Will alcohol affect test results?

[gary.keith]

Hi everyone. I was dx'ed less than a month ago so I have tons of questions for you! Hopefully in time I'll be able to return the favor for other newbies. ;)

Sometimes when I test I notice my blood seems a little thin.

No doubt it's due to the alcohol pads.

My question is, will this affect the results I get?

It doesn't seem to, but I'd feel better knowing for sure if my finger needs to be completely dry after wiping it with the pads.

Thanks in advance.

[Granny Shanny]

You will get skewed results unless you allow your finger to dry completely after swabbing it with the alcohol wipe. Actually, if you wash your hands thoroughly & dry on a clean towel, you could eliminate the alcohol wipes altogether - they can eventually dry your skin and make the punctures more difficult/painful.

[gary.keith]

Thanks, Granny. I have begun to notice the punctures are getting more painful. I chalked it up to my fingers turning into what looks like ground meat.

Does it matter if I use a fragrence-free hand soap? I don't like stuff with a fragrance, but my supermarket doesn't seem to carry anything in a pump bottle that's fragrence-free. Any suggestions? I'll get it online if need be.

[Granny Shanny]

What I normally use is antibacterial fragrance-free pump soap, but sometimes antibacterial fragrance-free bar soap. Whatever's cheapest at Walmart . . . :D :D :D

[Bountyman]

I can't afford alcohol wipes, so I used to use 70% isopropyl alcohol applied with a couple squares of toilet paper. It took too long to wait for my skin to dry because the other 30% is water. I switched to 91% isopropyl alcohol applied the same way and the surface of my finger is dry in less than 10 seconds. I've been doing this for the last 100 days and don't notice any change in my skin texture (dryer).

[gary.keith]

Amazingly, we don't have a Walmart anywhere close than a 30-45 minute drive. :)

[imac]

I was told by a diabetes educator that you should never use alcohol wipes as it hardens and dries out the skin, making lancing and injecting harder.

[gary.keith]

I can't easily wash my tummy before each meal so it seems I'm stuck using alcohol pads for that. But I've already switched to washing my hands before lancing.

[xMenace]

I can't remember the last time I bought isopropyl alcohol swabs or bottles. I did use them for a number of years for injections, until pens came out. Never used them for finger pricks.

Clean and dry hands are all you need.

[Grunch]

There's no need to wash or use alcohol before injecting. I don't even wash before testing unless I know my hands are contaminated.

[JayDee1950]

Personally, I've never used alcohol wipes.
Wash with antibacterial soap, dry with clean towel, wait 5 minutes for residual moisture to air dry, then test.
Why add to the expense?

[gary.keith]

Now I'm confused. I use pens. Novolog in my tummy and Lantus on the inside of my thighs. Are you really saying I don't need to clean those areas first? That seems counter-intuitive to me.

[Grunch]

No, you don't need to clean. If you're super paranoid you can clean first, but 99% of people don't clean and don't get infections or anything.

[sumi]

I believe most people do clean, but few use alcohol.

[gary.keith]

Susan, I need a business partner. I want to create alcohol pads impregnated with lotion! :smarty:

[Bountyman]

Rumors that alcohol dries out your skin and makes it harder to puncture are just that, rumors. The skin consists of two layers, the inner and thicker dermis, and the outer and thinner epidermis. It takes about 35 days for the epidermis to replace itself. It replaces itself quicker than other parts of the body because it's exposed to the outside world and is constantly being abraded and (poked) at, especially the hands. Your fingers replace their skin faster than any other part of your skin. It's virtually impossible to dry out the skin on your fingers with isopropyl alcohol for the short amount of time that the alcohol is on them. I use 91% isopropyl alcohol on the two different fingers I test on 3 times a day and they're as soft as a baby's behind.

[Granny Shanny]

(shrug) Rumors that you must disinfect with alcohol before testing/injecting are just that: Rumors. Experience has taught us that clean is necessary - sterile is not necessary.

Rumors that alcohol dries out your skin and makes it harder to puncture are just that, rumors. The skin consists of two layers, the inner and thicker dermis, and the outer and thinner epidermis. It takes about 35 days for the epidermis to replace itself. It replaces itself quicker than other parts of the body because it's exposed to the outside world and is constantly being abraded and (poked) at, especially the hands. Your fingers replace their skin faster than any other part of your skin. It's virtually impossible to dry out the skin on your fingers with isopropyl alcohol for the short amount of time that the alcohol is on them. I use 91% isopropyl alcohol on the two different fingers I test on 3 times a day and they're as soft as a baby's behind.

