Benefits and Proper Use of Antibacterial Soap

Antibacterial soap is a cleansing product that contains ingredients designed to kill or inhibit the growth of bacteria on the skin. It is commonly used for handwashing to reduce the risk of infections and promote hygiene.
Category
Personal Care Product
Where to get
Widely available at supermarkets, pharmacies, and online retailers
Applicable for
Hand Hygiene | Bacterial Protection | Infection Prevention
Prepared by Shruti Sahoo, reviewed by Dr. Eugene Smith

Antibacterial Soap FAQ


Image credit: walmart.com

What do you need to know about antibacterial soap?

Here's what you need to know about antibacterial soap and the FDA's concerns. What Is Antibacterial Soap? Antibacterial soap contains active chemicals like TCS and triclocarban (TCC), which are added to kill bacteria.

What antibacterial ingredients are used in soap?

Triclosan and triclocarban are the most common compounds used as antibacterials in soaps. However, other common antibacterial ingredients in soaps include benzalkonium chloride, benzethonium chloride, and chloroxylenol.

What is an antibacterial soap & handwash?

An antibacterial soap or handwash includes ingredients with active antimicrobial activity. Triclosan has been the most common active antiseptic ingredient used in these products since their introduction in the 1960s. Plain soaps do not contain these ingredients or make claims of being active against harmful microbes.

What is antibacterial soap?

Antibacterial soap is a soap which contains chemical ingredients that purportedly assist in killing bacteria. The majority of antibacterial soaps contain triclosan, though other chemical additives are also common.

Does antibacterial soap prevent sickness?

The FDA has not yet found evidence that it is better at preventing sickness, though. Antibacterial soaps are marketed as preventing bacterial production and killing pathogens. The chemical additive of antimicrobial soaps, triclosan, can be found in many places.

Antibacterial Soap References

If you want to know more about Antibacterial Soap, consider exploring links below:

What Is Antibacterial Soap

  1. https://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/difference-between-antibacterial-soap-plain-soap
  2. https://www.verywellhealth.com/the-problem-with-antibacterial-soap-4125914
  3. https://dermnetnz.org/topics/antibacterial-soap
  4. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antibacterial_soap
  5. https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/antibacterial-cleaning-products
  6. https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/antibacterial-soap-you-can-skip-it-use-plain-soap-and-water
  7. https://connect.mayoclinic.org/blog/take-charge-healthy-aging/newsfeed-post/is-antibacterial-soap-necessary/
  8. https://www.rd.com/article/antibacterial-soap-vs-regular-soap/
  9. https://www.goodrx.com/conditions/bacterial-infection/antibacterial-soap-vs-regular-soap
  10. https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/infectious-diseases-a-z-anti-bacterial-soaps/

Antibacterial Soap Information

  1. https://hha.org.au/resources/statements/anti-bacterial-soaps
  2. https://lens.monash.edu/@medicine-health/2021/03/23/1382948/feeding-the-superbugs-why-we-need-to-wash-our-hands-of-antimicrobial-soaps

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