Final answer:
Antibiotic lotion can be harmful due to its potential to kill good bacteria along with the bad, leading to an imbalance and overgrowth of resistant bacteria or yeast infections. Overuse can also contribute to antibiotic resistance, making future infections more challenging to treat.
Step-by-step explanation:
Antibiotic lotion can be potentially harmful for several reasons. First, antibiotics not only target the bacteria causing an illness or infection but also the good bacteria that protect our body from other infections. The overuse of antibiotic lotion can lead to an imbalance of these microorganisms, leading to an overgrowth of resistant bacteria or yeast, which may result in infections like MRSA or yeast infections. Additionally, our bodies require a certain amount of nonpathogenic bacteria on our skin and in our gastrointestinal tract to maintain health and prevent the growth of harmful bacteria.
Proper hygiene is indeed critical, but the use of antibiotic lotion should be judicious and only when necessary. The misuse or overuse of antibiotics, even in topical form, can contribute to the increasing problem of antibiotic resistance, where bacteria evolve to become immune to the effects of antibiotics, making future infections harder to treat. It's also important to note that while disinfecting areas can temporarily rid them of microorganisms, these areas are quickly recolonized and a balance must be maintained.