Does pemolux kill germs. What is antibacterial soap? Is it better than usual

What kind of soap kills germs, does not dry out and protects your skin? Experts tested popular brands of soap to
answer this question.

In the composition of soaps, in addition to the usual softening additives, you can find so many components that it's time to get confused. Unfortunately, not all of them are harmless and safe. Find out which soap is right for you. The Product-test expertise agency will help us with this.

SIDE EFFECTS

“When we dissolve (lather) soap in water, fatty acids and alkali are released,” says Yaroslav Klyuchnikov, an employee of the agency. – This composition effectively removes impurities from the skin, but not without side effect: we damage the protective shell of the skin, kill beneficial bacteria and provoke the growth of pathogens.

Therefore, manufacturers adapt the composition of soaps, supplement them with softening and moisturizing additives, and make it gentle on the skin.

Product-test analyzed the range of soaps in retail chains 9 major cities and chose the most popular. Samples were sent to laboratories for testing on 6 critical criteria: skin effect, base quality, foaming, washability, packaging and piece weight.

THE WEIGHT

The weight of many popular soaps, according to test results, does not correspond to the declared. For example, the soap Autumn Waltz and Absolut - the real weight was 10% lower! Timotei "Caribbean Assorted" has a discrepancy of up to 8%, and Monpari Lure of Flame has a discrepancy of up to 5% of the weight declared on the package.

By the way, as a rule, deviations do not exceed 2%, so in the above cases, the underweight almost certainly occurred during the production of these soaps, and not during storage or transportation.

SKIN EFFECTS

soap from famous brand Fa Senses "Soft Care", according to test participants, tightens and dries the skin of the hands. In addition, tests have revealed that it does not foam well and often cracks some time after opening the package. While, for example, Natural "Cream-soap with silk proteins" fully justifies its name: it gently cleanses and moisturizes the skin.

BASE QUALITY

The most alkaline in our tests were such famous soaps like Absolut "Gentle Antibacterial", Autumn Waltz
St. John's wort and Safeguard Nature. Their pH turned out to be above 10, almost like laundry soap! After using this soap
skin becomes dehydrated discomfort dryness and irritation, thus the above soaps cannot be recommended for regular use.

Optimal pH found only in Dove Go Fresh Restore and Dove Supreme Cream Oil soaps.

Generally most of hard soaps have an alkaline pH that is unsafe for the skin, but you can avoid this by replacing solid soap with liquid soap: the composition of liquid soaps is more adapted to the needs of the skin.

It is curious that there was no bad Ukrainian-made soap in the rating, although Monpari Lure of Flame soap has poor performance. Fa Senses "Soft care" (Poland) and "Autumn waltz" St. John's wort "(Russia) were recognized as the worst.

Ten best products looks like that:

1. Dove Go Fresh Restore (Germany)

2. Dove Supreme Cream Oil (Germany)

3. Natural "Cream-soap with silk proteins" (Russia)

4. Clean line "Calendula" (Poland)

5. Glycerin "New" (Russia)

6. Nivea "Strawberry and Milk" (Turkey)

7. Duru Gourmet Cherry Pie (Turkey)

8. Johnson’s Baby Almond Butter (Greece)

9. Velvet handles "Royal Argan" solid soap (Poland)

HOW THE QUALITY OF SOAP WAS ASSESSED

Each bar soap model was tested by a test group of at least 60 people. Three tests were carried out in the laboratory to evaluate the quality of the base of each solid toilet soap: the quality of the components used, pH studies and a test for the tendency to crack from environmental moisture.

NUMBER

1 kg/year

Soap is consumed in Ukraine by an average citizen. About a thousand people annually turn to dermatologists in connection with diseases caused by low-quality soap.

This is a disease that is not fully understood. That is why there are many myths about him among the inhabitants. One of them allows people to believe that it is possible to get HIV through soap. The second myth broadcasts that with the help of this tool hygiene can destroy the infection cells. Is it really?

Is HIV transmitted through soap?

Scientists believe that, purely theoretically, infection with the immunodeficiency virus through soap is possible. However, no cases of such infection were recorded. It is worth noting that not always people who learn about their diagnosis will be able to say with complete certainty how the infection was made. How can you get HIV through soap?

Presumably, you can become infected in this way if you wash your hands immediately after being infected. It would seem that in this case, there should be a lot of confirmed data on such transmission of the infection. But there are some nuances here. First, a sick person should have open wounds or other damage that will leave blood on the hygiene product. Secondly, a person who can be infected must also have open sores on the skin that have not healed, through which infection will occur. Only in this case, HIV can be transmitted from one person to another through soap. And that's only on the condition that healthy man will wash his hands after the patient in a few seconds. After all, outside the body of the carrier, the cells of the virus live only a few minutes. Naturally, such coincidences are extremely rare.

Soap kills HIV: fact or fiction?

Some people mistakenly attribute miraculous properties to soap. Since childhood, they have been accustomed to believing that this remedy, as they say in advertising, kills all known microbes, bacteria and viruses. Actually it is not. Especially the denial of this judgment applies to modern cosmetic soap, which contains a large number of oils, fragrances and dyes and very little alkali. It is considered Ph-neutral. Such a remedy does not cause any harm to the skin. But it does not provide any benefit in terms of protection against bacteria.

