If you have children, you very likely have baby wipes at home. They’re practical, easy to carry, and completely harmless- at least that is what we thought until now.
Studies are now revealing that many of the most commonly used wipes can give your child painful rashes.
When wipes first emerged on the market, they apeared to be parents’ long awaited savior. But it could be the end of that.
While several studies have already shown that wipes for children are not ideal as they’re not entirely gentle, many parents chose to continue using the practical wet cloths.
But new research now shows that parents who use wipes on their children’s face are taking risks due to the many different chemicals they contain.
According to NBC News, studies revealed that children reacted strongly to certain ingredients in some of the most common wipe brands. Behind these studies is Dr. Mary Wu Chang, professor of dermatology and paediatrics at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine. She examined six cases in which each reaction was unique.
An 8-year-old girl whose mother used wipes to clean her mouth got a severe rash on her face. When the mother ceased using wipes, the rash disappeared. The same occurred in all other cases, leading Dr. Chang to be able to conclude that the wipes were the cause behind the rash.
Another dermatologist, Dr. Ellen Frankel, supports Chang’s studies.
“I’ve always told parents, do not under any circumstances use diaper wipes. They have a lot of chemicals in them and they can irritate skin that’s already damaged by sitting in urine or feces,” Ellen Frankel told 12WPRI.
The two brands examined in the US study were Huggies and Cottonelle, which have both confirmed that they are evaluating alternative ingredients to use in their wipes and will be launching those shortly, according to 12WPRI.
The most dangerous chemical found is called methylisothiazolinone (MI) and dermatologists urge parents to always read the contents before using wipes on her child to make sure they don’t include this chemical.
Please help other parents be aware of this important information so that no other child is affected by a painful rash.
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