The Dangers of Antibacterial Soap

Triclosan is the active ingredient used in antibacterial soaps. It is both an antibacterial and antifungal biocide. Although thousands of products contain Triclosan, according to the Food and Drug Administration there isn’t any direct evidence that it provides an extra benefit to our health beyond its anti-gingivitis effect in toothpaste. The Environmental Protection Agency, however, found Triclosan to be a severe biocide. Currently, the safety of Triclosan safety is under review by the FDA.

Triclosan began being put into consumer products in 1972. It is put into soaps, deodorants, toothpaste, mouthwashes, and cleaning supplies as an antibacterial agent. Increasingly it is infused in an increasingly growing number of consumer products during the manufacturing process. Products such as utensils, playthings, mattresses, footwear, and sanitation bags can contain Triclosan without your knowledge. Triclosan is very useful in eliminating bacterial contamination on the body and treated products. Therefore the possibility of decolonizing the skin’s healthy skin flora— the beneficial bacteria that support our natural immunities— exists.

Concerns of Antibacterial Resistance

Since 1998 there have been some published articles warning that overusing Triclosan could cause resistant strains of bacteria to develop. The process works the same way that antibiotic-resistant bacteria are established. In 2003, some European supermarkets and retailers began phasing out products containing Triclosan 2003.

It is true that the earlier studies of Triclosan could not predict that bacterial resistance for this biocide. However it can now be shown that Triclosan does reduce species diversity,  and this degrading of the biological ecosystem can rearrange the natural competitive system. The primary concern over developing antibacterial resistant strains is not that they will mutate over the short term. The real concern is that superbugs will emerge whereby no bactericide can be used.

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