Are you washing your hands properly?

The germ season has begun! The best way to stay healthy is to wash your hands frequently and properly. Use of hand sanitizer can help in the quest to ward the germs away. Diligent practices of hand washing, use of sanitizers when appropriate, and other simple practices can go along way to keep your family healthy this season.

The following article was posted on the Mayo Clinic website. Please take a moment to read.

Frequent hand washing is one of the best ways to avoid getting sick and spreading illness. Hand washing requires only soap and water or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer — a cleanser that doesn't require water. Find out when and how to wash your hands properly.
When to wash your hands
As you touch people, surfaces and objects throughout the day, you accumulate germs on your hands. In turn, you can infect yourself with these germs by touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Although it's impossible to keep your hands germ-free, washing your hands frequently can help limit the transfer of bacteria, viruses and other microbes.
Always wash your hands before:
Preparing food
Eating
Treating wounds or giving medicine
Touching a sick or injured person
Inserting or removing contact lenses
Always wash your hands after:
Preparing food, especially raw meat or poultry
Using the toilet
Changing a diaper
Touching an animal or animal toys, leashes or waste
Blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing into your hands
Treating wounds
Touching a sick or injured person
Handling garbage or something that could be contaminated, such as a cleaning cloth or soiled shoes
Of course, it's also important to wash your hands whenever they look dirty.
How to wash your hands
It's generally best to wash your hands with soap and water. Follow these simple steps:
Wet your hands with running water.
Apply liquid, bar or powder soap.
Lather well.
Rub your hands vigorously for at least 20 seconds. Remember to scrub all surfaces, including the backs of your hands, wrists, between your fingers and under your fingernails.
Rinse well.
Dry your hands with a clean or disposable towel or air dryer.
If possible, use your towel to turn off the faucet.
Keep in mind that antibacterial soap is no more effective at killing germs than is regular soap. Using antibacterial soap may even lead to the development of bacteria that are resistant to the product's antimicrobial agents — making it harder to kill these germs in the future.

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/hand-washing/HQ00407


Debbie Johnson
Dr. Brian Johnson
1240 Upper Hembree Road
Suite C
Roswell, GA 30076
770.993.9809
www.brianjohnsondmd.com