Are antibacterial products harmful? Are they more effective?
Did you know that in September of 2016 the FDA banned the use of 19 different active ingredients, 2 of the most common being triclosan and triclocarban, from over-the-counter antibacterial hand and body washes? While this was a great step in the right direction, there are still several things consumers need to know about the dangers of antibacterials today.
Why are ingredients like triclosan and triclocarban harmful?
These ingredients are known endocrine disrupters and suspected carcinogens linked to the following effects on human health:
* Abnormal endocrine system/thyroid hormone signaling
* Alters hormone regulation
* Weakening of immune system
* Children exposed to antibacterial products at an early age have an increased chance of developing allergies, asthma and eczema
* Uncontrolled cell growth
* Developmental and reproductive toxicity
* Triclosan is also lipophilic, which means it can bioaccumulate in your fat for long periods of time, and as reported by Scientific American, triclosan is now detectable in human breast milk, blood, and urine samples.
* Contributes to bacterial resistance in our bodies (bacterial resistance to antibiotics)
And here’s a kicker…not only did the FDA rule it as unsafe but also virtually ineffective.
“Consumers may think antibacterial washes are more effective at preventing the spread of germs, but we have no scientific evidence that they are any better than plain soap and water,” said Janet Woodcock, M.D., director of the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER). “In fact, some data suggests that antibacterial ingredients may do more harm than good over the long-term.”
My Top Picks for Safer Hand Soap
A few of my favorite safer natural hand soaps are:
- Everyone Soap -scented with essential oils and they have many unique scents! Works really well and great price!!!
- Betterlife -It smells amazing without any synthetic fragrances and effectively cleans your hands without any harmful or skin irritating ingredients!
- EcoMe Hand Soap -Not as “heavy duty” in my mind…like if you have a ton of grease from food on your hands it’s not as easy to clean…but good for maybe a powder room/bathroom hand soap.
(All above hand soaps are available in my Amazon Storefront under “cleaning clean” section)
- Mama Suds -love love love this brand! I love the lemon scent the best! (Shop this link https://www.mamasuds.com/?rfsn=4102964.ffac72 and use code CLM10 for 10% off your order!)
Antibacterials in Hand Sanitizers
Now, even though the FDA banned triclosan and triclocarban from hand and body washes, these ingredients are still being used in A TON of other products we use everyday.
Some of those are: toothpaste (and other dental products), cosmetics, deodorant, personal care products, dish detergent, first-aid, kitchenware, toys, workout clothing, laundry detergent, tissues, hand sanitizers, and sanitizing wipes, just to name a few!!
Now call me crazy, but if these ingredients posed several long term health risks in the hand and body washes…that don’t sit on your skin long and you wash off…wouldn’t they also pose the same harmful effects in ALL THOSE OTHER PRODUCTS TOO…if not more?!?? Why not ban the ingredients from the consumer market altogether!?
The FDA’s official statement says they need more information and data before deciding to remove these ingredients from any further products. (And that could take years at best) As I said above, while it was a step in the right direction, it was very much still incomplete.
Hand sanitizer and sanitizing wipes are one of the biggest offenders of these ingredients still today.
One of the ways you can start to avoid those is by skipping the purell and sanitize with something with less harsh ingredients. Avoid any products with labels that include triclosan or triclocarban. (Also marketed as microbial or antibacterial)
My Top Picks For Safer Hand Sanitizer
- Dr. Bronner’s organic hand sanitizer -It only has 4 ingredients and the lavender scent smells fantastic. (It does contain alcohol which makes it more effective) (Also in my amazon store)
- doTERRA OnGaurd hand sanitizer -love this one! Mixing the natural antibacterial essential oils with alcohol!
Onto the next offending products! I think it goes without saying that neosporin and bactine, though they claim to be “safe for the whole family”, are FULL of ingredients that have been banned or restricted by the EU and Canada for their harmful effects on human health! (mostly immunotoxic and reproductive toxic)
My Top Picks For Safer Antibacterial Sprays and Creams
- doTERRA’s correct x cream or the helichrysum essential oil -The helichrysum oil is known for its anti-inflammatory and rejuvenating properties, and it’s also naturally antimicrobial! Frankincense, Helichrysum, Melaleuca, Cedarwood, and Lavender essential oils known to help assist in soothing skin irritations, are used in the dōTERRA Correct-X cream. “This multi-purpose, natural ointment helps soothe skin and keep it clean while recovering from distress. Correct-X provides a moisture barrier that helps protect while simultaneously soothing and hydrating the skin. This petroleum-free, preservative-free ointment absorbs quickly and is gentle and non-irritating, making it ideal for sensitive skin.”
- Young Living ClaraDerm Spray -I would say this is a gentler spray but effective (I actually really liked this postpartum)
Antibacterials in Disinfectants
Did you know that the EPA classifies Lysol as a pesticide?? (Thanks to one of its ingredients, dimethyl benzyl ammonium saccharinate)
We tend to think that just because the bottle says “kills up to 99.9% of germs and bacteria”, that it makes it safe and even good to use.
Wrong.
On top of containing pesticides, it also contains a whole lot of other ingredients harmful to our health like:
-propane and butane: aerosol propellants/ lower levels of these can damage lungs, nervous system, and vision, and cause fatigue
-fragrance: this is often code for “we don’t want to disclose what makes this scent or just disclose some ingredients in general so we’ll just use the word fragrance”
Among the many problematic hidden ingredients, phthalates are frequently among them. phthalates are endocrine distributors some of which are linked with early puberty, autism, obesity, and birth defects etc.
If you’re not sold yet on Lysol’s toxicity, a study in 2007 tested 74 air freshening type products (including Lysol) and measured the concentration of VOCs (volatile organic compounds) in the air after use. They reported that more than 350 different harmful chemicals and allergens were detected.
Yet we liberally spray this throughout our houses, on objects that we touch with our hands constantly, or wipe and spray baby toys which then go right inside kids mouths.
Not cool.
My Top Picks For Disinfectant Room Sprays
- My DIY Disinfectant Spray Recipe -this homemade, natural remedy is easy to make if you’re an essential oil lover like me and it’s super effective!! View Recipe Here
- Force of Nature Spray -great ingredients backed by science…(comes with test results showing what strains of bacteria and germs etc it kills effectively) literally just water, salt, and vinegar electrolized! Very versatile and can also be used as an all purpose cleaner! View Discount Codes Page for current discount code!
(This post contains affiliate links…check out my disclosure page to see why this doesn’t sway my opinions or recommendations)
Sources:
https://qz.com/773202/fda-antibacterial-soap-ban-triclosan/
epa.gov/sites/production/files/2015-10/documents/petition.pdf
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