The toxic chemicals lurking in YOUR baby wipes that ‘can trigger eczema, allergies and breathing problems’
Baby wipes are an everyday convenience for most parents - but new research has discovered potentially dangerous chemicals lurking in the ingredients list
BABY wipes are an essential part of any parent’s survival kit, but they may not be as safe to use on a babies sensitive skin as we thought.
It is well known that the wipes damage our waterways when they are flushed down the loo, with water authorities last year calling for a ‘no flush’ policy on their packaging.
But they are convenient, and cheap, so as a nation we keep reaching for them.
From cleaning food off their hands and face to wiping their babies bum, parents go through masses of the convenient, moist wipes every day – but new research has discovered potentially dangerous chemicals lurking in the ingredients list.
Consumer group Which? inspected 14 of the most popular brands of baby wipes on the market and found some alarming results.
They looked at the number of ingredients in the wipes and if they contained fragrance or phenoxylethanol, a potential allergen linked to eczema and respiratory health problems.
Some brands of wipes had a staggering 18 ingredients and all but two had more than 10.
Preservatives were a common recurrence in the wipes as they are used to prevent mould and bacterial growth.
But some have a greater risk of causing allergic reactions with frequent contact with the skin.
Preservatives
One of the most common preservatives researchers found was phenoxyethanol, which appeared in half of the products tested.
It is is currently used only in regulated concentrations below what is deemed as safe for use by the EU.
Some products contained other potentially harmful preservatives that could, on rare occasions, cause irritation to the skin, eyes and lung.
There were:
- Huggies Pure Baby Wipes contained malic acid
- Sainsbury's Little Ones Eco Fragrance Free wipes contained propylene glycol
- Tesco fragranced and fragrance-free wipes contained tocopherol acetate
Malic acid is often used to control the pH of the skin however it can cause skin irritation in people with sensitive skin.
Propylene glycol is a moisturising ingredient but has, in some tests, proved to be an irritant, as has benzyl alcohol, used as a fragrance, and tocopherol acetate, another moisturising agent.
Which? suggests to check where these types of preservatives sit on the ingredients list – the higher up a preservative appears, the more of it there is in the wipes.
But also remember that contact allergy is rare, and the allowed amount of these ingredients is subject to regulation, so they will be present in wipes only at a concentration deemed as safe for use.
The report recommended that parents stick to the simplest possible solution for washing a newborn - cotton wool and water - as that is when their skin is the most sensitive.
Fragrance
And when it comes to fragrance, Dr David Orton, consultant dermatologist at the British Association of Dermatologists, says "defies logic" that most supermarket brands stock a frangranced option.
He said: "Some wipes contain an ingredient called 'parfum', which is an umbrella term referring to an undisclosed mixture of various scent chemicals.
"In Europe, only 26 fragrance chemicals need to be individually named out of the approximate 2,000 fragrance chemicals that industry could use in a cosmetic product.
"But it's not always as simple as spotting 'parfum' on the label."
He explained that even if baby wipes are labelled as fragrance free, some ingredients could contain fragrance agents used as preservatives.
Many wipes contain botanical extracts, including the commonly used chamomilla recutita flower extract.
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Hypoallergenic wipes
With all this information now swimming around your head, you may be wondering if hypoallergenic wipes are a better option?
That may not be the case.
Dr Orton said phrases such as 'hypoallergenic', 'all natural' and 'dermatologically tested' do not conform to any particular standards.
In other words, they are just marketing terms.
He said: "It's better to consult the ingredients list on the pack to get a proper idea of what these wipes contain."
According to Dr Orton, 'bland is best' when it comes to baby wipes.
However, the baby wipes with the fewest ingredients also cost the most, so it's worth looking out for offers when you can.
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