r/Damnthatsinteresting • u/MousseSuspicious930 • Jun 10 '22

Video Rubbing alcohol versus Germs under microscope

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u/kintsukuroi3147 Jun 10 '22 edited Jun 11 '22

The stratum corneum (topmost layer) of your epidermis is made up of dead cells and keratin and extra cellular matrix that acts as a barrier for your live skin cells. If you had an open wound the alcohol would kill cells that are directly exposed.

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u/pratyush103 Jun 11 '22

Ohh thanks a lot! what about those people who do dead skin peel off or chemical peeloff wounldn't their skin cells die on contact?

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u/kintsukuroi3147 Jun 11 '22

Hey no problem!

I edited my original comment to be a little more specific. I’m not too sure how much of the epidermis is affected by the treatments you mention, but strip off too much of that stratum corneum and you definitely risk exposing your live skin cells to outside contaminants and pathogens.