Numerous studies show that there is an undeniable connection between skin, gastrointestinal, and respiratory infections and a lack of hand hygiene. It is estimated that among preschool and primary school children about 80% of respiratory infection transmissions happen via hands.  

Washing hands among children is vital. Children are in everyday contact with numerous items and objects that are full of many microorganisms. As a result, some of the many skin infections can develop, particularly bacterial infections.

Numerous studies show that there is an undeniable connection between skin, intestinal, and respiratory infections and a lack of hand hygiene. It is estimated that among preschool and primary school children about 80% of respiratory infection transmissions happen via hands.

Aside from washing hands with water and soap, sneezing or coughing into a shirt sleeve (the elbow), rather than into the palm of a hand or a handkerchief, greatly reduces the spread of contagious agents. Cotton towels that are not washed or thrown away after use are less effective than disposable paper towels. Using a hand disinfectant after washing hands with water and soap reduces the spread of contagious agents by another 30%. Therefore, the use of hand disinfectant is the prescribed practice for institutions like hospitals and facilities for children.

Washing hands with water and soap is the most efficient way of reducing the number of contagious agents. If a child is not able to wash their hands, a hand disinfectant should be used. It should be rubbed onto all areas of the hands, including palms, the back of the hands, the area between the fingers and under the fingernails. Alcohol-based disinfectants (that contain a minimum of 60% alcohol) quickly reduce the number of contagious agents, but they do not destroy all kinds of contagious agents. If the hands are evidently dirty, the effectiveness of the disinfectant is even lower. The best disinfectants are those that are better able to destroy microorganisms; such disinfectants should be used in areas with low standards of hygiene.

And in this case, it is important to use disinfectants that do not contain harmful chemicals. It is very useful that the disinfectants come in a handy packaging, so that children can easily use them during their daily activities (after using the toilet, after using public transport, before a meal, etc.)

The Fab Lab company product line (deodorants, antibacterial gels) belongs to the category of medical products that ensures their efficiency and harmlessness. The packaging and the design of the products ensure that they are appropriate for use by young schoolchildren as a valuable and (currently) underrepresented segment of cosmetics, which will satisfy the needs of this age-group by adhering to the highest standards of hygiene and safety.

Handwashing is very important for children. They are constantly in contact with objects that are covered in microorganisms. These microorganism agents can cause many skin diseases, mainly bacterial infections. Children are not only urged to wash their hands regularly, but to wash them properly. The product they use is extremely important: the crucial characteristics of the product should be harmlessness and the ability to destroy microorganisms. In addition, it is ideal that the product’s colour, form, and fragrance are appealing to children. This helps them to perceive handwashing as a regular routine which they will have no reason to dislike or avoid. The new Fab Lab product line named Dots is very helpful, not just because of its efficiency, but also because it is appealing to children. This ensures greater reduction of bacterial infections. Dots, the new Fab Lab product line, is especially suitable for children’s gentle and sensitive skin, which is very important.

The issue of children’s cosmetics is complex and important. The fact that more than 75,000 various chemicals are used in the cosmetics production industry illustrates the potential danger. To achieve an appealing design and fragrance, various artificial colours and fragrance are added, which can cause skin irritations. During the manufacturing process, various methods are used to prevent the products from changing their properties (smell, appearance, effect of bacteria), and many preservatives are used because they ensure the stability of the product. However, there are some far more complex and expensive manufacturing processes that ensure the stability of the product without the use of the aforementioned harmful components.

The use of nanoparticles in deodorants is becoming more frequent, because nanoparticles are miniscule and can enter the body easily. However, their effect on health remains unknown. Children’s skin is far more susceptible to infections than the skin of adults. This is because the permeability level of children’s skin is twice as high as the permeability level of adult skin. Also, the relative surface (the ratio of skin surface versus body mass) of children’s skin is several times larger than the relative surface of the skin of adults (e.g. the relative surface of the skin of a newborn is seven times larger than the relative surface of the skin of an adult). The development of a child’s body is a tumultuous process. Children are far more endangered by harmful factors than adults, and some harmful factors can have long-term consequences on children’s health, growth, and development. During the first few years of life, a baby’s exposure to cosmetics (shampoos, perfumes, creams) should be minimal. If some cosmetics must be used, parents are recommended to carefully select harmless products.

Specific psychosocial changes occur when a child starts going to school, and nowadays puberty occurs earlier than ever before. Also, children encounter more situations in which they use cosmetics (deodorants, more frequent use of perfume), and the market offers an insufficient number of products that are suitable for children of this particular age.