Laundry soap in this regard is considered the most effective. It fights bacteria with ease. But, according to scientists, he cannot cope with the cells of the immunodeficiency virus. Therefore, the opinion that soap kills HIV is nothing more than a myth. A fresh cut or other injury that could be potentially dangerous in terms of virus transmission should be treated with rubbing alcohol.

Roskachestvo dispelled the myth about antibacterial properties baby toilet soap. Studies have shown that it often does not kill bacteria, but simply washes them away due to abundant foam. This was reported by the press service of Roskachestvo.

According to experts from Rospotrebnadzor, ordinary soap should not clean, washing off excess microorganisms and bacteria. Antibacterial soap is designed to kill them, which, by the way, is not recommended to be used often, because microorganisms get used to it, like antibiotics.

Baby soap High Quality must have the ability to prevent the reproduction of microorganisms, such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa or Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, diploid fungus. So, the study showed that an hour after last application on half of all tested samples of soap continued to live staphylococcus aureus. This is not a violation, since our legislation does not contain requirements for such indicators.

Also, experts studied each sample for the ability to cause allergies, if it contains allergen components. To do this, doses of soap were injected into the previously donated blood of the experts and it was observed whether autoplaque-forming cells would react to the allergen and at what concentration in the blood plaques would begin to form.

"The higher the alkaline reaction of the soap foam, the more actively it removes the protective fatty mantle from the skin. The disappearance of the fatty impregnation at times enhances the aggressive effect of the chemical components of the soap, which can cause both skin irritation and allergic reaction. Also, the reaction can be caused by fragrances, essential oils, preservatives, flavors, various coloring agents, antibacterial components, such as triclosan and triclocarban.

If parents notice that after washing their hands or bathing, the baby’s skin turns red or itchy, then the brand of soap used should be changed, ”says pediatrician candidate medical sciences Elena Antsiferova.

Russian soap can compete with foreign brands

But blood was shed in vain - during the study, not a single potentially dangerous allergenic soap was found. However, experts warn: just in case, before using soap, carefully study its composition. And if it says it contains Vaseline oil and chamomile extract, and in a child, for example, an allergy to chamomile, it is better to refuse such soap.

In total, Roskachestvo tested 31 samples of children's toilet soap, produced both in various regions of Russia and in Germany, Bulgaria, the United Arab Emirates, Italy, Poland, and Ukraine. It was studied on 21 indicators of quality and safety.

No safety violations defined by law, was not found. One third of products are soap high quality, which may qualify for the assignment of the state Quality Mark. Ten samples have increased hypoallergenicity and the ability to prevent the growth of bacteria. In addition, the study proved: Russian soap can compete with popular foreign brands.

In 13 cases out of 31, the difference between the net weight declared on the packaging and the actual weight of the soap was more than 4.5 percent, and although such deviations are not considered a violation, since there is no requirement for "underweight" in our legislation, these products will not be able to claim the Mark quality.

As part of the study, experts evaluated 31 samples of baby toilet soap produced both in Russia and abroad. The study included products from Bulgaria, Germany, Italy, the United Arab Emirates, Poland, Ukraine, and many regions of Russia, including Altai Territory, Voronezh, Nizhny Novgorod and Samara regions, the Republic of Tatarstan, as well as from Moscow and St. Petersburg. The laboratory testing program included 21 quality and safety indicators.

The study proved the complete safety of baby soap - not a single violation of existing safety standards was identified. A third of the products are high-quality goods that meet not only the requirements technical regulations and GOSTs, but also the increased standard of Roskachestvo. So, ten samples have increased hypoallergenicity and bacteriostatic activity - the ability to prevent the growth of bacteria. The decision to award the State Quality Mark to goods under trademarks D, Nevskaya Kosmetika, Beauty Recipes, Umka and Baby’s soap experts will accept after an assessment of production, during which, among other things, the level of localization of products will be determined. Samples Velvet Hands, SpongeBob, Bebble, Johnsons baby and Weleda, are also recognized as high quality goods, but they cannot qualify for Russian Sign quality due to its foreign origin. In addition, the study confirmed that Russian soap can compete with popular foreign brands.

An important vector of research was the study of soap for cleansing properties. It is also important to refute the widespread consumer myth about the antibacterial properties of soap: Roskachestvo confirmed that toilet soap does not kill bacteria, but rather “washes away” them due to the abundance of foam.

However, high-quality baby soap should have high bacteriostatic activity - the ability to prevent the growth of microorganisms, such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa and coli, Staphylococcus aureus and diploid fungus, including Candida.

“The surface of a solid bar of toilet soap may be subject to contamination (contamination with microorganisms harmful to human health). This happens if the soap was used by a person who is sick or is a carrier of a microorganism that can cause a disease of a staphylococcal, streptococcal nature or intestinal infection", they report specialists of VNIIZhG Rospotrebnadzor.