[Bountyman]

"Experience has taught us that clean is necessary - sterile is not necessary."

Experience tells me that clean is necessary - sterile is optional. If the nurse that draws my blood for an A1c test wiped my arm down with a kitchen towel before she stuck the sterile needle in my arm...I might agree with you.

[Bountyman]

Speaking of "not necessary"...did you know that when they give a condemned man a lethal injection...the guy inserting the needle uses an alcohol wipe, first?

What's up with that?

[networkguy]

I cant believe so many of you still use your fingers for glucose test...I switched to forearm about 5 years ago and doing 5-10/day its a dream.

And, unless Ive been out sweating or getting grungy, I never use alcohol first.

[Granny Shanny]

Experience tells me that clean is necessary - sterile is optional. If the nurse that draws my blood for an A1c test wiped my arm down with a kitchen towel before she stuck the sterile needle in my arm...I might agree with you.

I can't speak for other "kitchens", but the towels in MY kitchen have been "sterilized" by being laundered in hot water & Clorox bleach. ;)

[sumi]

Susan, I need a business partner. I want to create alcohol pads impregnated with lotion! :smarty:

GK, At my age, if I were in the room, even alcohol pads would refuse to become impregnated.

[gary.keith]

I cant believe so many of you still use your fingers for glucose test...I switched to forearm about 5 years ago and doing 5-10/day its a dream.

My endo told me to only use my fingers. No reason was given, just do it! She's also told me a few things that seem to be somewhat contradicted by the real-world experiences of DF members. I'm not sure what to do. I was always taught to obey my doctors. But if I did that, then based on what my PCP tells me, I'd weigh 170 pounds even though I'm 6'1" with a large frame. I haven't been 170 pounds since junior high school and at 215 my entire adult life (53 yo now) I'm not fat!

GK, At my age, if I were in the room, even alcohol pads would refuse to become impregnated.

LOL

[Bountyman]

I can't speak for other "kitchens", but the towels in MY kitchen have been "sterilized" by being laundered in hot water & Clorox bleach. ;)

Lemme axe you this; What do you wipe the excess blood off your finger with?

[Granny Shanny]

my tongue, of course.

[gary.keith]

my tongue, of course.

:eek: Grrroosss!

I think you've helped me make up my mind to stick with alcohol pads! :D

[Granny Shanny]

Nah . . . I was just yankin' Bountyman's chain . . . :D :D :D

What I do is fold a sheet of tissue & place it in a little net compartment of my meter case. Just press my finger on it for a second. There's never much blood anyhow - my meter needs a very small sample. Change the tissue when it gets too speckled.

[Bountyman]

I meant, what do you use to wipe it off with when it isn't Halloween?

[Bountyman]

What I do is fold a sheet of tissue & place it in a little net compartment of my meter case. Just press my finger on it for a second. There's never much blood anyhow - my meter needs a very small sample. Change the tissue when it gets too speckled.

This is where I find the fold of toilet paper that has the alcohol on it serving a twofold (no pun intended) purpose, wiping off the excess blood, then I toss it in the waste basket.

I have all of my diabetes stuff, including my med's, right here at the computer desk. As with everything we (diabetics) do...this seems to work very well for me. Besides, if I washed my hands at the sink I'd feel obligated to do my dishes... something I've found quite the apathetic chore since my divorce 20 years ago. :D

[fgummett]

Lancet gets changed once in a blue moon, hands get washed if I've been handling food or if I need to warm them for improved circulation, stick the side of my finger rather than the pad and after blood is sampled, the finger goes straight in my mouth... waste not want not :) 6+ years with no infections

[Moonpie]

I just use the used test strip to wipe up the excess blood. I rarely use alcohol wipes, & so far, touch wood, no infections . I test around my knees. Lots of big purple bruises, so I want it in an area that is not seen much.

[fgummett]

The only caution with alternate site testing is -- as posted on most meter web sites -- that they may lag behind if your BG is changing rapidly... the finger tips provide the most current BGs... and IIRC not all meters support alternate site testing. I've not seen the use of knees suggested on any meter web sites..?

