The Truth About Organic Baby Products - Part 2

This is the second part in a two part article series on what chemicals to be aware of in baby products and how to choose the best organic baby products for your child. Below is a continuing list of chemicals to avoid and why they are harmful.

1,4 Dioxane: Ethylene oxide is used by companies to aid in making rough petroleum based ingredients more gentle. As a result of this ethylation 1,4 Dioxane is produced, which is a noted carcinogen and suspected to stimulate kidney damage. Of late some alleged "green" companies were exposed because their products contained this very chemical which proves the use of petroleum based chemicals. Once again you will not discover this listed in the ingredients list, because it is a by product and not part of the primary formula. Refrain from any product with any of the following ingredients: oxynol, myreth, oleth, laureth, any other "eth," or PEG, polyethylene, ceteareth, polyethylene glycol or polyoxyethylene.

Mineral oil: Would any compassionate parent put gasoline on their child? The Environmental Working Group say that 40% of all baby lotions and oils contain petroleum, which is a non renewable hydrocarbon made from the substance crude oil. The oil will spread over you baby's skin with a non-breathable toxic film. The Australia's National Occupational Health and Safety Commissions (NOHSC) say that prolonged contact with mineral oil has an joint risk of developing skin conditions such as eczematous dermatitis, oil folliculitis, melanosis of the face and plantar warts. Petroleum can also discontinue hormones and stop the skin's ability to detoxify. After sun exposure it is the 2nd most likely cause of premature skin aging. Sunscreens that have a foundation in mineral oil are now being involved in promoting colon, skin and breast cancer and disturbingly are found in most breast cancer tissue. Petroleum is a known carcinogen and also known to adversely effect health, yet is still approved safe by the FDA.

Sodium Laurel Sulfates (SLS)/Sodium Lareth Sulfates (SLES): These are the ingredient responsible for suds or froth in shampoos, soaps and toothpastes. As late back as 1983 the Journal of American College of Toxicology reported that SLS can cause separation of skin layers and inflammation of the skin and damage the immune system. They also state that SLS/SLES can cause malformation of a baby's eyes. These chemicals are promptly absorbed by the skin and wind up in the heart, lungs, liver and brain.

Parabens are commonly used as a chemical compound in products ranging from food to shampoo to baby wipes. At small doses they are known to create system organ toxicity and reproductive damage.

"Natural": Unfortunately this statement is unregulated and has no assurance of safety. Many products labeled "natural" contain at least one of the above listed ingredients and have petroleum based chemicals in them.

How to reduce the toxic load on your child

Read labels: memorize or carry the above noted ingredients with you when you shop.

Keep in easy and simple: all you need before a baby becomes mobile is warm water and a washcloth.

Select certified organic baby products: when you do need to use products, select ones that are certified organic. This way you are confident that these products contain only pure, truly natural, non-toxic ingredients that are safe for your baby, your family and the environment.

It is important to note, the skin is the largest organ in the body and easily absorbs just about anything placed on it. Listed above are some ingredients that are the major toxins. There are many more. Ensure your children's future health by protecting them in the present. If you can't pronounce the ingredients or are clueless to what something is, if the label appears like chemical textbook instead of a garden do not buy it. Do this and you will know what you are putting on your baby's (and your own) skin is safe.

Elizabeth Daniels
Health Care Professional and Organic Product Advocate.

Elizabeth runs a popular website for Australians helping to inform them about the benefits of natural and organic products. She also provides detailed reviews of organic and natural products to help people make the most informed decisions about what they buy.

Click here for natural organic product reviews and information.

Click here to learn which are the best organic baby products