Everyone comes down with a case of the sniffles every now and then, but some of us feel the brunt of allergic reactions more than others. Airborne offenders such as pollen and dust immediately come to mind, but plenty of allergic symptoms also come about from insects, pollutants, freshly cut lawns, and even food allergies. Even though most everyone has a least one allergy, reaction severities can range from a mildly-annoying runny nose to an entire throat seizing up. Allergies are certainly no laughing matter, and it’s advisable to invest in good air filtration systems and quality disinfectants for surfaces—including your own skin.

According to the CDC, hand sanitizers are useful solutions to staying bacteria-free when a proper hand washing station isn’t available...especially in light of the coronavirus pandemic. But allergies tend to sneak past your immune system regardless of your efforts oftentimes, as if there was a giant hole in your defenses. This begs the question: does hand sanitizer really help with the fight against allergies? Does it do anything practical to save on tissue boxes? The benefits may surprise you! But first…

Let’s start by clearing the air here. Over-the-counter hand sanitizers don’t magically kill off 99.9% of germs without some help on the chemical level. Most solutions use 60-80% ethyl alcohol as an active ingredient in combination with water and other inactive antibacterial agents. These “behind-the-scenes” chemicals include antiseptics, sporicides, perfumes, and foaming agents—all quite common and important for hand sanitizers to do their jobs effectively. Muse Health’s Fragrance-free Hand Sanitizer, for instance, uses glycerin tocopheryl acetate and lime oil moisturizer to refresh your hands with every use, reducing the likelihood of dryness, otherwise known as eczema or allergic contact dermatitis.

As with all health care products and lotions, however, it is possible to have an acute skin reaction to any number of scents or ingredients within hand sanitizer—active or otherwise. But these cases are exceedingly rare, as is the possibility of being allergic to the alcohol itself. If you experience conditions which leave you uncomfortable after using any sanitization product, always check with your doctor before doing anything else. It also pays to make sure your hand sanitizer isn’t drying out your skin, as many brands don’t include the soothing oils found within Muse Health’s products. Dry skin can often look like an allergic reaction, so be careful! The World Health Organization also recommends using an FDA-approved hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol content (avoid methanol-based products).

Rest assured that the chances of being allergic to your favorite hand sanitizer brand are rather low. And that's good news for you!

On to the topic at hand: can the habitual use of hand sanitizers reduce your usual allergic reactions?

In most cases, yes! Here's why.

Throughout our days, we end up touching and interacting with all sorts of things: phones, smart devices, door handles, steering wheels, countertops, picnic tables, bed sheets, and more. When these objects aren’t being handled by us directly, they’re usually sitting around catching any foreign invaders which drift their way. That includes bacteria, viruses, and—yes—allergens.

The only thing worse than coming close to something you’re allergic to? Carrying it around on your skin! It happens more often than you’d think. For example, pollen is particularly prevalent in the springtime, and is one of the most infamous allergens out there. It's normal to see our cars and bikes cloaked in the stuff at times, so imagine what happens when we open the car door or grab the handle bars. Though you may not see it, some pollen spores have likely hitched onto your hands for the ride. It gets even worse if you take an innocent moment to scratch your face! Dust around the house is another lingering culprit.

A good quality hand sanitizer will allow you to lather away these problems so you don’t carry the instigators around with you, while killing the majority of the germs they might happen to be hiding. Keep in mind that no amount of sanitizing will remove your allergic reactions altogether, but by reducing the amount of allergens lingering on your skin they can cool down your symptoms.

If you find your allergies flaring up, try to keep a bottle of sanitizer with you to take both your hand hygiene and allergy control to the next level. Don't forget to use soap when you can, though!

Sometimes allergy symptoms are mild and give a similar appearance to the effects of other setbacks like the common cold. In that case, it can be difficult to pinpoint exactly what’s causing your discomfort. So how can you tell if you’re really allergic to something?

The best way is to pay close attention to your symptoms. The usual signs of allergies include a running or blocked nose, frequent sneezing, itchy eyes or skin, a rash, hives, or trouble breathing. Another clue comes by assessing how your body is really feeling—for many people, allergies hijack the immune system without giving off the achy or sluggish feeling you get when you’re traditionally sick (unless the allergies are severe).

If you believe you might be allergic to something but are unsure what that might be, a visit to your local allergy specialist might be in order. Many allergy and asthma clinics offer allergy testing which can help identify what allergen is causing all the trouble. When you experience a reaction to a specific chemical in a cleaning product or a small ingredient in a meal, it might be impossible to identify it without consulting an allergist. If you experience symptoms which don’t seem to be going away, make sure to get help!

Looking for a reliable brand of hand sanitizer to help fight against your allergies? With 62% ethyl alcohol, Muse Health’s Fragrance-free Hand Sanitizer is effective at killing 99.9% of germs while removing the tiny particles on your palms which may jumpstart your next sneezing fit. Our hand sanitizers’ ingredients ensure an efficient cleaning which gets the job done and rejuvenates your skin at the same time, thanks to additional moisturizing oils. If you prefer an option with a pleasing sugary scent, check out our Geranium & Sugar Scent Hand Sanitizer. Plus, we’re also offering an exclusive deal: buy a bottle of hand sanitizer and get 50% off a Muse Health Fabric Face Mask! Take control of your health today with Muse Health...and good luck with those allergies!