What are the common misunderstandings about hand sanitiser and sore hands?
This answer is a draft. It stays unpublished until legal review and source verification are complete.
Since 2020 alcohol sanitiser has been part of everyday life in Japan — there is a bottle at almost every shop entrance — and complaints of sore, cracked hands have risen. This article sets out when to wash and when to sanitise, what concentration to use, and how to protect your skin, based on the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare's approach to hand hygiene.
Points to weigh up
| Item | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Basics | Wash with running water and soap for about 30 seconds | MHLW |
| Where sanitiser fits | A means for when you cannot wash. If there is visible dirt, wash | Same |
| Alcohol concentration | 60–95% (around 70% is the guide). Wet hands dilute it | Same, WHO |
| Method | A generous amount in the palm (a 500-yen coin's worth); rub over the whole hand until dry (15–30 seconds). Do not wipe it off | Same |
| Sore hands | Alcohol strips sebum; repeated use leads to dryness and cracking. Products with added moisturisers, and moisturising after sanitising | Dermatology |
| Category | Alcohol hand sanitiser is a "medicine" (医薬品) or a "quasi-drug" (designated quasi-drug, 指定医薬部外品 — a Japanese category between cosmetics and medicines). Different from general goods labelled "anti-bacterial" (除菌) | MHLW |
| Fire | Alcohol is flammable. Do not use or store it near flames. Do not inhale sprays | Fire and Disaster Management Agency |
- When hands become sore the skin's defences drop and bacteria settle more easily, according to general guidance, so moisturising is generally described as part of hygiene (see the sore hands article).
- General-goods "anti-bacterial sprays" and "anti-bacterial wipes" (除菌, jokin) are not medicines or quasi-drugs, and the claims they may make are restricted. For sanitising hands, look for the label "designated quasi-drug" (指定医薬部外品) or "medicine" (医薬品).
- Children: swallowing sanitiser and getting it in the eyes have been reported. Keep it out of reach.
[Verify] Check the basics of hand hygiene against the MHLW "Hand washing and hand sanitising" material, and the concentrations against the WHO guidelines.
Misunderstanding 1｜Washing and sanitising every time is the cleanest
Irritation stacks up and hands become sore, and sore hands are worse for hygiene too. If you can wash, just wash; sanitise when you cannot.
Misunderstanding 2｜The higher the concentration, the better it works
60–95% is the effective range, and higher concentrations are generally described as evaporating faster and working less well without some water present. Around 70% is the guide.
Misunderstanding 3｜A quick spray and a shake of the hands is enough
Rub in for 15–30 seconds until dry. Too little, or wiping it off straight away, reduces the effect.
Misunderstanding 4｜"Anti-bacterial" on the label means the same as sanitising
"Anti-bacterial" (除菌) is wording for general goods, and is regulated differently from "disinfect" (消毒) or "kill bacteria" (殺菌) on medicines and quasi-drugs. For hands, look for at least a designated quasi-drug label.
Misunderstanding 5｜You just have to put up with sore hands
Many people improve with sanitiser containing moisturisers, hand cream after sanitising, cotton gloves and intensive moisturising at night. Cracking, bleeding or strong itching should go to a dermatology clinic (covered by Japanese health insurance).
---
Sources
- Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, "On hand washing and hand sanitising" [手洗い・手指消毒について] (COVID-19 related material)
https://www.mhlw.go.jp/stf/seisakunitsuite/bunya/0000121431_00094.html
- WHO, "Guidelines on Hand Hygiene in Health Care" (alcohol concentration)
https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789241597906
- Japanese Dermatological Association, "Clinical practice guidelines for hand eczema" [手湿疹診療ガイドライン]
https://www.dermatol.or.jp/uploads/uploads/files/guideline/hand_eczema_GL.pdf
⚠️ Editorial note: the source URLs above were identified by search. Our working environment cannot reach go.jp domains, so the contents have not been checked against the text. Verify every source before publication and record who checked it and when.
About this article
What we share here are ideas and everyday practices passed down among people living in Japan, together with general information drawn from public sources. They are not official recommendations, and they are not professional instruction. Practices vary between households and regions.
This is general information. Results vary from person to person and depend on your own conditions and surroundings.
Please decide for yourself, using your own judgement, whether any of this suits your situation. We cannot accept responsibility for any damage, loss or injury arising from following this article.
Cosmetics are not medicines and are not meant to diagnose, heal or prevent any condition. If your skin reacts, stop using the product and see a dermatologist.
Sources
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