The smart man has it! 5 recommendations for portable alcohol hand gels

Due to the spread of the new coronavirus, alcohol disinfectant has become indispensable in daily life. Since hand sanitizing has become a form of etiquette, it is a good idea to have a portable hand gel that can be quickly taken out and used in situations where immediate hand washing is not possible. Disinfectant hand gels, which used to be bought at drugstores, are now becoming increasingly popular, with a wide variety of fashionable brands now available. There are different types of hand gels for different purposes, such as disinfectant and fragrance, and it is important to select and use the right one. In this issue, we will focus on portable hand gels and introduce recommended products and how to choose the right one.

Only “pharmaceutical” or “designated quasi-drugs” can claim “disinfecting and sterilizing effects” with alcohol hand gels!

There are various types of hand gels, which can be broadly classified into four categories: pharmaceuticals, designated quasi-drugs, cosmetics, and sundries. The Pharmaceutical Affairs Law stipulates that only pharmaceuticals or designated quasi-drugs can use claims such as “disinfectant” or “sterilization,” so when selecting a product, it is important to judge whether the words “disinfectant” or “sterilization” are used on the label or not. Therefore, it is possible to judge whether or not a product has the words “disinfectant” or “sterilization” on the label. Cosmetics and sundries are not sold as disinfectants, since their purpose is to “clean hands” and “keep hands healthy,” but they can be labeled as “disinfectant” or “antibacterial. However, it is possible to label it as “disinfectant” or “antibacterial.

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How to choose a hand gel?

However, it is possible to use “disinfectant” or “antibacterial” as a label. Since there are so many different hand gels available from various manufacturers, many people may find it difficult to choose the right one. Here are four points to consider when choosing a hand gel.

How to choose alcohol hand gel (1) “High alcohol concentration is not always better! 76.9-81.4 vol% is the appropriate alcohol concentration for disinfection.

Many people may think that highly concentrated alcohol is the right choice when selecting a hand gel. However, it is important to note that higher concentrations are not always more effective. According to the Japanese Pharmacopoeia, 76.9 to 81.4 vol% is the most effective concentration for disinfection. Note that if the alcohol concentration is too high, not only will it not kill the virus because of its high volatility, but it will also take away the moisture from the skin and dry it out.

How to choose alcohol hand gel (2) “For those who want to enjoy fragrance, use aroma-based low-concentration alcohol!

If you want to disinfect but also enjoy the fragrance, we recommend using aromatic low-concentration alcohol. Low-concentrated alcohol is less effective in disinfection, but it contains aroma, fragrance, and beauty ingredients, so it is useful when you want to refresh your skin. It also has the advantage of not having the unpleasant odor of highly concentrated alcohol, and is less likely to cause rough hands due to alcohol. For those who cannot compromise on both the fragrance and disinfecting effect, there are also highly concentrated alcohol products that contain organic or herbal ingredients, so it is best to choose one based on alcohol concentration and ingredients.

How to choose alcohol hand gel (3) “Be sure to check for the presence of moisturizing ingredients!

Nowadays, people have to disinfect their hands in all kinds of situations, and many people are concerned about dry hands due to excessive disinfection. Recently, many products containing moisturizing ingredients such as glycerin and hyaluronic acid, which are also used in skin care, have appeared on the market, so those who are concerned about dryness should pay attention to the ingredients in their products. When using high-concentration alcohol products, ethanol tends to dry out the fingers, so if dryness is a concern for you, we recommend using a hand cream or serum in combination with the disinfectant after using the disinfectant to prevent rough hands without losing moisture.