Somewhere along the way the public began to believe that regular soap wasn’t good enough - they needed antibacterial soap. Well, antibacterial soaps are completely unnecessary, and can cause far more harm than good.
Triclosan, an antibacterial compound that acts as the active ingredient in most antibacterial soap, not only kills bacteria, it also has been shown to kill human cells (European Journal of Oral Science 1998 Apr;106:628-36). Antibacterial compounds are in nearly half of all soaps sold in the United States, which is likely contributing to the spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
Many traditional medical circles now accept the hygiene hypothesis, which centers on the idea that children need to be exposed to some bacteria in early childhood in order to strengthen their immune systems. Children who are not exposed to common bacteria, which are wiped out by antibacterial soap, may be more prone to allergies and asthma.
This is not to say that you shouldn’t wash your hands, only that you shouldn’t wash them with antibacterial soap. It would be wise to identify a simple chemical-free soap that you can switch your family to. Local health food stores typically carry a variety of natural soaps.
