The flu season is now here and steps must be taken to fight the spread of both the common cold, flu, and the dangerous H1N1 disease. Many studies show that hand sanitizers work well in clinical settings like hospitals, where hands come into contact with germs but generally are not heavily soiled or greasy 16 Some data also show that hand sanitizers may work well against certain types of germs on slightly soiled hands 17 , 18 However, hands may become very greasy or soiled in community settings, such as after people handle food, play sports, work in the garden, or go camping or fishing.
Each alcohol-based hand treatment involved wetting the hands with 1.5 mL test product followed by vigorously rubbing hands together for 15 s. handdispensers.com The tap water treatment differed in that hands were held under running water and vigorously rubbed together for 15 s, followed by air drying.

Antibacterial hand sanitizer use may cause skin sensitivity in the form of itching, burning sensation or dry skin 1 2 Most forms of the sanitizer contain alcohol, which can easily cause redness, dryness and even peeling of skin, especially if used too often.
According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) , there has been a sharp increase in hand sanitizer products that are labeled to contain the commonly used ethanol (also known as ethyl alcohol) but have tested positive for methanol contamination.

Although all persons using these products on their hands are at risk for methanol poisoning, young children who accidently ingest these products and adolescents and adults who drink these products as an alcohol (ethanol) substitute, are most at risk.
In fact, now I'm regularly using a disinfectant (disposable disinfectant wipes, in particular) in the germ hotbed areas of my home, my family is washing their hands more often, and there's a bottle of alcohol-free hand sanitizer in every room of our house.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) found the following hand sanitizers were contaminated with methanol, a wood alcohol used to make fuel and anti-freeze, that can be absorbed through the skin and make you sick and even cause death or blindness when swallowed.

Washing with water alone will reduce bacteria to 23 percent, according to a January 2011 study in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health But using soap will reduce the total bacteria to about 8 percent, researchers found.
To reduce infections in healthcare settings, alcohol-based hand sanitizers are recommended as a component of hand hygiene ( 4 ). For alcohol-based hand sanitizers, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ( 5 ) recommends a concentration of 60% to 95% ethanol or isopropanol, the concentration range of greatest germicidal efficacy.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend hand washing as one of the most effective ways to protect yourself from communicable diseases, but if that's not an option, using hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol is a good alternative.
Add to that information is a study from researchers from the National University of Ireland that found a common disinfectant and antimicrobial agent used in hand sanitizers, benzalkonium chloride, has shown the ability to develop resistance to some antibiotics.

The FDA first released a warning statement on June 19 saying consumers should not buy hand sanitizer products from the Mexico-based manufacturer Eskbiochem, because they contain methanol. Washing your hands with soap and water is the best way to get rid of germs, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).