Handwashing in Finland

To prevent skin problems we have recommended in Finland that hospital personnel should avoid soap or other detergents for handwashing and instead use alcoholic preparations containing emollients such as 2% glycerol. Alcohol with emollient disinfection is used frequently in hospitals and it causes fewer complaints of skin dryness than washing with soap. However, there are still members of staff who have hand skin problems. Our studies conducted during winter have shown that when these persons used emulsion for hand cleansing, instead of washing with soap, skin deterioration was much less, allowing alcoholic disinfection of the hands whenever necessary, without impairment of the disinfecting effect of alcohol.