I'm I going over the top?

[KimberlyP]

I developed emet when I was about 12 and it kind of got better for a while. But it has came back and now I am terrified. I never knew that regular hand sanitizer does not kill noro, I didn't even know exactly what Noro was... Anyways to my question...Now that I know that, I use two different hand sanitizers. Wetones, for Noro and then regular 65% alcohol hand sanitizer for all of the other sicknesses, like h1n1 flu (I read it must be more than 62% alcohol to be effective.) My hands are really paying for this and I was wondering if this is necesarry? Is there a handsintizer that has both?

I haven't worked for three and a half years and recently got a job at a dentist's office. That may be why it came back so strong or it could be because all of these years using gallons of hand sanitizer I could have gotten Noro...either way...it's 3am which is the time I woke up when I had to V* which made me develop emetophobia, and now I have to go to work with only four hours of sleep. Sorry I had to rant =)

[seastar]

I use to wash my hands all the time and use hand sanitizer after. I stopped the hand sanitizer because it was drying my hands out more then washing them alone and they were cracking & bleeding. Someone told me that you can get sick easier with open cuts on your hands, so I had to stop. My hand washing calmed down after and my hands healed, but ever since I got a job at a bakery/deli (need clean hands there..) my hand washing has started up again. If it's cold out & I've washed my hands a lot that day, my hands will crack though, just not as bad as they use to. I don't use hand sanitizer unless I won't be around a sink for awhile, but even after I use hand sanitizer, I still feel like there's tons a germs on my hands.

[Still A Weirdo]

I don't use hand sanitiser anymore - I just use soap and water. I would probably use some if there was no sink nearby though, it's just I read on here that it doesn't kill noro. I scrub my hands with soap and water, which makes my hands bleed and crack, so when I used hand sanitiser, it stung really badly. I just never eat with my fingers, and don't eat anything that I've touched. Ugh, I hate this phobia!

[KimberlyP]

I'm going through the very cracked hands faze right now. It hurts so bad. But I read, I can't remember where, that scietist have said that using hand sanitizer after washing your hands is the best way to combat tough viruses, such as noro, and I was just curious.

[emmalinda]

i believe soap and water is perfect for getting rid of ALL germs on your hands. so if there is not sink and water around then any hand sanitizer doesnt hurt. i have recently bought one thats has moisterising lotion in it because like you kimberly, my hands suffer bad from over washing. i would suggest still washing with saop and water (minus the sanitizing afterwards), and only using that whe your out and about and have to eat, and purchasing a derm aid cream to apply before bed at night. thats what i did and i could till kepp up my regualr hand washing routine, while helping the problem. but i would also suggest to use a soap free wash to clean your hands with