Does Hand Sanitizer Kill Herpes?

Does Hand Sanitizer Kill Herpes? Herpes is spread through direct skin-to-skin contact. The most common type of herpes that individuals acquire is HSV-1. It is typically recognized by symptoms, such as skin lesions, sores, blisters, and skin inflammation. Amidst the infection, antiviral drugs are available to treat the mentioned symptoms.

Several medical studies have been conducted in line with the proposition of using sanitizers to kill herpes. While some may believe that these alcohol-based disinfectants are effective enough in killing bacteria or viruses, there is no reliable evidence stating their 100% efficiency.

With the rise of infections today, using alcohols and sanitizers can help in minimizing viral or bacterial spread. It is true that it kills germs and bacteria, but there aren’t enough reports or supporting researches that explain its effectiveness in killing herpes, being one of the hostile infections known these days.

Here are some misconceptions of using sanitizers:

• Using sanitizer can prevent only colds – Hand sanitizers are a great deal in preventing the common cold and other infections. It may not be fully effective in preventing herpes, but it lessens someone’s chances of herpes infection acquisition.
• Hand sanitizers are more important than hand washing – This is false. Washing your hands with soap will always be the best approach in keeping your hands clean and away from infection. It’s a universal rule that everyone should always follow.
• Hand sanitizers are highly capable in killing all kinds of bacteria and viruses – While hand sanitizers can be effective in its purpose, it does not inhibit all infections. Some alcohol-based sanitizers can be used; however, it will take a high percentage of alcohol content for a sanitizer to be fully effective in killing viruses, such as herpes. Additionally, one should always note that the higher amount of alcohol use can be dangerous, as it can flammable.

There are other ways to prevent acquiring herpes. And yes, it doesn’t make you less of a person you to use sanitizers, but following safety precautionary measures are still the best ways to prevent viral infection. Should you encounter someone who is experiencing a herpes outbreak, avoid getting into direct skin-to-skin contact. Furthermore, during sexual intercourse, keep yourself protected by using protective barriers, such as dental dams or condoms.