There have been dozens of children under the age of twelve that have ingested hand sanitizer on purpose. In fact, there have been 16,117 cases of it in 2014. Remember: hand sanitizer has a high concentration of alcohol in it, which means that consuming it can lead to alcohol poisoning; slurred words and the inability to walk come shortly thereafter. Why have so many children decided to taste hand sanitizer? Perhaps it is because it comes in so many fruity, delicious-smelling scents. Of course, that’s not the only bad thing about hand sanitizer.
PorkKleen is just what it sounds like: bacon-scented hand sanitizer. There’s not a kid in the world who isn’t a fan of bacon and eggs, so it would be hard for them to resist a taste. After all, how are they supposed to know that it’s not actually food meant for eating?
Even if you don’t have children around, it can be dangerous to use hand sanitizer. Most people use it before they eat in order to clean their hands and prevent themselves from getting sick; however, it can actually lead you to become sick more often in the future. How? Well, instead of protecting you from germs, it can actually lower your body’s immunity to germs. That means that you’ll be more likely to get sick, as your body won’t be able to defend itself like it should.
The list of problems goes on and on. There is evidence that it actually causes hormone problems; it contains triclosan, which is the same ingredient that has been associated with lowering your body’s immunity. Although this theory hasn’t been proven on humans yet, it has been tested on animals.
Hand sanitizer can even damage your skin if you use it often enough. The alcohol contained in it can break down the protective outer layers of your skin, which can cause it to look aged uneccessarily. Even if you’re using a hand sanitizer that claims it has a moisturizing lotion component, the damage that it does to your skin in the long run will be far greater than the smoothness it will afford you temporarily.
Most of the hand sanitizers that are popular today have strong smells. While the user might enjoy it, others around them usually aren’t as happy. It’s like using perfume in a crowded room. Everyone will be able to smell the scent of your hand sanitizer as you apply it. While some people will compliment you on your good taste, others with allergies won’t be as happy with you.