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Do Hand Sanitisers affect finger prick blood tests?

P

Paul Buckton1

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I am Type 1 Insulin dependant. Finally returning to restaurants and pubs after Lockdown on the Eat out to Help Out scheme. Observing all Covid guidelines including using Hand Sanitiser on entry of the establishment. Once I have ordered my meal I do a test and work out the required amount of insulin. Does anyone know if the Hand Sanitiser affects the reading on my blood tester?
 
Good question Paul, I think that if you waited a few minutes for the alcohol to evaporate and for your hands to feel dry you would probably be ok. The only way to find out for Shure would be to do two Tests one without sanitizer and one with and see if the results were vastly different.
Oh and welcome to the forum
 

I personally would check my bloods before going in the restaurant and again after to compare and see how it’s affected with hand sanitizer.
 
I have tested with and without hand sanitiser many times and I have always notice a very slight difference between them both, not massive but it can sometimes put you over your threshold.
 
A few years after I was first diagnosed (although that was 15 years ago) I was told that hand gels had in impact on my sugar levels and that i should stop using them. Also, I didnt realise recently I was buying fun hand wash (like carex bubblegum and lovehearts) for my kids, to encourage extra hand washing, that they can also have an affect on sugar readings too.
I use hand gel if im out and about at the moment but will try to wash my hands properly if I'm able to before a test
 
As a driving instructor we have been advised to use min 70%. It’s not always possible to use water and soap. Luckily I’m type 2 and not on insulin but during the day I get to wash hands once or twice a day when I get to toilet. Otherwise it’s sanitiser
 
If the hand gel is still wet it'll affect the result. I didn't know and one time did a test before my hands were dry, the result was 0.5
 
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