Sunday, August 27, 2006

Medical Disaster or Hope vs. Soap

Before I begin discussing major topics in cosmetic surgery I cannot help but remark on a very dangerous fad that has been around for several years without much outcry on the part of the medical profession. It does have bearing on post-op care as well as general well-being. I am referring to the all pervading use and promotion of "anti-bacterial soap". Soap by its very nature is anti-bacterial. It is the number one method of preparing skin for incision. It is the best weapon against diseases caused by bacteria and even viruses. Since the use of soap, surgically induced infections have dramatically decreased. This appears self evident, yet as few years as the 1600's an Italian surgeon was burned at the stake for suggesting that his colleagues wash their hands prior to performing procedures. Today in an ever increasing avaricious environment soap companies have decided to use the label "anti-bacterial" as if this was indeed a new benefit. It is not. This is tentamount to me selling "liquid" water ! Now the purveyors of cleansers have gone a step further in order to legitimize their claims by infusing actual antibiotics into their soaps. This now goes beyond plain chicanery and enters a dangerous health hazard zone. We naturally live in a sea of bacteria, some of which live on our skin in a state of balance. Washing our skin with anti-biotic laden soap will over a short period of time render these bacteria resistant to those antibiotics used. When our skin is violated or these bacteria enter our bodies, the usual antibiotics become useless in fighting infections that can turn deadly serious. I strongly recommend that everyone use just plain, regular soap. As always, the less drugs the better for our overall health.

posted by Dr_Goldstein at 6:19 PM 1 comments