The study showed that 60 minutes after the last use, staphylococcus aureus was still living on half of all the studied soap samples. This is not a violation, since this indicator is not regulated by Russian law. However, Roskachestvo, using a recognized European testing methodology, deprives these products of the potential opportunity to receive the Quality Mark.

In addition, as part of the study, experts studied each sample for the ability to cause allergies. In order to check if there are allergen components in the soap, the samples were tested for early sensitization - curiously, this test was not without blood. During the study, pre-donated blood of experts was injected with doses of soap, and it was observed whether the auto-plaque-forming cells would react to the allergen and at what concentration in the blood plaques would begin to form.

“The higher the alkaline reaction of soap foam, the more actively it removes the protective fatty mantle from the skin. The disappearance of fatty impregnation at times enhances the aggressive effect of the chemical components of the soap, which can cause both skin irritation and an allergic reaction. Also, the reaction can be caused by fragrances, essential oils, preservatives, fragrances, various surfactants, coloring agents, as well as antibacterial components, such as triclosan and triclocarban. If parents notice that after washing their hands or bathing, the baby’s skin turns red or itches, then the brand of soap used should be changed,” says the pediatrician, allergist-immunologist, gastroenterologist, radio and television expert, head of the school “ smart mom”, Candidate of Medical Sciences Elena Antsiferova.

It's nice that the study did not reveal a potentially unsafe allergenic soap, however, to protect yourself from potential risks, experts advise carefully studying the composition.

“If it is written that the soap contains vaseline oil and chamomile extract, and the child is allergic to chamomile, such soap should be discarded. Availability Information active ingredients such as oils and extracts should always appear on the label. It is also desirable that the smell of baby soap is not too strong, ”said the chief specialist of the Association of Manufacturers of Perfumes, Cosmetics, Goods household chemicals and hygiene, candidate of technical sciences Galina Ulantseva.

In addition, as part of the study, experts paid attention to the characteristics of soap declared on the label. In 13 cases out of 31, the difference between the net weight declared on the packaging and the actual weight of the soap was more than 4.5%, however, such deviations in the actual weight cannot be considered a violation, since there are no such requirements for “underweight” in Russian legislation. However, these products will not qualify for the Russian Quality Mark.

Nevertheless, the study revealed four formal "violators". During the study of Roskachestvo, samples with an underestimated quality number were found. Goods under the trademarks "Alisa" and "Tik Tak", which are indicated on the packaging of GOST, do not comply state standard in terms of quality number, which is misleading the consumer. Also, an underestimated quality number was found in two more goods, however, these samples were not made according to GOST.

“A qualitative number is a mass fatty acids in terms of the mass of a bar of soap. The underestimation of the number may be associated with a reduction in the cost of the piece itself. Also, a decrease in the quality number may be due to insufficient control or due to some kind of disruption in the production process. Subjectively, it is believed that the lower the quality number of soap, the worse its washing ability,” said Ekaterina Nesterova, executive director of the Association of Fat and Oil Producers and Consumers.

By the way, there is an opinion that the longer the soap is aged, the better it becomes: drying out, the soap loses weight without losing the fatty acids it contains. Accordingly, its quality number increases. It is not for nothing that for many older people, soap first served as a fragrance for linen in the closet, and only then, after a year or more, it migrated to the bathroom.

In two more cases, under the trademarks "Children" and Honey kid, an excess in the amount of salt was found. Since these manufacturers declared on the packaging of the product that it complied with GOST, they are violators of the standard, unlike two more manufacturers who exceeded it, but did not apply for GOST.

Detailed research results for each specific sample are available at

As you know, back in early September, the United States banned the use of triclosan, triclocarban and 17 other antiseptics that are part of household soap, since it has not been proven that they are safe or at least bring any benefit.

These chemicals are found in 40% of the soap. In addition, they have been found in toothpaste, baby pacifiers, and laundry detergents. They are even added to some lip glosses, deodorants and pet shampoos.

What products are banned?

Currently, an antiseptic such as triclosan is banned only in household soap. But this ban does not apply to other products, such as antiseptic gels designed to be used without water, antibacterial toothpastes, and many fabrics and household items that have an antibacterial effect. Evidence suggests that such toothpastes are very effective for people suffering from gum disease, although it is not clear if they provide significant benefits for those who do not have gingivitis.

While antiseptics are still in the products we use, this ban is a huge step forward in limiting their use.

But should we follow the example of the Americans and refuse to use antibacterial agents? To answer this question, it is worth seeking the advice of microbiologists who study many chemical substances and microbes. This will allow us to understand whether it is worth killing all the bacteria. We will also talk about why antibacterial soap can harm you. Looking ahead, it is worth saying that it contributes to the resistance of some strains of bacteria to antibiotics, and they can be really dangerous.

Bacteria can be helpful

Bacteria live in environment and in our bodies, which is mostly good. We rely on the bacteria in our gut to keep us going. nutrients. Also, some bacteria on the skin help us defend ourselves against harmful pathogens.

Some of them, present in soil and animal waste, can lead to infections if they enter our bodies. Therefore, it is very important to wash your hands and food to prevent the spread of bacteria to places where they can cause harm.