system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
ELI5: If hand soap claims to kill 99.99% of bacteria, why is it not regulated in the same way as antibiotics?

Surely hand soap must contain some sort of antibacterial ingredients, but then wouldn't that give rise to the same resistant bacteria which are made with over usage of antibiotics? Then if those antibacterial ingredients are so effective, why aren't they used in medicine to kill bacteria inside the body?
gpt
Soap is not really antibacterial. But bacteria survives in the oils and dirt on your skin, which soap and water removes, along with most bacteria. This mechanism is not something that a strain of bacteria can develop resistance to, as much as it cannot become resistant to alcohol or high temperatures.

There are soaps with antibacterial ingredients, but they cause much more problems than they solve (including resistance!), so should be avoided - unless you are about to engage in surgery. Yes, this means that the shelves of advertized antibacterial soap in your supermarket should be avoided. Plain soap with limited fragrances is best.

Just remember that skin health depends on a natural amount of skin bacteria, and removing them can trigger problems like eczema.