Welcome to the world of parenting! Your kids are learning about the world they live in by exploring their environment. But this process often involves making a mess and touching many germ-ridden surfaces. As a parent, you can't always protect them from every virus or bacteria, but you can come very close by setting some crucial hand hygiene standards. Frequent hand cleaning reduces the spread of germs and subsequently reduces the risk of diseases.
Quite often, we find ourselves needing hand sanitisers between household chores and when travelling. They're not a substitute for soap and water but make for great portable alternatives when access to water is limited. Over the years, however, there have been several controversies surrounding the safety of hand sanitisers. And when it comes to kids, washing their hands too often with hand sanitisers may not be a good idea.
Hand Sanitisers Clean Hands, But At What Cost?
Household items like detergents, soaps and hand sanitisers have chemicals in them that might cause harm to your kids' health. Alcohol, triclosan, and parabens are just some of the toxins that could potentially damage their skin.
1. Alcohol
Alcohol-based hand sanitisers contain an alcohol concentration of 60% or higher. Putting this into perspective, a bottle of whiskey contains between 40% to 45% alcohol content, becoming dangerous if swallowed.
2. Triclosan
Another common ingredient in hand sanitisers is triclosan. An effective antibacterial and antifungal agent, triclosan has borne controversy ever since it was revealed that it affects hormonal balance. Moreover, studies are still inconclusive about whether it truly enhances germ protection in kids and adults
3. Parabens
Parabens, a preservative used in many cosmetics, can cause rashes on the skin. They are also said to increase estrogen levels and have forced several countries to limit their use in products for kids aged three years or less.
It is evident that regular hand sanitisers are full of nasty chemicals. One whiff of the bottle tells you it shouldn't go anywhere near your skin, lest your baby's sensitive skin. So what's the alternative?
Swirlster Picks Natural Hand Sanitisers
Why Choose Natural Hand Sanitisers?
As parents, we want what's best for our kids. Natural hand sanitisers are made from organic and mild ingredients that protect the skin and keep illnesses at bay. No chemicals need to be added when natural ingredients such as coconut oil and aloe vera destroy the germs and bacteria while also leaving your skin feeling moisturised.
Most importantly, natural hand sanitisers and personal care products are safe for kids. Not only do chemicals affect normal and healthy skin, but they also worsen skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis. Parents that have noticed alcohol-based products drying out their baby's skin can use herbal hand sanitiser to prevent rashes, itchiness and dry skin. Many natural hand sanitisers use vegetarian ingredients that keep the skin soft and smelling pleasant on the go. So, for your kids' health and skincare needs, natural hand sanitisers are the way to go.
With so many hand sanitisers on the market, it can be hard to find one that is organic and baby-safe. Natural hand sanitisers like BabyChakra are a great choice in keeping germs at bay.
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Disclaimer: The Swirlster team writes about stuff we think you'll like. Swirlster has affiliate partnerships, so we get a share of the revenue from your purchase.
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