http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bacteria_in_the_human_body
It is estimated that 500 to 1000 different species of bacteria live in the human body (Sears, 2005). Bacterial cells are much smaller than human cells, and there are about ten times as many bacteria as human cells in the body (1000 trillion (1015) versus 100 trillion (1014); Sears, 2005). Though normal flora are found on all surfaces exposed to the environment (on the skin and eyes, in the mouth, nose, small intestine, and colon), the vast majority of bacteria live in the large intestine.

Many of the bacteria in the digestive tract, collectively referred to as gut flora, are able to break down certain nutrients such as carbohydrates that humans otherwise could not digest. The majority of these commensal bacteria are anaerobes, meaning they survive in an environment with no oxygen.

So scrub away… it’s not the germs in general, it’s specific germs. Sorry for the reality check.

As I recall, your father’s a physician, so really you have a good source of advice.

My understanding is that what is crucial is not what your hands touch but keeping your hands away from the openings — mouth, nose, eyes — on your face.

Sure, after returning from shopping, etc., first thing I do is wash my hands so that I CAN safely touch my face.

reuters: wrestling banned in minnesota

http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=oddlyEnoughNews&storyid=2007-02-01T144641Z_01_N31186266_RTRUKOC_0_US-HERPES-WRESTLERS.xml&src=rss

Jerry – think about it. Every person I know uses his hands in some part of the bathroom experience prior to finishing up. You’ve just shaken hands with N people and touched Y random things. Why wouldn’t you want your hands to be clean before you – ahem – did your thing?

Seriously, though, germs was one of the considerations when they came up with it centuries ago. I was in India recently and loved greeting people that way (especially my parents’ friends who love it when my generation keeps up with traditions)

I must note that I have little patience for people who complain about the handshake. Sure, it’s a germ haven and annoying. I’ve often used the “raise your hand in greeting” (though my brothers say it looks like a Hiel Hitler salute). Still, this is NOTHING compared to the insane practice of hugging that invades high schools and colleges. The standard practice is hug each person in the room when you enter, hug each person in the room when you leave. This is maddening, and makes the handshake very do-able.