Washing hands has always been insisted as the best way to maintain hygiene and health. This has now become a norm and a solution to combat the pandemic. Thanks to Covid-19 that taught the world to regularly use hand hygiene products like avagard hand rub, hand wash, or hand sanitisers to keep hands clean at all times. Good hand hygiene is the most crucial step to avoid getting sick and spreading germs/ viruses to others. Your hands act as vectors in transmitting many infections, micro-organisms and diseases.
Remember, while visiting a healthcare facility, there are all the more chances of you carrying nosocomial infection (health-care-associated infection) home. But if you use antiseptic hand hygiene solutions, you can easily save yourself and your family from getting infected. As the importance of hand hygiene has increased in the past few years, all types of hand-hygiene products are being developed.
Various kinds of products available for hand hygiene
Soap
As you all know, soaps are detergent-based solutions; these are suitable for only removing soil, dirt, and organic substances when used with water. These products may or may not contain preservatives and bacteriostatic agents that help prevent or minimise bacterial growth. Hence, they have minimal antimicrobial activity but are suitable for removing adherent flora. Though, the design and construction of the dispenser will play a key role in determining the risk of contamination. It is advisable to use wall-mounted or foot-operated dispensers wherever possible to avoid potential contamination of dispensers and use disposable cartridges instead of refillable cartridges.
Alcohol-based solutions
Alcohol-containing hand hygiene solutions are formulated to activate micro-organisms and temporarily suppress their growth. These solutions usually contain one or more types of alcohol and other ingredients like humectants and excipients. Alcohol-based formulations are available in liquid, foam and gel; however, it has been tested and proven that alcohol-based gel rubs have significantly less antibacterial activity than hydroalcoholic solutions. For the same reason, hydroalcoholic liquid rubs are more effective in healthcare facilities.
Aqueous antiseptic handwash solutions
There are three types of antiseptic handwash solutions- povidone-iodine, chlorhexidine gluconate and triclosan. A number of studies show that chlorhexidine is a better antiseptic handwashing solution than povidone-iodine. The antimicrobial spectrum of triclosan and chlorhexidine is narrower, and their microbial activity is also slower than that of the hydroalcoholic solutions. Chlorhexidine is the most recommended choice of healthcare professionals for its more excellent antimicrobial activity and faster action. These are widely used to carry out aseptic procedures in high-risk areas like isolation wards, ICU, before and after wound care facilities, and even before/ after performing invasive procedures.
Surgical hand scrubs
As the name suggests, surgeons use hand hygiene before and after performing any surgical procedure. Surgical handwashing solutions are designed to remove debris and kill the transient micro-organisms from the surgeons’ nails, forearms, and hands. Plus, these solutions also reduced the resident flora count to a minimum. Substantial reduction and suppuration of resident flora of the surgical team is vital for the duration of the operation.
Conclusion
Several products are available in the market, and you must select brands like avagard that are prepared to fight ailments and cater to your needs. Remember, good hand hygiene is vital for your well-being, and so is the handwashing solution you use. However, the technique you use to wash your hands, covering all surfaces of your hands, is all the more critical. So use proper technique, quality products and protect yourself from all kinds of infections.