Some Interesting Facts About Personal Care Items.
- It is unhealthy to use the soap used by any other even after cleaning it. After all personal it is.
- Using the towel of other is risky for your health.
- Do you use the razors already used by someone! Stop! It can be risky.
- Sharing the toothbrushes of others can also be risky leading to transmission of blood-borne infections.
- Even using the nail clippers, or nail cutters used by someone else can increase the chances of developing nail fungus.
- Sharing your water bottle may also share saliva swapping leading to health issues like cold, strep throat, mono, herpes, etc.
- Surprising, but even sharing the small earphones can lead to increase in ear infections.
- Do you share your loofahs with other family members! It can lead to increase in the growth of fungi and viruses that develop from dead skin.
Personal Care Items – Is Sharing Them Good For You? After all, personal it is.
Do you share all of your personal care items! Do you know it can be harmful to you in various ways!
Yes, this is true. Not every personal care item is sharable. When it comes to some hygiene products, it is better to have some items personal to protect yourself from any kind infections. Such reserved items can get germs when shared, leading to bacterial, fungal, etc. infections. There are many people who would refuse you when asked to give any of their personal care things, who are popularly known as the micro-phobic. However, to a great extent they are quite true for their decision. It can lead to various kinds of skin diseases and other health issues too.
Here are some of the personal care items that you must avoid sharing for your safety and others too.
1. Soap Bar- Personal, it is.
Might be thinking how can a cleaning item be harmful right! However, it is true that sharing the same soap with many, may lead to skin problems. When an individual uses the bar soap, he leaves some of the organisms on them from his skin. This also applies to the antibacterial soap bars widely available these days in the market. They too carry a portion of organisms as they are not capable of killing it. It adds to the germs if you soap lies on a wet dish for the whole day, as due to moisture, other fungi, bacteria and virus can also develop on them. Stomach flu, also known as norovirus, is the widely observed risk that develops due to the sharing of the soap bar. However, according to some studies, if you are sharing the soap bar with your partner, is harmful in limited amount as your bodies are already acclimated to each other.
2. Towels-Personal, it is.
Does you towel smell little funky or filthy! The reason behind that smell is the fungus, bacteria and mildew that have made their homes in it. Towels catch the germs quite easily. They can catch germs when kept wet for a long time on a surface, and mostly in the bathroom. When the towel catches such germs, the users would easily get contaminated with the infections that harm the skin, leading to infections, acne, pink eyes, rashes, and much more. Your towel is also capable to transmit the infections like CA-MRSA bacteria that comes from the soap. Hence, one should not share the towel and keep it to himself/herself. Also, it is recommended to wash the towels once you have used them for 4 times.
3. Loofahs-Personal, it is.
Do you use loofahs for having a neat and clean bath! But are you sure you are having a hygienic bath! The loofahs are used continuously by several people due to which, they don’t dry completely. As a result, they become homes for the viruses and fungi that arrive from the dead skin cells. They grow with a rapid speed, multiply and live in the weaves of the loofah fibers. This fungus and viruses can lead to skin issues like acne, ringworm, nail fungus, and much more. Hence, make sure you never share the loofahs and keep them clean and dry too for a healthier next bath.
4. Razors -Personal, it is.
Do you use razors at home for shaving or hair removal? Or when you go for shaving, do you check the razor before they use it? Yes, razors are also a bad personal care item to share with others. When the razor is used for removal, it not only removes your hair, but also removes the dead skin cells, that carry a good number of bacteria on it. Not only bacteria, the razors are also capable of transferring blood-borne disorders like HIV and Hepatitis. The fact is that there are some people who can carry the bacteria on the skin without getting affected by it, and thus, it becomes necessary to know whether the razor is contaminated or not.
5. Nail Cutters-Personal, it is.
Also known as nail clippers, they are generally common among the family members. No matter how much healthy, neat and clean you keep your nails, the clippers still carry the chances of developing fungus and other infections. The clippers are used in each possible area where the fungus and warts grow. Hence, if you share cutters, there are chances that you or any other user might develop problems like nail fungus or HPV caused due to plantar warts. Hence, after using the nail cutter, or prior using it, make sure you clean it properly with the help of a tissue paper, or with alcohol too for safety purpose.
6. Tweezers-Personal, it is.
Tweezers are widely used as the shortcut to get a perfectly shaped eyebrow. However, do you know, sharing the tweezers can also be harmful! Yes, the tweezers can also transfer diseases that are blood-borne. When you simply pluck off the eyebrows that are clean, there is no problem. But if you are pulling an ingrown hair by puncturing the skin, the tweezers would surely become transformers of blood-borne diseases. There are rare chances of developing issues like Hepatitis C and HIV too through the use of contaminated tweezers. For safety precautions, it is advisable to soak the tweezers in alcohol before or after using them in case you find blood on it.
7. Creams Packed In Jars-Personal, it is.
When it comes to personal care products, those available in the jar are harmful too. The people using the jar don’t have clean and hygiene hands. Thus, every time they dip their fingers in the jar, new germs start spreading the rest of the cream with rapid speed and with ease. Streptococcus is a kind of bacteria widely found in this kind of creams in jars. They are also present on the skin of various people, for whom they are harmless too. When they get in touch of the skin by using the contaminated jar ingredients, it can lead to folliculitis, and acne problems. Hence, instead of dipping, you can use the squeeze bottles, or use a popsicle stick that is clean every time
8. Nose Clippers-Personal, it is.
Do you use nose clippers and share them! Definitely you wouldn’t do that anymore after reading this. Just think that the clipper you are having was in someone else nose few mins back, and you would get the idea of the germs it is carrying. The clippers develop bacteria like MRSA and staph that are harmful for your nose. Even if the prior user is healthy, you would still have the chances of developing the bacteria that can give you serious infections. Hence, sharing the nose clippers is definitely not a good idea. So, say no to sharing them.
