According to online post Health Day it may come as a shock to you, but if you’re toting your favorite purse from the gym locker room, to a parent-teacher meeting, to the floor of your favorite public restaurant, you may as well be carrying around a supersized petri dish of bacteria. One ABC News investigation showed that most purses have tens of thousands of germs. Half of the bags tested in the experiment were positive for coliform bacteria, demonstrating the possible presence of human or animal waste . How could this be? It’s not that difficult to believe — women place their purses in public bathrooms, including on floors where bodily fluids may be emitted; on public transportation, such as bus and train floors; and on fast-food counters, floors, and chairs, all of which contain potentially harmful germs, notes Deepti Chauhan, MD, an infectious disease specialist at Loyola University Health System in Maywood, Ill. “Public bathroom floors are the most consistent offenders for creating dirty purses,” she adds. Germs and bacteria live on purses. “Primarily bacteria, including staph and E. coli species, can result in infections,” says Susan Stuart, MD, a dermatologist at La Jolla Dermatology in California. Patients who are having surgery are told during their preoperative visit about the importance of a clean environment. The goal is to prevent infection from germs. Dr. Kim explains the risk of infection that is a part of every surgery. Patients are informed that infections that are as a result of exposure to germs and bacteria can in part be avoided by washing hands prior to touching incisions. Since many of the articles that patients handle on a daily basis including purses, cell phones, wallets, and eyeglasses are riddled with germs, frequent hand washing is even more important for patients who have had surgery, and the people who are caring for them. Good preventative health measures should be taken for all surgeries including abdominoplasty, facelift, and breast lift as the incisions for these surgeries usually include instructions for patients or their caregiver to keep the incisions clean and dry.
