Hand Sanitiser, how safe is it?

[andipandi]

Specifically, the overuse of it. Isopropyl alcohol (amongst other ingredients like petro chemicals, ethanol etc) not being food grade and with everyone using it and being told to use it when entering a shop or premises, is there a danger of absorption through the skin into the bloodstream, and then a toxic build up?

Your body can handle small amounts of IPA. In fact, your kidneys remove approximately 20 to 50 percent of IPA from your body. The rest is broken down into acetone by enzymes known as alcohol dehydrogenases. This acetone is filtered out of your body through your lungs or kidneys.
However, when you ingest more IPA than your body can manage (which occurs around 200 milliliters for an adult), poisoning can occur.

https://www.healthline.com/health/isopropyl-alcohol#causes


Yes, 200ml, nobody is going to ingest that much, right? But this guy, whilst rambling on (he is quite hard work) and probably just trying to sell his products thinks all shop bought stuff is basically the work of the devil, got me thinking about it, I have to be careful what i advise my wife to use, due to her extreme allergies.

3.06 onward to avoid some of his ramblings, I'm also aware that his non toxic hand sanitiser does not have the minimum required percentage of alcohol, to be an effective sanitiser.. or so legend has it.

 

[andipandi]

Ahh, nothing to worry about then, that's good i would point out that my wife's allergies are severe enough that nothing with a smell is allowed, from soaps, washing powders/ liquids, perfumes, deodorants, anything with an artificially induced aroma, most chemicals are off limits as well. And of course indoor vaping, even making curries and cooking fish is problematical.

 

[Fuctifino]

For somebody I know who is diabetic it can create inaccurate readings when checking insulin levels
When they prick their finger to get a blood sample their readings can be all over the place

They just remembered the advice given about some products affecting the results
So they don't use sanitiser as such and/or thoroughly rinse their hands in water prior to testing

Think most of us don't realise just how fortunate we are to not have these reactions like some poor sods

 

[andipandi]

For somebody I know who is diabetic it can create inaccurate readings when checking insulin levels
When they prick their finger to get a blood sample their readings can be all over the place

They just remembered the advice given about some products affecting the results
So they don't use sanitiser as such and/or thoroughly rinse their hands in water prior to testing

Think most of us don't realise just how fortunate we are to not have these reactions like some poor sods

Is that because of residual iso alcohol / hand sanister on the skin, or where its been absorbed into the blood stream?

 

[Fuctifino]

Is that because of residual iso alcohol / hand sanister on the skin, or where its been absorbed into the blood stream?

It's my daughter, she thinks it might something to do with the surface of skin and any chemicals
not just isoprol but perhaps other crap like scent they use no matter how subtle
her readings were going all over the place taking readings from another area/finger tip

since she reduced the sanitiser or rinsed her hands thoroughly the readings have got less erratic
(fairly obvious but not always easy to do if you are out/on the road)

She thinks it is definately on the surface of the skin the sanitiser is effecting, contaminating her readings
sending her levels up/down & injecting the incorrect amount of insulin

It might be partially absorbed into the bloodstream slightly but surface sounds more likely

Then again other people have such sensitive skin like severe reactions like dermititus set off by just the slightest contact with a particular chemical or allergies & stuff
People with really severe reactions must be going through hell trying to find something that doesn't trigger a reaction
as said - many of us don't really understand just how fortunate we are, hardly being impacted from any reactions

 

[tony68]

It's my daughter, she thinks it might something to do with the surface of skin and any chemicals
not just isoprol but perhaps other crap like scent they use no matter how subtle
her readings were going all over the place taking readings from another area/finger tip

since she reduced the sanitiser or rinsed her hands thoroughly the readings have got less erratic
(fairly obvious but not always easy to do if you are out/on the road)

She thinks it is definately on the surface of the skin the sanitiser is effecting, contaminating her readings
sending her levels up/down & injecting the incorrect amount of insulin

It might be partially absorbed into the bloodstream slightly but surface sounds more likely

Then again other people have such sensitive skin like severe reactions like dermititus set off by just the slightest contact with a particular chemical or allergies & stuff
People with really severe reactions must be going through hell trying to find something that doesn't trigger a reaction
as said - many of us don't really understand just how fortunate we are, hardly being impacted from any reactions

The hand sanitiser can affect blood glucose level readings for up to 2 hours after use ,thats why we wash our hands before testing. Also just for some info when you prick your finger for a blood sample try and wait at least 10 seconds before squeezing the blood out. This method allows the vessel to open naturally and makes the blood come out easier, if you prick your finger then squeeze hard to draw out the blood you can force sweat from the skin tissue to mix with the blood and this can also affect BG readings.