[Granny Shanny]

Besides, if I washed my hands at the sink I'd feel obligated to do my dishes... something I've found quite the apathetic chore since my divorce 20 years ago. :D

Aha! As Johnny Nash sez: http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b202/sneezytwo/musicalnotes.gif I can see clearly now . . . http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b202/sneezytwo/musicalnotes.gif :D :D :D

[Grunch]

What's wrong with licking the blood? I always lick it, don't see any problem.

[Bountyman]

What's wrong with licking the blood? I always lick it, don't see any problem.

There's nothing wrong with licking off the blood. Well, unless you think that licking an open wound with the most bacteria-ridden part of your body is "OK"! :D

[Grunch]

Animals evolved to lick their wounds. I think evolution knows what it's doing.

Considering I've done it over a thousand times and nothing ever happened, either I'm very lucky or you're very paranoid.

[Bountyman]

Paranoid? That's a rather harsh assumption considering you have no idea who I am!

[Grunch]

Who are you? .....

[networkguy]

My endo told me to only use my fingers. No reason was given, just do it! She's also told me a few things that seem to be somewhat contradicted by the real-world experiences of DF members. I'm not sure what to do. I was always taught to obey my doctors. But if I did that, then based on what my PCP tells me, I'd weigh 170 pounds even though I'm 6'1" with a large frame. I haven't been 170 pounds since junior high school and at 215 my entire adult life (53 yo now) I'm not fat!



LOL

edit: nervermind

[fgummett]

edit: nervermind Alternative Site Testing (http://www.abbottdiabetescare.ca/adc_ca/url/content/en_CA/20.10.30:30/general_content/General_Content_0000321.htm)It is important to note that when your glucose is changing rapidly, there may be a difference in the glucose readings between your finger and other test sites, like the forearm, upper arm, thigh, calf, and other areas of the hand. Differences in blood glucose measurements between the other test sites and your finger many be observed after eating, insulin medication, or exercise. Because blood flow to the finger is three to five times faster than other alternative sites, blood samples from the finger may show changes in your glucose sooner than the forearm, upper arm, thigh, calf, and other parts of the hand. The possible difference in glucose readings between the finger and other alternative sites could delay your detection of hypoglycemia. Vigorous rubbing of the alternative test sites before lancing will help to minimize the difference between finger and other alternative site test results.

[networkguy]

The only caution with alternate site testing is -- as posted on most meter web sites -- that they may lag behind if your BG is changing rapidly... the finger tips provide the most current BGs... and IIRC not all meters support alternate site testing. I've not seen the use of knees suggested on any meter web sites..?

Every clinical study Ive read shows variations of less than 10% difference in rapid BG changes between the two. Not enough IMHO. If your BS are fairly steady, theres really no reason to use fingertips.

edit: heres one: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6T57-4VPV5J3-1&_user=10&_rdoc=1&_fmt=&_orig=search&_sort=d&_docanchor=&view=c&_searchStrId=1072758489&_rerunOrigin=google&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=88ea3db75ee13d67ad9af7affc91dafb

Methods

We evaluated the accuracy and reliability of the EasyPlus mini R2N blood glucose self-monitoring system and compare glucose measurements between the fingertip, thenar, hypothenar and forearm. Over a 1-month period, 165 patients with Types 1 and 2 diabetes mellitus participated in this study.

Conclusions

The EasyPlus mini R2N showed clinically acceptable accuracy and reliability as compared to the laboratory reference, and no significant or detectable glucose differences between alternate sites were observed.

[fgummett]

Every clinical study Ive read shows variations of less than 10% difference in rapid BG changes between the two. Not enough IMHO. If your BS are fairly steady, theres really no reason to use fingertips.Can you please provide an example..? You may note that I suggested this as a "caution"... not as a reason against using alternate site testing... I agree with your rationale IF you have stable BGs. Although for myself I find fingertips easy, reliable and convenient and have no reason to explore alternates... but that is just me.

[fgummett]

Every clinical study Ive read shows variations of less than 10% difference in rapid BG changes between the two.Perhaps it is in the full text of the study you provided (need a subscription to access that?) but all I see in the abstract is that: alternate site readings are comparable to fingertips... I am genuinely interested in reading a study which shows that there is a "less than 10% difference in rapid BG changes"... which seems to be your main argument against my caution.

[networkguy]

Can you please provide an example..? You may note that I suggested this as a "caution"... not as a reason against using alternate site testing... I agree with your rationale IF you have stable BGs. Although for myself I find fingertips easy, reliable and convenient and have no reason to explore alternates... but that is just me.

