Getting "squeaky clean" is a good thing, right?

Well, if you're partial to antibacterial soaps, not so much.

Young people who get too much exposure to triclosan, the active ingredient in many (if not most) antibacterial soaps may suffer from more allergies than people who don't use the soaps.

And exposure to high levels of Bisphenoal A (BPA), which is of course in the plastic bottles most of these soaps come in, can weaken our immune systems.

These two conclusions came from a recent study conducted at the University of Michigan School of Public Health.

Both chemicals are considered endocrine-disrupting compounds because they mimic or otherwise affect hormones.

The really scary thing is that the ill effects come with pretty low exposure -- lower levels than previously thought. Researchers referred to the "hygiene hypothesis," which states that living in very clean environments affects our contact with the microorganisms that keep our immune systems in tip-top shape.

Parents might think keeping antibacterial soap by every sink in the house is keeping their kids healthy, but it may have the opposite affect. Washing with triclosan-containing soaps from a young age could impact developing immune systems.

This study actually couldn't have come at a better time -- at least for me. I have a few relatives who love stocking up on those candy-colored, fruity-scented antibacterial soaps at Bath and Body Works for handing out at the holidays.

I don't want to burst anyone's Christmas bubble, but I might be sending this article to a few of the typical recipients this year!

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