Sometimes better to keep it to yourself
Our bodies, for the most part, do a great job of fending off common germs, but sharing personal objects can sometimes spread harmful bacteria and viruses. Real Simple talked to a dozen experts in communicable diseases, dermatology, ophthalmology and preventive medicine to find out when sharing is a virtue and when you’re better off keeping your cake and lipstick to yourself.
Eyes
Risk level: Medium-high.
“The surfaces of your eyes are a sensitive, exposed wet tissue, making them vulnerable to infection,” says Andrew Iwach, a San Francisco ophthalmologist and a spokesperson for the American Academy of Ophthalmology.
Watch out for…
•Eye makeup and tools (curlers, tweezers, brushes): Makeup, including mascara and liner, can be a breeding ground for germs. “If contaminated makeup touches your eye, it could transmit an infection like pinkeye or staph,” says Howard Markel, a professor of pediatrics and communicable diseases at the University of Michigan Medical School. Try using a disposable applicator at a makeup counter or test products on your hands, and avoid sharing makeup and tools.
•Eye medication: Using an eye medication that was prescribed for someone else, or that was prescribed to you for a previous infection, could cause infection.
•Pillowcases: At home and in hotels, where linens tend to be laundered frequently, the risk is low. But try to avoid using pillows on airplanes (even if they’re wrapped in plastic) – they’re not cleaned as often.
Mouth
Risk level: Medium-low.
Gastric juices and saliva do an excellent job of killing off invading germs. But sometimes “these defenses can be overwhelmed,” says Judy A. Daly, Ph.D., director of the microbiology laboratories at the Primary Children’s Medical Center at the University of Utah.
Watch out for …
•Eating utensils, lipsticks and lip balms, drinking glasses, food: If saliva containing viral germs touches these objects, you could catch a bug, like a stomach virus or a respiratory infection. To be ultrasafe, don’t share.
•Telephones: After you talk on the phone, germs from your mouth can stay behind for two to three days, allowing respiratory viruses to spread easily.
•Toothbrushes: Cold viruses and bacterial infections can linger on toothbrushes for days.
Nails
Risk level: Medium.
Hands carry many germs, and organisms often settle into the skin underneath the nails. Also, if you cut your cuticles (you shouldn’t), germs can easily enter your system.
Watch out for…
•Files, clippers, scissors, pumice stones: Nail salons that don’t follow strict cleaning guidelines can spread all sorts of infections, including, in rare cases, furunculosis, which causes boils. But don’t cancel that manicure appointment just yet. To be safe, it’s not a bad idea to bring your own manicure and pedicure sets and to avoid shaving your legs for a day or two before a pedicure, as nicks create an entry point for germs.
Skin
Risk level: Low.
Skin provides a strong defense against invading germs. “Unless you abrade, pierce or scratch it, the skin rejects infection effectively,” says Schaffner. But some infections, like staph, are becoming more prevalent, particularly at gyms.
Watch out for …
•Makeup: “In general, sharing blush or foundation is not a good idea,” says Nelson Lee Novick, a clinical professor of dermatology at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine, in New York City. “Bacteria on your skin may not cause you problems, but they can infect others.”
•Shoes and socks: One of the most common risks is athlete’s foot. If you borrow shoes, wear your own socks, and if you borrow socks, make sure they’re clean.
•Toilet seats: Touching a toilet seat with your hands is riskier than sitting on it. If your dirty hands then touch your mouth, germs can enter your system. •The gym: The biggest risk comes from sharing towels. Dirty towels, as well as gym floors, can spread staph infections.