We all know soap to be the Holy Grail for cleanliness. But is soap itself really clean? Or can what we use to remove germs actually spread them? Stay tuned. Hello I'm Dr. Neal Schultz And welcome to DermTV. On DermTV I have reassured you that most skincare products that could harbor dangerous germs… like creams, lotions, and even makeup… have chemicals added to them to actually kill germs so they can’t be spread by those skincare products. Those chemicals are called preservatives and range from common parabens to tongue twisters like Quaternary Ammonium Compounds. This applies to any skincare product that contains water, which is essential to the growth of most germs. But what about soap… especially bar soaps which themselves are hostile to germs because of their high pH? It all goes back to water. After you use soap, what is it coated with? Water! And then to add insult to injury, your soap probably sits in a wet soap dish which is an ideal environment to encourage the growth of more germs that you can imagine. So, believe it or not, bar soaps can become a breeding ground for germs including bacteria, viruses and fungi. These germs include staph, strep, human papilloma virus which causes warts, and fungi that cause athletes foot and other tinea infections. Now this all sounds scary and quite alarmist, but the good news is that it’s really easy to keep your soap sanitized. First, now that you realize that a bar of soap can be a vehicle to spread germs and infections, think about the soap dish that the bar of soap rests on. Make sure it has a way to drain water, such as slots, and place the dish in an area that isn’t always wet or damp and that is conducive to the dish and soap drying out. Additionally, don’t use someone else’s bar of soap, especially in a public facility. And last, consider switching to a liquid soap which is easier to use, less messy and less apt to spread important skin germs. Now for today's skincare trivia! Answer today's question correctly and you'll be entered in a drawing to win a free skincare product! Submit your answer at DermTV Dot Com Slash Trivia, within three days of this episode's airing. Today's question i 36Why do I believe that parabens are safe? And don't forget. You can find the answer to this and all questions in past DermTV episodes.