The Myth of Antibacterial Soap

Introduction

The popular notion that anti bacterial soap gives us better protection against germs is nothing but a myth. An antibacterial soap is no better than a regular soap. This is true because using an antibacterial soap on a regular basis can hamper the body's natural immune system. Moreover, the anti bacterial ingredient in an antibacterial soap is Triclosan which loses its effectiveness when mixed with soap. Lastly, an antibacterial soap cannot give us cent percent protection against germs as vowed by most of the antibacterial soaps (Krupp, p. 2).

Discussion

Hand washing is the single most effective way that a person can use to protect himself from many bacteria such as flu and other viral infections. Antibacterial soaps are essential for our daily fight against bacteria in that they form a protective layer on our body that blocks bacteria. When present in the antibacterial soap in high concentration, Triclosan can practically kill bacteria. However, when it is present in low concentration, Triclosan prevents the growth of bacteria. Moreover, the antibacterial soap manufacturers defend their product by stating that the function of an antibacterial soap is to protect the humans against the bacteria and germs that are present on their hands and body (Aiello, p. 138). It harms the bacteria and not the human body. Hence, the constituent Triclosan is not something that poses a threat to the human body. Instead, it is beneficial for humans and should be made a part of our daily lives in order to protect ourselves from falling ill. The chemical that is detrimental to the human skin is not the Triclosan, but the Sodium Lauryl Sulfate that is present in excess quantity in the typical soap. It is this chemical that creates lather in a soap but is malignant for the human skin. Hence, an antibacterial soap is better than a regular soap because it better serves the cleaning purpose for which soap is used.

Regular soaps contain about 0.2% of Triclosan. Hence, a regular soap can give us the same protection against bacteria as an antibacterial soap. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, any soap whether regular, beauty or antibacterial soap, when used with warm water removes most of the bacteria present on our hands and the rest of the body (Krupp, p. 2). Therefore, there is no reason to believe the baseless claims made by the antibacterial soap manufacturers on the need to use an antibacterial soap for the entire family in place of a regular soap for a healthy lifestyle. The use of an antibacterial soap, that too an antibacterial soap with high concentration of Triclosan, makes sense in the hospitals where patients have a weak immune system.

The safety of an antibacterial soap has been debated many times in spite of the popular notion of its effectiveness. Many manufacturing agencies are including the antibacterial agent in food and cosmetic products where it is not needed. They are doing it to give their product an ...