Antimicrobial Towelettes, Personal Cleaners, Perineal Lotions

What is Personal Hygiene?

Personal hygiene is the collection of actions an individual performs through habit to maintain good health. Hygiene plays an important part in feeling and looking physically and emotionally well. Good hygiene habits not only protect an individual’s health, but also the health of all those they may come into contact with. For example, bacteria and viruses are commonly spread among those with poor hygiene.

Hand washing is one of the most necessary habits of personal hygiene because the hands are a common carrier of various types of germs. Germs can easily pass into the body by touching the ears, eyes, or mouth with a germ-containing hand. This not only leads to personal illness, but it can make other individuals who touch the contaminated hand sick as well. Some hand washing cleansers are available as liquid sprays, liquids to rub on, towelettes, or foam sprays. Some have a moisturizer in the cleanser so the skin will not develop dryness over time.

Maintaining total body cleanliness is equally important for good personal hygiene and is typically accomplished by taking frequent baths and showers. Frequent washing can prevent body odor and enforce overall skin health, but many are not able to take a physical bath or shower because of physical limitations, especially in a hospital, nursing home, or homecare setting. Therefore, no-rinse body cleansers are available to maintain proper hygiene, such as towelettes, spray washes, foam cleansers, cleansing body lotions, and body sponges. Some have deodorizers in the mixture while others have an antiseptic. Also, skin softening agents are added to some in order to keep the skin soft.

A great deal of personal hygiene is done to maintain an individual’s physical appearance, such as hair washing. There are several types of no-rinse shampoos available in order to keep the hair fresh and clean. Some are sprayed onto a moistened wash cloth while others are added to the water in a bedside basin. Many contain hair conditioning ingredients so the hair does not dry out.

Hulet Smith, OT
Rehabmart Co-Founder & CEO

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