Women's hands may contain more bacteria types than men's
Women may just need to wash that much more thoroughly than men, following new research finding their hands contain significantly more bacteria types than men’s hands. A University of Colorado at Boulder, US, study detected and identified more than 4,700 different bacteria species across 102 human hands in the study.
Women may just need to wash that much more thoroughly than men, following new research finding their hands contain significantly more bacteria types than men’s hands. A University of Colorado at Boulder, US, study detected and identified more than 4,700 different bacteria species across 102 human hands in the study.
“On average, we found that women had at least 30% more species of bacteria on their hands compared to men”, assistant Professor Noah Fierer, lead study author, told cosmeticsbusiness.com. Also, curiously, only five species were shared among all 51 participants. He added: “The sheer number of bacteria species detected on the hands of the study participants was a big surprise."
Fierer believes the higher diversity of bacteria on women’s hands may be due to the frequency of moisturiser or cosmetics applications by women; increased acidity in men’s palms killing bacteria; differences in sweat and oil gland production between men and women; skin thickness or hormone production.