Bar Soap vs. Antibacterial Pump Soap for PD Patients

[Goofy]

I was told at the dialysis center that I should stop using bar soap and use the antibacterial soap in a pump for my showers and hand washing.  They told me there are too many germs left on the bar soap.  Has anyone else been told this?

[del]

When my husband was on PD he was told to use antibacterial pump soap for showering and washing his hands before doing an exchange.  He was told the same thing about germs being left on bar soap. Now that he is on home hemo he was first told to use just regular pump soap before hooking up but then they changed to to antibacterial and actually supplied the soap!!

[looneytunes]

Hey Goofy.  My husband also was told to use only pump soap because of the bacteria left behind on bar soap.  I can tell you that he is not compliant with this and "knock on wood" has had no problems so far.  No amount of nagging on my part will get him to give up his Irish Spring bar soap in the shower.  So, I wait and watch....

[peleroja]

I stopped "washing my hands" before PD exchanges after about the first year and went strictly with the alcohol wipes (they're free).  I had been told to use an antibacterial soap for the hand washing, but nothing was ever said about soap used for showering.  I usually buy bubble bath at the 99 Cent Store.  Makes lots of lovely bubbles for cleaning.  I had read somewhere that antibacterial soap isn't such a good idea as germs get used to it and find ways of multiplying in spite of it.

[jbeany]

They tell the same thing to transplant patients.  I still use a bar soap at home in the shower, because it's one of my friend's handmade ones with real glycerin and rose hips and it does fantastic things for my skin.  I don't use one at the bathroom sink anymore, though, and I'd never use one any place but home where I'm the only one touching it.

[fc2821]

In almost three years of dialysis, no one ever told me tpo use pump soap.  This is all new to me. I have used bar and pump. I did have an infected hemo cath once, but don't know if using bar soap contributed to that. Otherwise I've not had any ill effects. Maybe I've just been lucky. Would like to learn more about this. Thanks Goofy for mentioning this. It is things like ths that makes IHD great.

[Brightsky69]

I was told not to use bar soap. My doc also asked me why was I still using gause and tape on my exit site. I've been on PD for over a year. I feel more comfortable using the gause and tape....Keeps it protected. Now it's almost like a security blanket.
I use liquid soap in the show...not alway the antibartical stuff. I still have bar soap in the shower. I like to use it on my face only. I haven't had any trouble so far. Knock on wood. 

[okarol]

Two different views on soap: "New concern over antibacterial soaps and cleaners" http://ihatedialysis.com/forum/index.php?topic=17209.0 and   "Banishing Germs -- Lather Well and Count to 15" http://ihatedialysis.com/forum/index.php?topic=17210.0

[Lillupie]

nope. Never heard anything about the shower. Now I think for your body you can use whatever soap you want to. When you are washing your exit site, you must use the anti-bacterail soap. as well as before an exchange. This what I have heard.
 
Lisa

[paul.karen]

I was told the same as Lillupie.  Bacterial only for exit site whatever for the rest of body.

[Malibu]

We graduated home hemo training yesterday, they told us to use antibacterial soap when dialyzing but nothing about the shower.

[-Lady Noir-]

Over here, we get prescribed surgical hand scrub.. and some sort of liquid surgical hand lotion too.
And they told us just to use boiled water to clean the exit site.

[murf]

Yesterday at training was told to use liquid soap in shower as germs will gather in the holder where you put the bar soap.

[Goofy]

Interesting responses.  I was also told to bleach my shower head every two weeks.  Did anyone else hear that?

[del]

We graduated home hemo training yesterday, they told us to use antibacterial soap when dialyzing but nothing about the shower.

Hubby does home hemo and no restrictions on the type of soap to use in the shower. Unless of course you have a catheter and are not supposed to shower.

[RightSide]

Using pump soap over bar soap makes no sense.

There are germs all over the shower, due to the moist environment there.  And your body is covered with germs; as soon as you lather up with any soap, those germs go into that lather and you can spread that lather over your catheter site.

What matters with soap is not the germs in it, but the emulsion that soap forms, which keeps oils and germs in suspension, away from infecting you--till you rinse it (with the germs) away.

[okarol]

I have heard (although this may be an urban legend..?) that because we tend to rub the bar of soap on our bodies the germs can live and grow on it, whereas liquid soap in a bottle does not present the same problem. Sound plausible?? 

[Hanify]

That's why my renal team said to only use the pump stuff that they supply.  I'm not supposed to use bar soap ever - of course, I do!

[-Lady Noir-]

That's why my renal team said to only use the pump stuff that they supply.  I'm not supposed to use bar soap ever - of course, I do!

Haha, good one 

[jennyc]

bar soap is a big NO NO. you don't necessarily need antibacterial soap so long as you have good washing practice, more than 1 minute inbetween fingers etc. Bar soap retains germs each time you touch it- the main time they don't want you to use bar soap is when scrubbing for an exchange.

In Oz we get clorhexidine hand liquid, betadine swabs (for cleaning exit site), tape and gauze. I've found that overcaring for your exit site can be harmful becuase you wash away the natural flora on your skin and leave it more prone to infection.

basically i occassionally use the clohex to clense but mostly i use a clean piece of gauze with liquid soap and dry it with the gauze then cover, if using water i use injection saline (those little ampules that are sterile). I rarely use the betadine swabs unless infected.

I've never been told to bleach the shower head though.

[Darthvadar]

We were not to use bar soap, either!...

Same reason as O'Karol gave... Appearantly, the bar soap carries too much bacteria!...

Mum Lloves her bar soap in the shower, so she and the Neph. have agreed a compromise.. If she uses a bar of soap, it's to be used once only and discarded!... I get the travel sized bars for her...

Darth....

[-Lady Noir-]

That's very sweet of you d.v

Is it different, the showering with PD vs HD? [there i go with my ignorance again]

[Darthvadar]

Hi Lady Noir...

Well the PD tube goes in through the abdomen, through to the Peretional Space... And it's intended to be permanent (for as long as PD lasts)... So if bacteria enters through the area around the tube entrance, peretionitis is always a possibility... So you need to be careful... I think the basic rules apply to buth PD cathethers, and haemo ones...

I suppose the best rule of thumb if your not sure about bar soap is if in doubt, leave it out!...

Darth...

[-Lady Noir-]

Thanks DV. I should have asked about HD more, as my fiance is on PD.
And haha, if in doubt, leave it out.. gold!