If you work in the medical profession, whether in a hospital, a specialty practice, or even in the offices of a GP or internist, you know you're exposed to a multitude of patients carrying a plethora of potential germs every day. In fact, even outside of the office, medical professionals, even more than most, are aware that germs are literally everywhere.
You also know that medical protocol indicates the frequent washing of hands when on the job; before seeing a patient, after seeing a patient, in the middle of seeing a patient, all of which amounts to dozens, maybe even hundreds of hand washes a day. All that washing can dry out skin, sometimes causing painful cracking which can then expose the skin to infection.
A new biocide product recently brought to market, HandsFirst, solves not only the need to sanitize hands but also alleviates the constant drying effect of frequent washing either with soap and water or alcohol-based sanitizers. Hands First is a Surfactant Allantoin Benzalkonium Chloride-based hand sanitizer (SAB) that combined with Aloe Vera provides a cost-effective and easy to apply foam that not only sanitizes but also hydrates and protects the skin from recontamination.
Hands First was developed by Dr. Roger Huckfelt, Research Director of St. John's Research Institute and a Director of a Level One Trauma Center. He and his staff experienced first-hand the deleterious effects of constant hand-washing and the use of alcohol-based sanitizing products. This inspired him to create a better option for health care professionals.As you might know, Benzalkonium Chloride is an alkaline compound used frequently as a bactericide/microbicide. In simplified terms, it works, in part, by breaking down the cell membranes of bacteria and microbes, allowing cell material to leak out, thereby disrupting cellular activity.
A number of research studies have shown that Benzalkonium Chloride is effective against both gram negative and gram positive bacteria and has passed the FDA testing standards which require it to be effective against S. Marcecens. It has also been shown effective against contamination by NDM-1 (New Dehli metallo-beta-lactamase 1), an enzyme found in a growing number of bacteria types that makes them resistant to a broad range of beta-lactam antibiotics, resulting in the news media referring to NDM-1 as a superbug. The most common bacteria that make this enzyme are E. coli and K. pneumoniae, both of which are gram negative and at least one of which is considered fairly wide-spread.
NDM-1 was first detected in a pneumonia variant in Sweden in 2008 (the patient was of Indian origin), but at the writing of this article, has since been found in India, Pakistan, the US, the UK and parts of South America. With the prevalence of air travel and cross-border migration, the appearance of NDM-1 is expected to grow. This is of concern not only because NDM-1 is resistant to all but a few types of antibiotics (some sources cite tigecycline and colicin as being effective), but because the enzyme has the ability to spread from one strain of bacteria to another, via horizontal gene transfer. That Benzalkonium Chloride has proven effective against contact contamination with the "superbug" may prove to be an important step in combating the spread of this bacterial monster in clinical settings.
While there are numerous sanitizing products out there utilizing Benzalkonium Chloride, Hands First is unique in several ways. First, it has been demonstrated during lab testing to outlast many of its competitors, providing recontamination protection for at least three hours. In an approved study, a standard application of Hands First foam sanitizer was applied to a group of healthy subjects' hands and they were allowed to sit for three hours. At the end of those three hours, subjects had a solution containing 5.4 trillion bacteria rubbed on their hands. Researchers then collected the bacteria from the hands and made a count of the live bacteria. The result was that Hands First proved 99% effective in killing everyday bacteria and viruses three hours after initial application. Thus, in situations where washing hands is difficult or when time restrictions warrant, users can feel more assured that most new bacterial contaminants that they come in contact with will be killed even hours after the initial application of Hands First.
But Hands First is different from other Benzalkonium sanitizers in other ways as well. It also contains Allantoin and Aloe Vera, which help moisturize, soothe and protect the skin, thereby alleviating one of the most aggravating side effects of the constant need to sanitize the hands - dry, cracked, chapped skin. Premium grade ingredients assure that skin can be protected and made comfortable, making it unique in the marketplace. Allantoin has been used successfully for years in the pharmaceutical industry to treat pruritic conditions such as atopic dermatitis. It has a moisturizing and keratolytic effect, as it increases the water content of the extracellular matrix and assists in the shedding of dead skin cells. In addition, if hands are already abraded, whether that's a simple hang nail or some other small injury like a paper cut or crack in the thumb from over-dryness, the ingredients in Hands First won't further irritate that condition. No burning or stinging upon application, and no additional drying out of already irritated or inflamed tissue.
And because the primary active ingredient in Hands First is Benzalkonium Chloride, a well-known surfactant, it is ideal for removing dirt and oils from the skin. Surfactants (a word created from the phrase "surface acting agents") are compounds that, in a nut shell, can encapsulate molecules of dirt and oil, much like a bubble might, allowing them to be transported away. Surfactants occur in, amongst other items, everyday soaps and laundry detergents, and are what make them so effective.
So Hands First does four things extremely well. It sanitizes, it cleanses, it protects against future recontamination, and it moisturizes, making it unique in the marketplace and an ideal product for the medical professional.
But the final benefit is one that is perhaps easiest to understand and arguably the most compelling in today's challenging economy. Hands First is eminently cost-effective and easy to use. The various sized bottles of Hands First are pump bottles (which range from the small, portable 1.7 oz all the way up to a large, wall-mounted dispenser which holds 1000 ml), and designed to dispense a consistent amount. The dispensers are easy and convenient to operate and the consistent delivery amount ensures predictable protection and can be used in a wide variety of clinical settings, from the pocket of office workers and nurses to the walls of examining rooms to the counters of nurse's stations. They'll even be great in lavatory facilities so the patients can use Hands First as well!
Convenience is key to the cost-effective equation. But cost is even more critical, so let's do the math. The 1.7 oz bottle dispenses 225 "doses", if you will. Each dispensed amount costs a mere $0.019, with each dose protecting against recontamination for as much as three hours and providing additional benefits to the user's skin. Compare this to the cost of the generic alcohol gel-based hand sanitizer, which costs $0.209 per amount dispensed, cannot claim to protect as long against recontamination, and will dry out the skin. So the ease of use and cost considerations make Hands First a great choice for any clinical setting where saving money and making smart, cost-effective choices can make all the difference in balancing the budget.
In conclusion, Hands First is a well-researched and cost-effective product, developed by a physician to meet a keenly-felt need in the medical profession. An easy to dispense sanitizing foam, it not only protects against recontamination for up to three hours or longer, but prevents skin from further drying out, soothes already irritated skin and does so with a high level of efficacy (killing 99% of common bacteria & viruses) at a cost that is more affordable than other solutions in this arena. With all this going for it, Hands First may very well become the medical professional's new "best friend"!
Nancy Sampson-Bach,
and
Hulet Smith, OT