I edited my post above and gave one example. The thing to remember is (and we're talking averages) is the heart pumps about 5 liters/min at rest, and the average body has about 5 liters of blood, so blood will make a complete trip in about a minute.

[fgummett]

I edited my post above and gave one example. The thing to remember is (and we're talking averages) is the heart pumps about 5 liters/min at rest, and the average body has about 5 liters of blood, so blood will make a complete trip in about a minute.Perhaps in the large vessels but what about the capillary system.. which is where we do our home BG testing. Put it this way... a large cut to a major vessel such as the femoral artery in the upper leg and yes we can bleed out in a matter of minutes but is the same true if you cut your hand?

[networkguy]

Perhaps in the large vessels but what about the capillary system.. which is where we do our home BG testing. Put it this way... a large cut to a major vessel such as the femoral artery in the upper leg and yes we can bleed out in a matter of minutes but is the same true if you cut your hand?

No, not just in the large vessels. (Not trying to argue here) but its a medical fact it takes 1- 1.5 mins for a full round of circulation. Unless capillaries are somehow left out of circulation?

[fgummett]

You live in Arizona right? Imagine you get bitten by a rattler on your forearm... are you saying that venom will have circulated all around your body in about a minute... I sure hope that is not the case. ;)

[networkguy]

You live in Arizona right? Imagine you get bitten by a rattler on your forearm... are you saying that venom will have circulated all around your body in about a minute... I sure hope that is not the case. ;)

So are you saying 1-1.5 min for full round of circulation is wrong? Do you have any links to support that? I can put up about 100 or so that says it does ;) Its a medical fact man :D

[fgummett]

This might help to explain both your medical fact and also why there is a potential for delay in BG between forearm readings and fingertipsfrom: Fundamentals of physiology By Lauralee Sherwood. Fundamentals of physiology: a human ... - Google Books (http://books.google.ca/books?id=4INVi-m7gX8C&pg=PA289&lpg=PA289&dq=how+slowly+does+capillary+blood+flow&source=bl&ots=VBIN4V7km0&sig=WtQXkkhBjk0yxqNCIQky2g7CabI&hl=en&ei=FsjtSrGFI5XVlAfquJCABQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=3&ved=0CBUQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=&f=false)

The velocity of flow is the linear speed, or distance per unit of time, with which blood flows forward through a given segment of the circulatory system. Because the circulatory system is a closed system, the volume of blood flowing through any level of the system must equal the cardiac output. For example, if the heart pumps out 5 liters of blood per minute, and 5 liters/min returns to the heart, then 5 liters/min must flow through the arteries, arterioles, capillaries, and veins. Therefore, the flow rate is the same at all levels of the circulatory system.
However, the velocity with which the blood flows through the different segments of the vascular tree varies, because velocity of flow is inversely proportional to the total cross-section area of all the vessels at any given level of the circulatory system. Even though the cross-section area of each capillary is extremely small compared to that of the large aorta, the total cross-section area of all the capillaries added together is about 1300 times greater than the cross-section area of the aorta because there are so many capillaries. Accordingly, blood slows considerably as it passes through the capillaries. This slow velocity allows adequate time for exchange of nutrients and metabolic end products between blood and tissue cells, which is the sole purpose of the circulatory system. As the capillaries rejoin to form veins, the total cross-ection area is once again reduced, and the velocity of blood flow increase as blood returns to the heart.
As an analogy, consider a river (the arterial system) that widens into a lake (the capillaries), then narrows into a river again (the venous system). The flow rate is the same throughout the length of this body of water; that is, identical volumes of water are flowing past all the points along the bank of the river and lake. However, the velocity of flow is slower in the wide lake than in the narrow river because the identical volume of water, now spread out over a larger cross-section area, moves forward a much shorter distance in the wide lake than in the narrow river during a given period of time. You could readily observe the forward movement of water in the swift flowing river, but the forward motion of water in the lake would be unnoticeable.

Consider the "river-lake-river" analogy above and imagine emptying a bag of small yellow plastic ducks into the upper river (to represent cells carrying blood glucose)... they rush quickly down the first river and then drift slowly across the lake before finally exiting into the river at the far side.

The fingers have larger vessels serving them than the top of the forearm does.

