# How to be safe from microbial contamination

While obsessing about microscopic risks is a pathway to hypochondria, there are some universal standards worth considering.

In general, your body has a strong natural immunity to most risks.

- The skin is the first defense, and protects you from almost everything.
  - Any damage to the skin will involve blood clotting and platelets reconstructing everything.
- Beyond that, your immune system will fight off most things, assuming it functions correctly.
  - At least some dirt and scratches are good for the immune system, since the body stores a record of prior infections, so it's a bit of "target practice".
- The most effective efforts for staying safe are in assisting the body in the healing process.
  - In fact, many signs of sickness and disease come from the *body's* attempts to fight something (e.g., fever, pus, fatigue).

Carefully consider the vectors based on what likely exists.

- Bacteria can grow on any surface, but only thrive in a compromised immune system.
- Fungus tends to grow in moist, warm places, which mean it can easily get onto the skin.
  - They're not usually harmful, but becomes another thing for the immune system to fight and [can affect your image through smell](people-image-how.md).
- Viruses are legitimate risks, but they only live for minutes on direct surfaces.
  - As parasites, they need hosts, which happen to be particular mammal cells (e.g., they may only survive on people or cats).

## Best practices

First, always make sure you're aware of what your hands last touched.

- If your hands are filthy, you're fine as long as you don't do something that could break past the skin barrier (e.g., eating).

When washing, thoroughly scrub for at least 30 seconds with soap.

- This can actually create cracking if done frequently (e.g., in a hospital), so use moisturizing lotion to offset that risk.

Always use the correct PPE if there are any larger risks (e.g., working with sewage).

- People often remember contact with skin, but frequently forget the risks from airborne diseases.