5 ms·

I am not sure if this is the case, but disinfectant that is too aggressive will slowly but surely destroy your skin's top layers.

pitaj 6y ago
The top layers of skin are already dead though. You're much more likely to break them down while washing your hands.
- masklinn 6y ago
  They don't destroy the cells themselves, but they wash away oils and significantly dry the skin, quickly leading to skin irritation and potentially cracking. This is why hand sanitiser usually have some sort of moisturiser as part of the solution, and why if you wash your hand a lot you'll quickly get irritations and worse if yon don't also moisturise them regularly.
jszymborski 6y ago
This is why you shouldn't just be dousing your hands in EtOH/IPA regularly, even if it's 70%. Either use hand sanitizers that have e.g. ethylene glycol to simultaneously moisturize and protect your dermis, or use latex/nitrile gloves when handling dangerous things, sterilize those with alcohol, and wash your hands with hand soap.
- blattimwind 6y ago
  I would have thought the fact that splashing IPA over your skin makes it turn white-ish and gives it a weird texture should be a pretty big pointer for people to not do that but I guess people are people.
- masklinn 6y ago
  > Either use hand sanitizers that have e.g. ethylene glycol to simultaneously moisturize and protect your dermis Ethylene glycol is a dessicant, and moderately toxic. You really don't want to add that to hand sanitiser, or to rub ethylene glycol on your skin after 70% alcohol as a moisturiser. You might be thinking about polyethlylene glycol. Or possibly glycerol (a humectant and moisturiser) but that's less likely.
  - jszymborski 6y ago
    My bad, I was definitely thinking of Caprylyl Glycol!
amelius 6y ago
Isn't the skin rebuilding itself every [small number] days? Is the alcohol interfering with this process? Does it have an irreversible effect?
- TomMarius 6y ago
  Skin also contains oils etc that have a part in the correct and healthy functioning.
prmph 6y ago
I fear I may have done this to my hands out of ignorance; after frequently assaulting them with alcohol-based sanitizer and dishwashing soap while on lockdown, they now get pruney very quickly when they come in contact with water. Is this situation irreversible?
- projektfu 6y ago
  With moisturizers, somewhat. The best hand sanitizers (Avagard, for example) are good at preserving the skin texture. The lipids can be replaced with typical moisturizing lotions. Dish soap is probably not more effective than Dove soap, so use milder soap.
- adrianN 6y ago
  No, skin is regenerated regularly. You need to destroy it pretty deeply to permanently disrupt this mechanism.
- jszymborski 6y ago
  What's been working for me has been keeping a bottle of skin lotion (Lubriderm has been working well) next to the sink. I wash my hands, dry thoroughly, and apply lotion. I do this at every washing, to assure that my skin is protected after all the oils are stripped by the detergent. I'm not a dermatologist, however, so consult a medical professional if problems persist.

pitaj 6y ago

The top layers of skin are already dead though. You're much more likely to break them down while washing your hands.

masklinn 6y ago
They don't destroy the cells themselves, but they wash away oils and significantly dry the skin, quickly leading to skin irritation and potentially cracking. This is why hand sanitiser usually have some sort of moisturiser as part of the solution, and why if you wash your hand a lot you'll quickly get irritations and worse if yon don't also moisturise them regularly.

jszymborski 6y ago

This is why you shouldn't just be dousing your hands in EtOH/IPA regularly, even if it's 70%. Either use hand sanitizers that have e.g. ethylene glycol to simultaneously moisturize and protect your dermis, or use latex/nitrile gloves when handling dangerous things, sterilize those with alcohol, and wash your hands with hand soap.

blattimwind 6y ago
I would have thought the fact that splashing IPA over your skin makes it turn white-ish and gives it a weird texture should be a pretty big pointer for people to not do that but I guess people are people.
masklinn 6y ago
> Either use hand sanitizers that have e.g. ethylene glycol to simultaneously moisturize and protect your dermis Ethylene glycol is a dessicant, and moderately toxic. You really don't want to add that to hand sanitiser, or to rub ethylene glycol on your skin after 70% alcohol as a moisturiser. You might be thinking about polyethlylene glycol. Or possibly glycerol (a humectant and moisturiser) but that's less likely.
- jszymborski 6y ago
  My bad, I was definitely thinking of Caprylyl Glycol!

amelius 6y ago

Isn't the skin rebuilding itself every [small number] days? Is the alcohol interfering with this process? Does it have an irreversible effect?

TomMarius 6y ago
Skin also contains oils etc that have a part in the correct and healthy functioning.

prmph 6y ago

I fear I may have done this to my hands out of ignorance; after frequently assaulting them with alcohol-based sanitizer and dishwashing soap while on lockdown, they now get pruney very quickly when they come in contact with water. Is this situation irreversible?

projektfu 6y ago
With moisturizers, somewhat. The best hand sanitizers (Avagard, for example) are good at preserving the skin texture. The lipids can be replaced with typical moisturizing lotions. Dish soap is probably not more effective than Dove soap, so use milder soap.
adrianN 6y ago
No, skin is regenerated regularly. You need to destroy it pretty deeply to permanently disrupt this mechanism.
jszymborski 6y ago
What's been working for me has been keeping a bottle of skin lotion (Lubriderm has been working well) next to the sink. I wash my hands, dry thoroughly, and apply lotion. I do this at every washing, to assure that my skin is protected after all the oils are stripped by the detergent. I'm not a dermatologist, however, so consult a medical professional if problems persist.