[networkguy]

This might help to explain both your medical fact and also why there is a potential for delay in BG between forearm readings and fingertips

Consider the "river-lake-river" analogy above and imagine emptying a bag of small yellow plastic ducks into the upper river (to represent cells carrying blood glucose)... they rush quickly down the first river and then drift slowly across the lake before finally exiting into the river at the far side.

The fingers have larger vessels serving them than the top of the forearm does.

I understand. What doesnt make sense is...if blood makes full circulation in <90 secs, how can that exclude capillary flow? Its a closed system. In the analogy above, its not. Therefore, volume/sq centimeter is irrelevant. A full cycle is a full cycle. Unless Im missing something.

[Grunch]

I understand. What doesnt make sense is...if blood makes full circulation in <90 secs, how can that exclude capillary flow? Its a closed system. In the analogy above, its not. Therefore, volume/sq centimeter is irrelevant. A full cycle is a full cycle. Unless Im missing something.

Just because the heart pumps 5L it doesn't mean that all the blood completes a full cycle. Some of the blood completes more than one cycle while other parts of the blood move less.

[networkguy]

Just because the heart pumps 5L it doesn't mean that all the blood completes a full cycle. Some of the blood completes more than one cycle while other parts of the blood move less.

Hm. I dont know how that is possible with a closed loop system. Im still Googleing to find that out, but so far everything Ive read says 45 secs-2 mins for full cycle. If you know of a link please let me know!

(still looking)

[networkguy]

Hm couldnt edit my post above (and dont mean for this to go so OT) but my understanding is the same as this question asked in a medical forum:

Does rate of blood flow across capillaries slow? | Study Question Q&A | Student Doctor Network (http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=555586)

Does rate of blood flow across capillaries slow?

the thinner the radius, the faster the flow, and this would be true if 1 vein turned into 1 artery. But 1 vein branches off, so velocity actually slows. If you were to add up the volume of all the capillaries, they would hold more volume than a single vein, so the velocity slows.

and

All of the blood that leaves the aorta has to end up in the arteries, and all of the blood that leaves the arteries has to end up in the arterioles and so on and so forth. If the flow were not the same from all of the arteries to all of the arterioles, then you would necessarily have to have a build up of blood pooling somewhere in the circulation.

(still looking)

[Cluck]

I cant believe so many of you still use your fingers for glucose test...I switched to forearm about 5 years ago and doing 5-10/day its a dream.

And, unless Ive been out sweating or getting grungy, I never use alcohol first.

The reading you get from a test on your forearm is delayed by about 20 minutes. This can be crucial for a Type I whose BG could be rising or falling very fast.

[Cluck]

LoL I should have read all the posts before posting the above I guess.

Whole can of worms (or rather snakes) it seems.

Whatever, as a Type I who can sometimes have very unstable BGs I will continue to use my fingertips on the advisement of numerous professional medical practitioners.

[Granny Shanny]

LoL I should have read all the posts before posting the above I guess.

Whole can of worms (or rather snakes) it seems.



Hey - it happens to the best of us! lol! :D :D :D

[fgummett]

Here's a few more snips from the above book (which I again typed in handraulically as there is no copy and paste :cool: )Each capillary is so narrow (7 µm average diameter) that red blood cells (8 µm diameter) have to squeeze through single file.
...
Researchers estimate that because of extensive capillary branching, no cell is farther than 0.01 cm (4/1000 inch) from a capillary
....
Because capillaries are distributed in such incredible numbers (estimates range from 10 - 40 billion capillaries), a tremendous total surface area is available for exchange (an estimated 600 [square meters]). Despite the large number of capillaries, at any one point in time they contain only 5% of the total blood volume (250 ml out of a total of 5000 ml).
...
Blood flows more slowly in the capillaries than elsewhere in the circulatory system. The extensive capillary branching is responsible for this slow velocity of blood flow through the capillaries.I find I have to stop thinking about the circulatory system as plastic plumbing pipes... hopefully the above detail shows that we are dealing with a whole different scale :eek: Think again of the lake representing ALL the capillaries -- and as above we only have 250 ml of blood in there -- I can see how 5 litres/min flows into the system but the lake is almost like a buffer zone that absorbs some of that volume for a while but that there can still be 5litres/min leaving the lake. Perhaps the total volume of blood is closer to 5,250 ml but the overall flow is 5,000ml/minute :confused: Maybe a better analogy would be "river-marsh/wetlands-river".

---

As to the quotes from a medical forum, I really hope they are not indicative of the state of our future Doctors: Arteries carry blood from the heart, Veins carry blood back to the heart. Veins do not branch into Arteries.

