[pct-l] Baby Wipes

Thu Jan 3 13:54:36 CST 2008

Yeah, I've never seen an alcohol bath in a hospital.

And I'd like to state for the record I'm not outright disagreeing with  
g l just disagreeing with the... intensity of the statement. I  
completely agree that alcohol wipes will cause dry skin and irritate  
the mucus membranes -- however, this will only happen from overuse. At  
least as far as your anal sphincter and skin is concerned. Heh, never  
thought I'd use the words anal sphincter on the PCT-L...

And again, everyone is different. If you're concerned about having a  
reaction to alcohol wipes on the trail, try using them at home for a  
few days. Although using alcohol wipes AND a shower will most likely  
severely dry your skin unless you moisturize a lot.

Furthermore, the amount of alcohol that'll be absorbed transdermally  
is so small as to be ridiculous in a full-grown adult. Alcohol  
evaporates very fast (part of the reason why it is an effective  
coolant and why it dries out skin so easily) and almost the entire  
amount of alcohol that will be placed on your skin by an alcohol wipe  
will evaporate before it even begins to penetrate any layer of skin. I  
suspect a small amount will manage to be absorbed but we're talking...  
single-digit microliters, here. A few dozen molecules. :P

It's been my experience that alcohol is forbidden from neonatal wards  
because of the sensitivity of an infant's skin, not necessarily the  
risk of absorbtion... although babies are an entire other field (and I  
only know how to deliver them) and its possible that inhaled and  
absorbed alcohol is a serious risk to them (in fact, I'm sure inhaled   
alcohol vapors are). I can't speak definitively on that topic.

On Jan 3, 2008, at 2:31 PM, Bill & Cathy wrote:

> Do they still give Alcohol baths in hospitals? Where I work, they  
> have Alcohol dispensers all over the place, for your hands. Ground  
> Pounder Bill
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: g l
> To: Patrick Beggan ; PCT
> Sent: Thursday, January 03, 2008 11:23 AM
> Subject: Re: [pct-l] Baby Wipes
>
> This is not true.  At very minimum, alcohol is very drying to the  
> skin.  There is also some question as to carcinogenicity, etc.   
> Research before use.  I believe Baby Wipes would be ok, alcohol  
> wipes...nope!
>
> Intensive care nurse and registered respiratory therapist x 25 years.
>
> Wheeew
>
> Patrick Beggan <meta474 at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Well, everyone is different, but alcohol wipes on your bare skin  
> don't really harm anything (I have pretty extensive medical  
> experience, although I'm no doctor, I'm just a medic). I mean,  
> frequency is an issue here -- if you're wiping down with alcohol  
> wipes every twenty minutes then you're probably going to see some  
> irritation. Its my experience that giving yourself a wipe-down with  
> an alcohol wipe every other day or so helps keep infection at bay as  
> well as help prevent a whole set of skin ailments.
>
> Of course, it should note that my skin, uhh, "hydrates" at a rapid  
> pace. That is, I am very greasy. :P
>
>
> On Jan 3, 2008, at 6:11 AM, g l wrote:
>> Folks, Please do NOT use alcohol wipes on your skin.....especially  
>> on your more "sensitive" areas.  Isopropyl alcohol itself is  
>> extremely irritating to the skin and particularly the mucous  
>> membranes.  And guess what your.......exit area is composed of????   
>> Key-rect!!!!  Mucous membranes.  H20 if you have it, is your best  
>> bet.....along with a gentle, non-rinse soap perhaps.  Or just  
>> stink!  We all smell alike out there anyway, and we cancel each  
>> other out.  And the flat-landers???  Heck with em if they can't  
>> take a joke!  Just say NO to ETOH!!!  (Other than the drinkin'  
>> kind, perhaps.)
>>
>> Wheeew
>>
>> Hiker97 <hiker97 at aol.com> wrote:
>> jolson at olc.edu writes: All kidding aside, - , alcohol wipes kept  
>> rashes and skin irritations of any sort from developing.  It wasn't  
>> til I was 40 that I had to deal with this.  Now it's a fact of life  
>> that I "wipe down" before putting on the long underwear and diving  
>> under the quilt for a dry, safe nights sleep... It's part of being  
>> able to hike week after week, a maintenance item.... Gotta keep the  
>> nether regions clean and dry...
>> --------------------------------
>> Switchback replies: I have used alcohol wipes for years along with  
>> TP.  I also carry hand sanitizer gel.  Out on the trail I try to be  
>> not only clean, but beyond that.  I think this protects you from  
>> getting sick and other irritations too.  For me going to bed clean  
>> at night makes for a more restful sleep.  I carry my toilet  
>> articles in a quart ZipLock bag.  Works great.
>> See AOL's top rated recipes and easy ways to stay in shape for  
>> winter.
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