What's wrong with antibacterial soap?

[Let It Be]

I have read on here before that some of you avoid using antibacterial soap. Would you mind explaining why to a girl that just doesn't know any better?

Thanks in advance!

[Aeress]

I don't use anti-bacterial soap becuase I believe my body will be better at fighting off germs if I am exposed to them a little at a time. I also believe that plain old soap and water is just as effective at helping fight germs as anti-bacterial. I do keep a little hand gel in the car for when i do not have access to soap and water. I also have anti-bacterial soap in the kitchen for after I handle meat.

I am sure there is a better explanation than this but this is why I do not use them.

[lolar2]

Using anti-bacterial soap can breed resistant superbugs. This is not, however, true of things like Purell hand sanitizer which has alcohol as the active ingredient.

[lilysmama1124]

Most antibacterial soaps(not hand hand sanitizers) have trictosan(spelling?) which is not good for you to begin with but becomes very unhealthy for you when it mixes with something in tap water(i believe it is chlorine). It turns into a gas and you breath it in. Sorry I am a little foggy on the specifics because I stopped using antibac products after I found out about this and that was awile ago so I can't remember the specifics. Also they "overkill" bacteria creating resistent bacteria and diminishing our ability to create a natural immunity to them. As far as hand sanitizers, as someone said before they are mostly alcohol but overusing them is also not good because alcohol pretty much kills eveything including protective bacteria on your skin.

[Let It Be]

Thanks for all the responses!

Lilysmama - best wishes for the upcoming birth!