2023-05-05 08:39:14
Since the Covid-19 pandemic, hydroalcoholic gel has been part of the daily life of all French people. At home, at work, in shops, at the doctor’s, … it is present everywhere and we all have to disinfect our hands with it, sometimes several times a day. But how does this gel destroy microbes? This article explains how hydroalcoholic gel disinfects the hands, killing viruses and bacteria.
A microbial-killing formulation
On all packaging of gel hydroalcoholicare mentioned French standards relating to the action of frost on bacteriaTHE virus and the mushrooms microscopic (yeasts). This gel has a formulation that gives it antibacterial, antifungal properties and action on a long list of viruses. Since its action on all viruses has not been tested, only the tested viruses are mentioned, including SARS-Cov2 responsible for Covid-19.
How does the hydroalcoholic gel work on the microbes ? It is made up of different constituents:
- Some water ;
- Alcohols (ethanol, isopropanol);
- Oxygenated water.
Depending on the formulation, the respective proportions of these components may vary slightly, but the formula must comply with the standards in force, in particular the recommendations of the WHO.
The hydroalcoholic gel disinfects the hands, but does not wash them!
Although the use of this gel has become the norm since the Covid-19 epidemic, public health authorities still recommend favoring the hand washing with soap and water, whenever possible. Indeed, the hydroalcoholic gel destroys the microbes, but does not remove the dirt present on the hands. The hands therefore remain dirty, even once the germs have been destroyed. On the other hand, water and soap eliminate dirt and also germs. The hydroalcoholic gel disinfects, while the soap washes.
The Savon acts on microbes with less powerful mechanisms than the compounds of the hydroalcoholic gel. The soap alters the envelope of bacteria or viruses, detaches them from the skin and allows them to be eliminated when rinsing. THE alcohols contained in the hydroalcoholic gel attack the envelopes and walls of microbes, by destructuring the proteins they contain. Then the alcohol penetrates the pathogen and finishes destroying it. This formidable action can however be less when the hands are very dirty, the microbes “hiding” in a way behind the dirt.
The hydroalcoholic gel must be prepared and used according to defined rules
This gel is therefore a powerful destroyer of microbes, but be careful, the formulation must be respected precisely. “Homemade” hydroalcoholic gels may be less effective, in particular if they do not respect the necessary percentage of alcohol (which must be at least 65%). In addition, preparing your own gel can expose you to certain risks, such as poisoning or burns (for example with hydrogen peroxide).
To be as effective as possible, it must be used on visibly clean hands (without visible traces of dirt), with a friction of at least 30 seconds on all parts of the hand, until the hands are dry. Ideally, you should be able to combine washing with soap and water, then friction with hydroalcoholic gel to have perfectly clean and disinfected hands. But we must also beware of the harmful effect of this gel on the skin. It should also not be used on injured skin (wound, burn, abrasion, etc.) and its use should be limited in children or in the event of high heat. The hydroalcoholic gel is therefore a powerful antimicrobial agentwhich should be used in the right way and only when necessary!
Estelle B., Doctor of Pharmacy
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