Is antibacterial soap any better than regular soap

asks Allan:
A. Everything's 'antibacterial' now - from socks and chopping boards to pillows and skin products. And none are more popular than antibacterial soaps, both liquid and solid, which pander to today's fear of germs and bugs and the aversion to touching anything 'dirty'.

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Q. So what's the difference between ordinary soap and the antibacterial kind
A. Ordinary soap is made using an acid and an alkali base. The acid is fat (fatty acids and triglycerides), and the base is sodium hydroxide (NaOH). The mixture causes a chemical reaction and results in a substance which both repels and attracts water.

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Q. Eh
A. What that means in practical terms is that soap both reduces the surface tension of water and binds to dirt and bacteria.

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Q. So ordinary soap does get rid of bacteria
A. Yes, and fairly effectively, too.

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Q. Why is antibacterial soap different
A. The antibacterial ingredient in soaps is usually triclosan, which has been used successfully in hospitals for decades. It is effective, but it only works if it's left on your skin for about two minutes. Few people spend this much time washing their hands, and they rinse the soap off before the antibacterial bit can do its work.

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Q. Is there a danger that triclosan creates resistant bugs
A. There is no evidence that it does. The blame for that is laid squarely with the over-prescription of antibiotics.

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Q. Do we want to get rid of all our bacteria anyway
A. Not really. Much of the bacteria that live on our body eats our sweat and helps to protect us against the really nasty bugs. Many common diseases are viral, anyway, and antibacterial products can't do anything to protect you against them. And there are problems associated with being too clean...

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Q. What are they
A. Studies have shown that ultra-clean children are more likely to suffer from allergies, such as asthma and eczema. The so-called 'Hygiene Hypothesis' is that exposure to bacteria somehow switches on our immune system. Therefore, if you're not exposed to environmental bacteria as a baby and child, your immune system isn't getting the input it needs.

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By Sheena Miller