Can your skin be ‘too clean’?

Watch this episode in full here.

Wash, sanitize, wipe, spray, scrub, repeat. This COVID-19 era has got me wondering what all my cleaning is doing to my skin microbiome (as well as my lungs, immune system and inflammation levels). But, like you, I’d prefer to remain COVID-free, so I just try my best to figure out which products I can tolerate without triggering allergies, itching, redness and irritation. 😡(I have a list of chemicals I am allergic to - and I didn’t even know I was allergic to them until I had comprehensive skin patch testing carried out at a hospital in London.)

Watching this healthHackers clip and hearing functional clinical nutritionist and skin rash expert, Jennifer Fugo, talk about hand dryness from sanitizers reminded me how my hands start to feel sore when I repeatedly wash and use sanitizer. It’s why I wear disposable gloves to shop and prep food now. Anyone else?

When you watch this discussion, please know that no-one is suggesting you stop washing. 🙈 As Jen puts it in her blog post about this subject: “Basic hygiene and food safety aren’t the same as being too clean.”

Important note for new viewers: healthHackers content should not be considered personal or medical advice. You’ve all heard it before, so you know the score - always talk to your own health provider about your concerns.👌