[fgummett]

Here's another analogy: think of a large bath sponge held under a tap... at first no water comes through the sponge -- so we may deduce that it has retarded the water flow -- once the sponge is saturated, water will leave the bottom of the sponge at the same rate as it enters at the top. However I would suggest that the water is not flowing through every point of the sponge at the same speed... even though the entire sponge remains saturated with water. If we added some coloured water to the flow I'd expect see it to move fastest through the areas of greatest flow before it reached the edges of the sponge... this is akin to our BG and a comparison of fingertips (greater flow) to forearm (less flow).

[It Ain't Over]

A few years back I was given several arteriograms, they were taking pictures of a carotid sinus tumor on thel eft side of my neck.
At that time the dye used was very caustic. When a shot of the dye went into through the needle they has placed into my femoral artery it felt like burning acid was racing up and down from the bottom of my feet to the top of my head, including the inside of my head. That sensation went about as fast as you could sweep your hand up and down. In other words very fast. It surely did not take a minute, more like a second or two.
They used a lot milder dyes after the first couple of them, but I won't live long enough to forget that day.

[Bountyman]

Think of blood flow like the toll booth approach to the Bay Bridge. The freeway is 4 lanes and the traffic is travelling 50 mph. The entrance to the toll plaza branches into 15 toll booths where the car comes to a complete stop. If you take a view from 1000 feet at the toll plaza you see the cars that are 500 yards from the toll plaza at a steady 50 mph. After the toll plaza you see the cars at a steady 50 mph. The reason for this steady flow is the increase in the number of lanes at the toll booth. Were there just 4 toll booths the traffic would back up. The same with blood branching in the body. The slower the blood velocity, the more the arteries/veins. Although the blood slows in velocity...the volume flow remains the same.

[Tribbles]

I have no idea what the causes are but here is the difference (
http://care.diabetesjournals.org/cgi/reprint/24/7/1303-a.pdf) as a pdf file - it starts on page 7. There is a shorter version of the original proposition but the response is useful as well.

Interestingly rubbing the arm improves the correlation so the circulatory issue must have some validity.

[maxcooper]

This is not a recommendation. I am just sharing my experience. I think everyone should do what they personally feel comfortable with.

RE: alcohol wipes. I don't use them.

The idea of using them for finger pricks seems odd -- I don't think any doctor or health care professional has ever recommended that to me. I usually just poke, test, and then put my finger in my mouth to clean off any extra blood. I will wash first if my hands are really dirty, but mostly out of concern that it would skew the test results rather than a concern about harming myself. Washing just to do a test is very rare. 25K+ tests and counting with no infections.

I did 3-5 injections a day from 1991 to 2008 (~25K injections). Doctors have recommended wipes for injections, but I read an article that said using wipes did not significantly affect infection rates so I stopped using them in the first year. I may have misread the article or something, but that's what I thought it said. I would also frequently inject through my pants for convenience (at the risk of occasionally making a little blood spot at the injection site). If there was a drop of blood after a bare skin injection, I would wipe with a finger and than put the finger in my mouth. And maybe wipe again with now-wet finger if there was more blood. Zero infections.

Now I am using a pump. I don't use a swab for the infusion set, even though it was recommended. No problems.

I am generally a "clean" guy. I shower every day and live and work in fairly clean environments. I just don't think that the potential benefit of using alcohol swabs for these procedures is worth the hassle for me. At an estimated 10 seconds each (unpack, swab, wait for skin to dry), I would have spent ~140 hours swabbing with zero effect on the number of infections so far.

-Max

[art]

I wonder.
Would Purell be just as effective?

Art

[Tribbles]

I would also frequently inject through my pants for convenience (at the risk of occasionally making a little blood spot at the injection site). If there was a drop of blood after a bare skin injection, I would wipe with a finger and than put the finger in my mouth. And maybe wipe again with now-wet finger if there was more blood. Zero infections

There was a study to look at the safety of injecting through clothes and they had identical results in both effectiveness and infections (there were none) as injecting into bare skin. The only negative they noted was the blood spot problem!

[ramon]

Speaking of "not necessary"...did you know that when they give a condemned man a lethal injection...the guy inserting the needle uses an alcohol wipe, first?

What's up with that?

They use the RELI-ON alcohol pads because it comes with a pain reliever:confused: