12 Chemicals to avoid in baby products & bull; hello healthy

The shampoos, soaps, and lotions you use on your child may be labeled "natural" or "gentle," but they can also be enriched with chemicals that are harmful to your child's health, experts say.

"When talking about children's health, parents need not only to pay attention to their physical activity and nutritional intake and diet, but also their body's exposure to chemicals," said Jason Rano, director of government affairs at the Environmental Working Group.

Many chemicals are currently known or thought to be linked to cancer, precocious puberty, ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder), obesity, autism, and other serious health problems. Many of the baby care products are readily absorbed through the skin into the bloodstream, and babies are at least ten times more susceptible to the chemicals in these products than adults.

Hazardous chemicals to avoid in baby care products

1. Talc

This powdered mineral is added to baby powder (and many other powder cosmetics). Talc is used as a drying agent, but this mineral is known to irritate the lungs and may also cause cancer (carcinogenic).

The American Academy of Pediatrics advises against using baby powder on your baby, as inhaling the tiny particles of powder can irritate a baby's lungs - and their caregivers too. Talc can be contaminated with asbestos, which causes mesothelioma, a deadly form of cancer. Since it is almost impossible to separate talc granules from asbestos during the mining process, the carcinogenic agent will almost always carry over to any consumer product that contains talc.

Even safer versions of cornstarch-based talc also create clumps of dust that babies can inhale. To protect baby's lungs, avoid baby powder and choose baby fragrances in the form of lotions or creams.

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2. Fragrance

You may like the smell of your baby's lotion, but perfume is linked to allergies, skin irritations, and eczema - and can be toxic to various organs in the body.

The problem with fragrance ingredients is that "perfume" is used as an umbrella term for all the secret ingredients that manufacturers add to the product, and they are not obliged to disclose what the perfume contains. The term "perfume" can be a mixture of up to 100 of more than 3,000 different chemicals, including 1,4-Dioxane, titanium dioxide, parabens, to methanol and formaldehyde.

The effects of scents are long-lasting, linger on the skin for hours, and can cause respiratory problems (there is evidence that exposure to perfume in infants can cause asthma in children); potentially cancerous; nerve, skin and eye damage; and interfere with the baby's immune system. The use of fragrant personal care products in adult women is also at risk of infertility.

Check the labels of baby care products carefully before you buy. Avoid products that have fragrance or perfume attached to the composition label.

3. Phthalates and parabens

Phthalates and parabens are a group of chemicals used as preservatives in baby (and generally adult) care products, such as shampoos and lotions.

Phthalates have been linked to endocrine disorders, which can cause reproductive problems, including decreased sperm motility and concentration, as well as allergies, asthma, and cancer. Perfume in baby and adult care products can also contain phthalates. Parabens are neurotoxins and are associated with reproductive toxicity, hormonal disorders, immunotoxicity and skin irritation. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) states paraben use is safe to some extent. However, the European Union's Scientific Committee on Consumer Products is still testing the safety of propyl, isopropyl, butyl, and isobutyl parabens. This chain of compounds derived from parabens is thought to interfere with the endocrine system and cause reproductive disorders in mothers and child development.

Stay away from any product that includes parabens and the suffix "-paraben" on the ingredient label, as well as benzoic acid, propyl ester, phthalates, BPA (Bisphenol A), DEP, DBP, and DEHP.

4.Formalin (and other formaldehyde-derived preservatives)

Formalin is a preservative added to water-based products to prevent mold formation. Formaldehyde can be added directly to products or released via other preservatives.

Formaldehyde is a carcinogen that has been linked to squamous cell cancer of the nasal cavity and skin irritations that can cause allergic reactions, such as burning eyes and throat, stuffy and / or runny nose, and skin rashes. Allergic skin rashes can occur as a result of contact with products containing formaldehyde, which can also cause symptoms of breathing problems, headaches, fatigue, and nausea.

Formaldehyde is commonly used as an embalming fluid, but is also used to preserve a number of household products that contain higher concentrations of urea-formaldehyde (UF) resin. This preservative can be found in pressed wood medium density (MDF) wood grain used for drawer fronts, cupboards and furniture tops, curtains, as a component of glues and adhesives, as well as cleaning and beauty products, including some brands of wet wipes. baby.

To avoid harmful preservatives in baby care products, avoid products that contain formaldehyde, quaternium-15, DMDM ​​hydantoin, imidazolidinyl urea, diazolidinyl urea, polyoxymethylene urea, sodium hydroxymethylglycinate, 2-bromo-2-Nitropropane-1,3-diol (bromopol ), and glyoxal.

5. Polyethylene glycol (PEG)

This chemical compound is a penetration enhancer that is easily absorbed by the skin and may be carcinogenic. The function of PEG is basically to open all the pores and let other chemicals enter the body. Polyethylene glycol is commonly used in car wiper fluids and to "melt" aircraft engines, but is often found in baby wipes.

Watch out for polyethylene glycol (PEG) and polypropylene glycol (PPG) on product labels, or to be safer, simply wipe your baby with a clean washcloth and soapy water.

6.14-dioxane

1,4-dioxane is commonly found in baby care products that produce foam, such as bath foams, shampoos and soaps. 1,4-dioxane is a chemical by-product, formed by the reaction of common chemicals when they are mixed together, so you won't see this chemical listed on the product label. This compound is a suspected carcinogenic agent, and has also been linked to organ poisoning, skin allergies and birth defects.

Without labeling, it can be difficult to know for sure whether the product of your choice contains 1,4-dioxane or not - making it harder for buyers to avoid it. As a precaution, avoid baby care products that list sodium laureth sulfate, polyethylene glycol (PEG) and chemicals listed as xynol, ceteareth, oleth, or other chemicals that contain the element "eth" and the suffix "-xynol".

7. Mineral oil

Baby oil is basically made from mineral oil mixed with perfume, a bad combination. Mineral oil is an inexpensive byproduct of processing petroleum (to make gasoline) and acts as a transparent wrap on the skin, disrupting the skin's natural immune barrier and inhibiting the skin's ability to release toxins and help reduce water loss from the skin - skin ages prematurely when cells the skin suffers from a lack of moisture.

Applying mineral oil to the skin repeatedly can cause a variety of negative hormonal effects, including ovarian dysfunction, endometriosis, miscarriage, and immune system damage. Mineral oil may cause vitamin deficiency in babies because the minerals are absorbed into the skin, processed by the liver and then bind the nutrients so that their absorption will be blocked.

Mineral oil has long been used as a common ingredient in baby lotions, creams, ointments and adult cosmetics. Choose natural and nutritious oils like olive, coconut, or sweet almond oil to massage your baby's skin.

8. Flame-retardant material

Flame-retardant materials are chemicals other than water that can reduce the risk of the product igniting and catching fire or inhibiting the combustion process.

A type of flame-retardant called biphenyl diphenyl ether (PBDE) is one of the most worrisome. Several cribs and baskets in the US have tested positive for chlorine, a facilitator for chlorinated fire-retardants. Even exposure to small doses at critical points in a child's development can damage his reproductive system in the future and affect motor skills, learning, memory and hearing.

Flame retardant is found in most upholstered furniture, including sofas, pillows, mattresses and carpet padding. Because these chemicals are not foam-bound, BPDE can be released easily as dust as furniture ages. PBDE is most likely to be found in polyurethane foam products manufactured before 2005. PBDE is also present in some electronics, although this combustion retardant agent has not been used since 2014.

To help your baby sleep more safely and comfortably, choose products labeled free of chemical flame-retardants. Throw away old, weathered items such as car seats and mattress pads that leak foam from the protective fabric. Don't let babies and toddlers put the remote or cell phone in their mouth. Also, replace furniture and pillows if the foam is worn and old or if the fabric tears beyond repair.

9. Vinyl chloride

Vinyl chloride is easy to find in children's bath toys. Not many people know that this chemical compound is a cancer-causing agent that has been proven to harm many factory workers and the environment around the factory, reported from Women's Day. Vinyl chloride can also contain phthalates, dangerous chemicals that can upset the balance of endorphins, which are added to plastics to make toys that are soft and pliant.

10. Lead and other heavy metals

Lead poisoning can cause nervous system damage, kidney damage, and delayed developmental processes in children. Lead was a common additive in paint before 1978, until US federal law prohibited its use in household paints. At the same time, the use of lead is prohibited in baby and children's care products. Lead can still be found in old homes and in some imported toys, jewelry, and even candy.

If you live in a house built before 1978, make sure all paint is coated in good condition, and mop the floors and wipe the surface with a damp cloth frequently. If you have an older home, use certified lead-free contractors when renovating and "evacuate" while renovations are taking place. Also avoid painted metal or metal toys made before 1978. Also avoid heritage or imported children's toys or jewelry, as many countries do not prohibit the use of lead in toys. Also avoid products that contain arsenic, mercury, chrome, and zinc.

11. Triclosan

Anything labeled as "antibacterial" may contain triclosan, an endocrine disruptive and carcinogenic agent, which is also harmful to the environment. While it makes sense to want to keep your baby away from bacteria, this is the wrong approach for you to take. By raising babies in an environment that is too sterile, we inhibit the baby's body's ability to create a natural immune and immune system, increase the likelihood of allergies, and make antibacterial treatments less effective when we really need them to work. After all, babies tend to love to put their hands in their mouths, and everything you put on your baby's hands will also enter the body.

Avoid using all antibacterial soaps and cleaning products. In fact, plain water and soap work better at getting rid of germs.

12. Benzophenon

Benzophenone derivatives, such as oxybenzone, sulisobenzone, sodium sulisobenzone, benzophenon-2 (BP2), and oxybenzone (benzophenone-3 or BP3) are common ingredients in sunscreens. Benzophenone is a bioaccumulative chemical compound that is persistent and toxic. These chemicals are linked to cancer, endocrine disorders, organ system toxicity, skin irritation, and developmental problems. Benzophenone can also speed up the development of tumors and skin lesions.

Benzophenon and its derivatives are commonly found in baby sunscreen products. Choose a sunscreen that relies on non-nanoized zinc oxide or titanium dioxide.

Baby care products that are certified "organic" are the best choice for you and your baby, although they are a little harder to find. Your baby may not have the distinctive smell of baby powder, but their health will be better protected in the long run, and that's what's most important.