Childhood is a time of learning and exploration. However, learning and exploration may sometimes come with a few scratches on the knees and arms. We all know open wounds may become infected if not cleaned and treated properly, but what should we use in order to disinfect these types of wounds?
You might have heard of a topical disinfectant, a special chemical we apply to our skin to kill harmful infection-causing microorganisms. Some common topical disinfectants that you might be familiar with include but are not limited to:
- Isopropyl alcohol
- Ethanol
- Hydrogen peroxide
- chlorhexidine
Why Isopropyl Alcohol Is an Effective Topical Disinfectant?
Isopropyl alcohol is a type of alcohol that is hydrophilic, meaning it is attracted to water. It has been used as a topical disinfectant and antiseptic for decades and is recognized as one of the most effective disinfectants because of its ability to kill most bacteria and even viruses.
How Does It Prevent Infection From Occurring?
For microorganisms to grow, they must metabolize and replicate, which requires certain proteins. Without proteins, the microorganisms will not be able to grow. What makes isopropyl alcohol so effective is that it targets these proteins by denaturing them, while simultaneously damaging the microorganism’s membrane. This effectively kills the microorganism and inhibits its growth.
What Does Isopropyl Alcohol Work Against?
Though isopropyl alcohol is an effective topical disinfectant, it’s only effective for specific types of organisms, including most bacteria, viruses, and some fungi. When it comes to viruses, it effectively targets enveloped viruses, rather than nonenveloped ones.
Viruses are enveloped or non-enveloped. Enveloped viruses have a lipid bilayer membrane that they are encased in, while nonenveloped viruses do not possess this membrane. Since isopropyl alcohol is effective against specifically enveloped viruses, it can be used to target Sars-CoV2 or herpes virus.
Where Should I Buy Isopropyl Alcohol?
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