Is anti-bacterial soap a hazard to humanity?

[JVS]

One of my friends was saying that anti-bacterial soap, like safeguard soap, is causing bacteria to develop into more resistant strains. I said that I'd heard that about anti-biotics, but not about anti-bacterial soaps. So is my friend right or am I?

[Skittles]

1. all I know

is that the clean freak people I know seem to get sick a lot more often than I do. Note I am not a CLEAN FREAK; I'm not a filth SOB either. :7

[Kolesar]

2. I have heard a lot of criticism about the antimicrobial "triclosan"

They even mold it into infant's toys to keep them "clean". I am no expert on this. Try googling triclosan .

[Sufi Marmot]

3. Your friend is correct...

Triclosan has been shown to act very specifically against bacterial lipid synthesis, rather than as a general anti-bacterial agent. Triclosan resistant-mutants of E. coli have been created in the laboratory, which means that theoretically they could be created in the wild by random mutation, then selected for when triclosan treated products kill "normal" bacteria but allow the mutated version to survive.

Link #1

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-SM

[ima_sinnic]

4. yes, anti-bacterial is just a specific form of antibiotic

the bacteria that survive the antibacterial soap will reproduce and pass that resistance on to their offspring. So, yes, use of antibacterial soap does increase the incidence of resistant bacteria. Personally I don't see the need for antibacterial qualities in soap, which I believe kills "germs" anyway. U.S. has good refrigeration, good cooking and laundry facilities, soap and cleaner up the kazoo, garbage disposal, sewage treatment, flush toilets, etc. etc. so I think antibacterial soap is overkill. jmho

[JVS]

7. I am confused about how bacteria is killed

I know that boining water kills bacteria. I don't know how alcohol kills bacteria, but I know that it does. How does regular soap kill beacteria, or does it just let it be washed away? I want to thank everyone who has answered.

[zizzer]

10. It doesn't...

The scrubing helps to loosen the oils that contain bacteria, the soap attaches to the oils and rinsing removes the oily soapy suds. The bacteria resides, for the most part, in the oils on your skin.

Soap, on it's own does not kill germs.

Zizzer

[ProfessorGAC]

17. Not Completely Accurate

While soap, in and of itself, is not a direct biocide, there are surface active effects that disrupt cell activity.

The surface activity of soap (or detergents, which are not chemically the same) can reduce the surface tension at the cell wall or membrane. This disrupts the normal gas/liquid interchange causing shorter cell life and a interference with mitosis. Thus, it tends to be more biostatic, than biocidal.

In addition, since most handsoaps and syndets are at slightly elevated pH, there are ionic diffusion functions at the cell membrane that cause loss of some salts and increases in others, plus some metathesis of the ionic components of the protoplasm. These also contribute to a biostatic phenonmenon that create loss of bacterial life, as they die before they can divide.

So, soap does have an effect on biofunction, but it's a fairly slow process and doesn't happen in the time it takes to wash one's hands. But, it's not JUST a function of washing away the bacteria. Scrupulous scrubbing and use of copious soap will actually reduce bacterial count & reduce the live proportion of what's left behind.
The Professor

(I work in the surfactant industry. I know more about surfactant chemistry and efficacies than even I want to.)

[BiggJawn]

15. Soap causes the cell membranes to rupture.

in the bacteria. Takes about 15 seconds, so after "fun", wash that rascal, work up a GOOD lather.
And wash your hands after you Pee, too.
Soap lifts the dirt by attracting the dirt and breaking the ionic bond. it then binds the dirt and keeps it in suspension until rinsed away. that's what "soap scum" is. Bound-up dirt and soap.

[JVS]

16. What is this "fun" you speak of?

[BiggJawn]

18. The kind you "use protection" for...

Wash up, too....

[private_ryan]

5. heard the same and it makes sense

same as taking anti-biotics for no reason.

[patdem]

6. The old 'wives tale'...a kid's got to eat so many dirt pies

and I ate my fill as a four year old. I have heard that if you never come in contact with normal germs early in life when you are healthy they can kill you latter when your immune system is fully formed? But I am no doctor or immunologist?

[oneighty]

9. Yes

I have heard that many times, and I bet there is a lot of truth in it.

Ed

[zizzer]

12. more on that...

I don't have alink but I have seen studies that show some correlation between asthma and a lack of having some childhood diseaes like chicken pox and measels.

Kids today do not get enough excersize and that includes their immune systems.

Zizzer

[Loonman]

14. In the 1950s

In the 50s, mother were told to always keep their kids sqeaky clean, so you always heard about mumps, measles, etcetera.

Most kids are already over the major stuff by 1st grade from playing with others and building up immunities to stuff.

[gristy]

8. anti-bacterial soap

is a small problem compared to the quantities of anibiotics fed to animals. It's a matter of degree.

My understanding is that normal soap and water will clean your hands just fine. Your immune system takes care of the rest.

[Loonman]

11. You're just as well off with regular soap

If you're super concerned about bactera, just give your hands a quick squirt of rubbing alcohol, just watch those cuts and hangnails.

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

13. Yes and No. From someone with a long medical background

and a good foundation in biology.

No, if you are handling known infectious materials. You need to wash that stuff off.

Yes, in general use. Bacteria are mainly beneficial to humans and the environment. They just have a really bad press secretary and PR firm. You will find that people who use that kind of soap have dry skin. This is because all the good bacteria are killed with the few bad ones. They are required to eat the old skin cells that die off by the trillions every day.

also, there is the ground water thing, as these soaps get into watersheds, they kill bacteria that create food for everything.

So, all in all, they should be confined to specific places where needed... medical, industry, et cetera.

[BiggJawn]

19. The only REAL benefit to it is....

you can be a PIG and not bother rinsing out the dishrag and it won't go sour....
Then I found out about all the downside to using the stuff and rinsin' the rag didn't seem so difficult anymore....

[geniph]

20. Any anti-bacterial product should be used in moderation

it's the widespread overuse of such products that will cause resistant strains to become common. Use it if you've handled something particularly likely to be infective, such as cleaning up poop (any species'!), or if you have cuts or wounds. Don't use it for routine bathroom handwashing, and certainly triclosan should not be incorporated into things like toys. If toys get dirty, they should be washed with soap and hot water, not "disinfected."