So here's a bit of a PSA... in my Human Genetics class we're learning about antibiotic resistance, which is a potentially catastrophic problem that is on the way... Well, it turns out that all those antibacterial products bein pushed on us help to contribute to antibiotic resistance and are making the problem worse, so you shouldn't use them unless you are, or live with, a person with a compromised immune system. (As my prof said, how many people do you think got sick from not using Antibacterial products before they were available?) This doesn't include things like those dry hand washes, because those use alcohol which kills all bacteria uniformly... there is no resistance to things like alcohol, bleach, ammonia, etc, so they're ok to use. Other tips:

* Don't take antibiotics for viral infections, they don't work and lead to the bacteria in your body becoming immune to antibiotics so that when you really need them they won't work.

* Always take the full amount prescribed to you, even if you feel better after a few days. Not taking all of them leaves the most resistant bacteria alive, ready to transmit the genes for resistance on to other bacteria, meaning that the drugs won't be as effective the next time.

It's wierd to think of this as a big problem because we've always had antibiotics around to fix things, but people used to die of things like tooth infections without them. Just something to think about.