If antimicrobial wash kills MRSA, why does using it every day cause MRSA?

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I wasn’t sure if this question came under biology or chemistry so I went for chemistry.

I use an antimicrobial wash called Hibiscrub (I think Hiniclens is the US alternative). I am prescribed it for washing in due to an autoimmune condition that affects the skin. I read that antimicrobial wash is a treatment for MRSA as it kills the bacteria.

However my GP just suggested that I no longer wash in it every day as it can cause MRSA infections. So ELI5, how does something that kills MRSA also cause MRSA? Shouldn’t it just cancel itself out?

In: Chemistry

3 Answers

Anonymous 0 Comments

One of the things your microbiome does is compete for resources with foreign microbes. It’s highly possible that most of the people reading this have MRSA on us. But the skin fauna is so prevalent on your skin, the MRSA has a hard time catching up.

When you use antimicrobial wash, you wipe the skin mostly clean, and the fauna has to repopulate. It’s during this time that the MRSA has a chance to get ahead. It’s a slim chance, but the more often to do it, the more you risk it happening.

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