Rethinking Hand Sanitizers

Hand sanitizers represent a new category of skin care products that present both benefits and challenges for dermatologists. It is amazing to think that in 2007 USA Today included the first hand sanitizer, along with cell phones, on its list of 25 inventions that changed our lives since the early 1980s. Hand sanitizers are commonly found in hotel lobbies, school cafeterias, purses, glove compartments, and on key chains. In hospitals, it is a standard practice for physicians to use hand sanitizer between patients and even visitors often are required to use hand sanitizer in the lobby before entering the facility.