Baby products
What are they?
Baby products include cosmetic and personal care products that are specifically formulated for babies and infants.
The skin of babies is more delicate and sensitive than adult skin. It is 20-30% thinner, and has a slightly higher surface pH (i.e. is slightly more alkaline). However babies’ skin at birth is very nearly as effective a barrier as adult skin, and this property further matures in the first month.[1]
What’s the myth?
It has been alleged that baby products are contaminated with harmful chemicals, including carcinogens and reproductive toxins. There are few better ways to provoke outrage and alarm than news reports on ‘toxic substances’ in baby products.
The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, a US-based political activist group, appears to be the origin of most of the scare campaign regarding carcinogens, specifically formaldehyde and 1,4-dioxane, in baby products. In 2009 they released the report, “No More Toxic Tub: Getting contaminants out of children’s bath & personal care products”[2]. This report was self-published (not peer-reviewed), and only measured that there are trace (i.e. miniscule) amounts of formaldehyde and 1,4-dioxane in some children’s products, without further studying the actual exposure of children to these trace levels.
Another group of substances that have been targeted are phthalates.
FACT: The mere presence of a substance does not mean it causes harm
One of the main problems with “studies” such as that carried out by the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics is that trace amounts of a chemical are immediately equated with causing harm. There is no proper consideration of the amount of chemical present, the exposure, and the usage profile for the product in which the chemical is present.
Nothing in the study indicates that very low levels of formaldehyde and 1,4-dioxane in baby products can have an adverse effect on health under real life conditions.
For example, the Canadian Health Department concluded that you would need to wash your baby’s hair 620 times a day, every day, to get close to a harmful level of exposure to 1,4-dioxane from baby shampoo.[3]
FACT: Carcinogens are not intentionally added to baby products
Formaldehyde is classified as a human carcinogen. However it is found in air, is produced by human metabolism, and is released when certain vegetables are cooked.
Formaldehyde is not added to baby products – or indeed to any personal care products. However trace levels of formaldehyde are released into personal care products over time by some common preservatives. Click here to read more about formaldehyde in cosmetic and personal care products, including baby products.
Similarly, 1,4-dioxane is not intentionally added to personal care products but can be present in trace amounts as a by-product from manufacturing. 1,4-dioxane is classified as a possible human carcinogen. Click here to read more about 1,4-dioxane in cosmetic and personal care products, including baby products.
To put the trace levels of these substances into perspective, consider that every time you drink a cup of coffee you may be exposed to as many as 16 ingredients known to be carcinogenic to rodents.[4] If you don’t drink coffee, how about a buttered bread roll with roast turkey and cherry tomatoes? 11 known carcinogens. Should we ban coffee, turkey, tomatoes and rolls? Of course not – there is no evidence to suggest that consumption of these trace levels is unsafe.
FACT: The very low levels of phthalates in some baby products pose no risk
Concerns about adverse effects of phthalates from baby products on future reproductive health have been raised. A 2008 study found that application of baby products, especially baby powder, lotion and shampoo, was correlated with the presence of phthalates in babies’ urine.[5] However this study did not investigate any adverse effects from the presence of phthalates.
This research was reported in a reasonably well balanced article, “Potentially Harmful Chemical in Baby Products”[6]. This article makes a number of key points:
FACT: Manufacturers often go beyond safety to meet consumer preferences
The safety of ingredients in baby products is overseen and regulated in Australia by AICIS, the Australian Industrial Chemicals Introduction Scheme. The Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) oversees labelling requirements for baby products and has strong powers to remove unsafe products from sale.
It is in no one’s interest – least of all the makers of baby products – to have unsafe products on the market. Indeed, manufacturers often also choose to respond to consumer preferences, even when there is no safety issue with their products. For example, Johnson & Johnson have removed phthalates and commenced reformulation for alternatives to formaldehyde-releasing preservatives in their baby products.
The bottom line? You can continue to use baby products with confidence in the knowledge that these products are specifically formulated to be safe and kind to your baby’s delicate skin.
Sources:
[1] UK Cosmetics, Toiletries & Fragrances Association, 2012, “_Baby's skin is a barrier”. www.thefactsabout.co.uk/babys-skin-is-a-barrier/content/226
[2] The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics 2009, “No More Toxic Tub: Getting contaminants out of children’s bath & personal care products”
[3] Canadian Cosmetic, Toiletry and Fragrance Association, The Safety/Risk Equation. www.youtube.com/watch?v=7YrNdWofE80
[4] American Council on Science & Health 2004, “ACSH Holiday Dinner Menu”. https://www.scribd.com/document/153941243/ACSH-Holiday-Dinner-Menu
[5] Sathyanarayana, S., Karr, C. J., Lozano, P., Brown, E., Calafat, A. M., Liu, F., Swan, S. H. 2008, “Baby Care Products: Possible Sources of Infant Phthalate Exposure”, Pediatrics, vol. 121(2), pp. 259-268
[6] Childs, D. 2008, “Porentally Harmful Chemical in Baby Products”, ABC News. http://abcnews.go.com/Health/ReproductiveHealth/story?id=4230408&page=1#.T-q58PXIc1I
Baby products include cosmetic and personal care products that are specifically formulated for babies and infants.
