For routine surgical hand preparation alcohol-based handrubs are superior to scrubs because they are equally effective but cause less skin irritation, are cheaper, and use less water.

Disadvantages of chlorhexidine-containing disinfectants for surgical hand disinfection: they can provoke allergic reactions, foster antimicrobial resistance, and increase water consumption.

The resident skin flora is the physiological skin flora, also known as colonising flora. It comprises bacteria such as Staphylococcus epidermidis, propioni and corynebacteria, which do not have a pathogenic effect on the skin...