HealthierMe: Downside of Hand Sanitizers - Valley News Live - KVLY/KXJB - Fargo/Grand Forks

Slather on sanitizer. Wipe down surfaces. Repeat.

It's become a familiar ritual in our battle against germs, but the dirty little secret is that most germs are harmless and, in fact, many are good for us.

"If you're in a normal environment and you're not exposed to germs, overuse of hand sanitizers might actually make you more susceptible to the next infection that comes along," says Dr. Richard Gallo.