalya Shatskaya. - As a result, two well-known drugs - 70% ethanol and vinegar - gave way to tea tree, which was used in liquid and vapor form. Moreover, it has been proventhat essential oils are antibacterial even against antibiotic-resistant strains. In addition to the tea tree, I advise you to look in the list of active ingredients for the oil of Scots pine, lemongrass, geranium."

New beauty reality

Concern LVMH used all the production capacities of Parfums Christian Dior, Parfums Givenchy and Guerlain to produce a sufficient amount of antiseptics for the needs of France.
"Laboratory of Modern Cosmetics" Mixit from Russia has reoriented all its production facilities for the production of antiseptic agents.
The HolikHolik brand offers to make a do-it-yourself sanitizer: mix 60 ml of their Aloe 99% gel and 40 ml of isopropyl alcohol (from 91%) in a separate bottle with a pump and wipe the resulting solution on your hands, phone and other surfaces. A powerful antiseptic and beneficial moisturizing in one bottle.
The concept of "non-contact makeup" has appeared. We are talking about airbrushing - applying makeup without touching the skin. An example is the first wireless gadget Temptu Air, which sprays foundation on the face, while allowing you to adjust the coverage density.

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