9. Hair Trimmer-Personal, it is.
Having a hair trimmer at home! Do you share it? Stop doing it unless you are sanitizing it before using or after the use. When you carry out trimming of hair, especially, the short ones, the trimmer is capable to transfer the bacteria from the other person’s face to yours. This would result into folliculitis or acne problems. While moving to the barber, also make sure they sanitize the trimmer well as they too would carry such contaminated bacteria that can prove harmful for your skin.
10. Deodorant or Anti-perspirant-Personal, it is.
Merely the thought of sharing something that was on the armpit of someone else would drive you filthy. But the fact is that the habit of sharing the deodorants or anti-perspirant would actually lead to increase in skin infections. The armpits develop various bacteria from the shaving nicks or even from the ingrown hair. The deodorants may provide you with a good smell, however, it would also provide you with bacterial infections. There are anti-bacterial deodorants available in the market, however, very few provide you with protection. Hence, if you are sharing the deodorant or not, make sure you wipe the stick before you use it with cotton soaked in alcohol.
11. Lip Balm-Personal, it is.
Yes, even sharing your lip balm or lipstick can cause you health issues. When you apply the lip balm or lipstick on your lips, the bacteria can easily get transferred into your bloodstreams by passing through the membranes in your mouth. The mouth contains a very special organ just below the lips known as blood vessels, that are capable to intake any ingredient you give them, even germs. Hence, sharing the lipsticks or lip balms can lead to conditions like cold sores, Herpes, viral infections, and much more.
12. Pumice Stones-Personal, it is.
Pumice stones are widely used for pedicure, or even routine cleaning of the heels. Their job is to remove the dead skin from the heels and the soles, as you roughly rub the stone on it. The stones when shared with others, have the chances of carrying fungus, strains of HPV, bacteria, etc. that is harmful for your skin. There are families that are visualized having plantar warts when they share a common pumice stone. The germs get located to the stone in the first usage itself, and hence, it is better to avoid sharing the pumice stones.
13. Toothbrushes-Don’t even think of it.
This is also another personal care item, that is seen used by two people. No matter how much you rinse the toothbrush, the bristles would still carry a good number of bacteria on it, that would easily double itself overnight. The germs from the bristles are the main reason when someone falls sick, and not the germs inside your mouth. When the toothbrush is used by someone else, there are chances the brush might develop pathogens that can result into strep, common cold, norovirus, and much more. If both or anyone of the sharer is having poor dental hygiene, that means if your gums bleed during brushing, it can also spread blood-borne diseases to both of you.
14. Toothpaste – To Some Extent
The method of taking toothpaste on your toothbrush also matters when it comes to health issues caused due to sharing items. As mentioned above, the bristles of the toothbrushes carry bacteria, when you push the paste towards the bristles, they would easily get transmitted to the toothpaste in the tube. Hence, if you are sharing the toothpaste, make sure you and other users don’t end up on the bristles, but make an end on the paste for safety purpose.
15. Earrings-why get pierced with infections?
This may sound like a joke, but the fact is that sharing your earrings can also be harmful for both of you. While exchanging earrings you may also transfer blood-borne infections to the other user. Hence, it is advisable to either avoid sharing, or sanitize every time you give your earrings to someone. Make sure you use alcohol while sanitizing for making it 100 percent safe.
16. Flip-flops-Don’t share.
Strange, but even sharing your flip-flops, and even the shower shoes, can randomly give you some infections. The germs like fungus and bacteria can easily get transferred from the legs to the shoes with ease. The chances increase when you wear them wet legged. The result of using the flip-flops or shower shoes without washing them, or randomly with dirty legs would result into athlete’s foot, warts, molluscum, etc. Molluscum is widely observed issue in this case, that would give you white heads similar to the acne on your skin.
17. Earphones- Infections can travel ear to ear
Popularly known as earbuds or headphones, the earphones are also listed among the not to share item list. When you give someone the earphones for using, they get bundles of bacteria from the ears. The number of bacteria would easily get multiplied if they are used while exercising due the warmth of the body and the moisture. Hence, make a point of not sharing earphones, and if you have done so, wipe them with the help of cotton soaked in alcohol to prevent your ears from bacteria like strep or staph, leading to issues like infections, pustules, boils, etc.
18. Make Up Kits-A Pandora box of fungus and bacteria
Just as sharing lip balm, lipstick and other jar creams is prohibited, similarly, using make up kits with different people is also harmful. The makeup when shared comes in contact with various skins that leads to the spread of various bacteria, fungus, etc. Hence, when such makeup is used by you, there are chances that you might face problems like infections in the eyes, conjunctivitis, pink eyes, and much more, that can also take serious issues. Hence, if you have landed your makeup to someone, make sure you clean the last touched part of it, and also clean your makeup brushes properly.
19. Hair Brushes-Don’t brush with infections
Yes, it is also important to maintain your hair brush and also avoid sharing it with others. When shared and used by other people, the combs may carry oil, dead skin cells, germs, grime, lice, and much more, that would easily get transferred to your hair as soon as you use it. Hence, if you share the combs and hair brushes, there are chances you would develop hair issues like hair fall, dandruff, lice, and much more. So, for healthy hair, make sure you sanitize your combs and hair brushes on regular basis and avoid sharing them.
No doubt sharing is a good habit. But it also comes with some limitations as there are some personal care items that cannot be used by sharing for health purpose. When it comes to other things it is necessary to check the condition of the item before using it. Also, develop a habit of maintaining your personal care belongings to keep them hygienic for your good health.
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