The skin of babies is more delicate and sensitive than adult skin. It is 20-30% thinner, and has a slightly higher surface pH (i.e. is slightly more alkaline). However babies’ skin at birth is very nearly as effective a barrier as adult skin, and this property further matures in the first month.[1]
What’s the myth?
It has been alleged that baby products are contaminated with harmful chemicals, including carcinogens and reproductive toxins. There are few better ways to provoke outrage and alarm than news reports on ‘toxic substances’ in baby products.
The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, a US-based political activist group, appears to be the origin of most of the scare campaign regarding carcinogens, specifically formaldehyde and 1,4-dioxane, in baby products. In 2009 they released the report, “No More Toxic Tub: Getting contaminants out of children’s bath & personal care products”[2]. This report was self-published (not peer-reviewed), and only measured that there are trace (i.e. miniscule) amounts of formaldehyde and 1,4-dioxane in some children’s products, without further studying the actual exposure of children to these trace levels.
Another group of substances that have been targeted are phthalates.
FACT: The mere presence of a substance does not mean it causes harm
One of the main problems with “studies” such as that carried out by the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics is that trace amounts of a chemical are immediately equated with causing harm. There is no proper consideration of the amount of chemical present, the exposure, and the usage profile for the product in which the chemical is present.
Nothing in the study indicates that very low levels of formaldehyde and 1,4-dioxane in baby products can have an adverse effect on health under real life conditions.
For example, the Canadian Health Department concluded that you would need to wash your baby’s hair 620 times a day, every day, to get close to a harmful level of exposure to 1,4-dioxane from baby shampoo.[3]
FACT: Carcinogens are not intentionally added to baby products
Formaldehyde is classified as a human carcinogen. However it is found in air, is produced by human metabolism, and is released when certain vegetables are cooked.
Formaldehyde is not added to baby products – or indeed to any personal care products. However trace levels of formaldehyde are released into personal care products over time by some common preservatives. Click here to read more about formaldehyde in cosmetic and personal care products, including baby products.
Similarly, 1,4-dioxane is not intentionally added to personal care products but can be present in trace amounts as a by-product from manufacturing. 1,4-dioxane is classified as a possible human carcinogen. Click here to read more about 1,4-dioxane in cosmetic and personal care products, including baby products.
To put the trace levels of these substances into perspective, consider that every time you drink a cup of coffee you may be exposed to as many as 16 ingredients known to be carcinogenic to rodents.[4] If you don’t drink coffee, how about a buttered bread roll with roast turkey and cherry tomatoes? 11 known carcinogens. Should we ban coffee, turkey, tomatoes and rolls? Of course not – there is no evidence to suggest that consumption of these trace levels is unsafe.
FACT: The very low levels of phthalates in some baby products pose no risk
Concerns about adverse effects of phthalates from baby products on future reproductive health have been raised. A 2008 study found that application of baby products, especially baby powder, lotion and shampoo, was correlated with the presence of phthalates in babies’ urine.[5] However this study did not investigate any adverse effects from the presence of phthalates.
This research was reported in a reasonably well balanced article, “Potentially Harmful Chemical in Baby Products”[6]. This article makes a number of key points:
- It has been known for some time that phthalates are present in most or all of us
- The amount of phthalates that people in the USA are exposed to fall “far short of the established safe limits”
- The US National Toxicology Program classifies “the potential risk to human reproductive and developmental health as ‘minimal’ or ‘negligible’”
FACT: Manufacturers often go beyond safety to meet consumer preferences
The safety of ingredients in baby products is overseen and regulated in Australia by AICIS, the Australian Industrial Chemicals Introduction Scheme. The Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) oversees labelling requirements for baby products and has strong powers to remove unsafe products from sale.
It is in no one’s interest – least of all the makers of baby products – to have unsafe products on the market. Indeed, manufacturers often also choose to respond to consumer preferences, even when there is no safety issue with their products. For example, Johnson & Johnson have removed phthalates and commenced reformulation for alternatives to formaldehyde-releasing preservatives in their baby products.
The bottom line? You can continue to use baby products with confidence in the knowledge that these products are specifically formulated to be safe and kind to your baby’s delicate skin.
Sources:
[1] UK Cosmetics, Toiletries & Fragrances Association, 2012, “_Baby's skin is a barrier”. www.thefactsabout.co.uk/babys-skin-is-a-barrier/content/226
[2] The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics 2009, “No More Toxic Tub: Getting contaminants out of children’s bath & personal care products”
[3] Canadian Cosmetic, Toiletry and Fragrance Association, The Safety/Risk Equation. www.youtube.com/watch?v=7YrNdWofE80
[4] American Council on Science & Health 2004, “ACSH Holiday Dinner Menu”. https://www.scribd.com/document/153941243/ACSH-Holiday-Dinner-Menu
[5] Sathyanarayana, S., Karr, C. J., Lozano, P., Brown, E., Calafat, A. M., Liu, F., Swan, S. H. 2008, “Baby Care Products: Possible Sources of Infant Phthalate Exposure”, Pediatrics, vol. 121(2), pp. 259-268
[6] Childs, D. 2008, “Porentally Harmful Chemical in Baby Products”, ABC News. http://abcnews.go.com/Health/ReproductiveHealth/story?id=4230408&page=1#.T-q58PXIc1I
