A new study conducted at the University of Colorado refuted the widespread belief that women are cleaner than men. Scientists have found that the number of bacteria on female hands is one and a half times the number of bacteria inhabiting male hands.
It was also found that more than 150 different types of bacteria and 3200 strains live on the hands. This is about 100 times the amount that was previously expected. And women's hands are also a haven for a much larger variety of bacteria than men's.
What is the reason for such differences and why female hands are the best habitat for a variety of microorganisms is not yet known. One reason is the acidity of the skin. In men, it is higher than in women, so their hands are not so attractive to bacteria. An important role is played by the fact that women are more likely to use various skin care products, as a result it is more sweaty and oily. Other factors may include the environment, hormones, and skin thickness.
Researchers also found that any person, whether male or female, has a 50% greater variety of bacteria on the dominant hand than on the other hand, but their density on both hands is the same.
Hand washing does not appear to affect the number of germs. But let's continue to wash our hands and not worry about how many bacteria are left.
