Is your bag a danger to you? Joanne Christie investigates why we should treat our arm accessories with a little respect

Some celebrity trends are never going to cut it in the real world. Paris Hilton's Chihuahua in a bag would be a ridiculous accessory for the average woman. But the oversized handbags regularly draped over the shoulders of the likes of Nicole Richie and Lindsay Lohan are a different story. Not only are they fashionable, they're also practical, so it's no wonder the craze has filtered down from the catwalks to the high street.

A big bag can make getting through a day that involves work, the gym and socialising seem like a breeze, but it could also be posing a risk to your health. The swing towards gigantic handbags has led to women carrying more on a daily basis, and it's easy to forget to have a clear-out when you've enough room for everything but the kitchen sink.

Here are a few reasons you should:

Girl germs

Ever had the sniffles, wiped your nose with a tissue and stuffed it inside your handbag? You could be contaminating your bag, says Professor John Oxford, chairman of the UK Hygiene Council. 'The common cold virus will sit on a tissue and could stay active for 24 hours or even longer,' he explains. 'If only one woman is using a handbag, then it is a closed cycle and there's little risk to anyone else, but if there is a child or someone else in the link, it could easily be transferred.'

If you carry shoes in your bag to visit the gym or walk to work, you could be risking bacteria like salmonella and E. coli. 'If you've picked up micro organisms from soil or dog's poo they could survive quite easily in a handbag,' says Oxford. 'Viruses like the cold go into decay, but some bacteria like salmonella actually increase in numbers, so in 24 hours you could end up with more than you started with.' Put your shoes in a plastic bag if you carry them in your handbag.

Food and make-up can also carry bacteria, particularly if they're old. Research by The College of Optometrists this year found 92 per cent of women kept mascara longer than the recommended six months, risking nasty eye infections. Refilling the same plastic water bottle repeatedly can also be dangerous so wash yours out on a daily basis.

Watching your weight

According to the American Chiropractic Association, a handbag shouldn't weigh more than 10 per cent of a woman's weight. Heavy bags can cause neck, back and shoulder pain, headaches and even tingling in the arms.

Medical symptoms are partly caused by the way we carry them, says Tim Hutchful, a member of the British Chiropractic Association. He says: 'What tends to happen is that you will get a physiological change in the muscles in one shoulder as your body adapts to always carrying a bag on that side. This is why when women try to switch sides they'll often complain the bag keeps slipping off.'

Hutchful recommends using a rucksack to even out the weight, or choosing a bag with broad straps, and carrying it as close to the body as possible. Before you rush out and buy a new bag, see if you can live without some of your heavier items. Ditch the books and one-litre water bottles and opt for a magazine and a smaller bottle instead.

Protective packaging

Tampons, headache pills and condoms are handbag necessities, covering pretty much any emergency a modern girl may face. But if not kept in the proper packaging, these essentials can become the emergency.

Keep tampons in their boxes, and discard any with signs of wear and tear. Though rare, toxic shock syndrome is a type of blood poisoning that usually occurs through tampon use and using tampons where the plastic has been damaged is a bad idea. Likewise, don't take tablets if the foil has been perforated. Keep condoms away from sharp objects like keys and replace them if they've been exposed to direct sunlight as they may have been heat damaged.

Protect your financial health

Identity fraud is the fastest-growing crime in the UK, and many women fall victim after having their bag stolen. Steve Hickey of the National Identity Fraud Prevention Week says people are often unaware of how dangerous the documents they're carrying are.

'If you've got a utility bill in your bag, that's proof of address. If you've also got a driving licence or passport, it is fairly easy for someone to start taking over your identity,' he warns. 'If you have a bank statement as well, you are giving people an idea how much they can defraud you of.'

If you are robbed, cancel your cards immediately, and sign up for alerts with a credit agency so you'll know if someone is applying for credit in your name.

There's nothing wrong with carrying a large bag, just make sure you have regular clear-outs to ensure you're not also carrying around a health risk.