As parents, we all are highly concerned about what goes into our baby's body, but are we that concerned about what goes "on" our baby's body? The baby products market is one of the fastest growing industries in India and baby skincare products constitute a huge market. In the era of flourishing marketing, companies producing baby care products leave no stone unturned for forming an emotional connect with parents while talking about their products.
Usually, the emotional aspect of products takes over the major part of marketing, while what goes within is kept under wraps. The main reason behind this is the number of chemicals that go within these products to give them an appealing shape. The wipes that we use on our child's skin or those lovely smelling lotions come wrapped in a lot of chemical and alcoholic content. Multiple ingredients used to control wetness, prevent bacteria and make bottoms smell more pleasant actually come with the likelihood of leaving an impact on the health of our little ones.
Researchers have found that with the lotions, shampoos, talcs and a few other personal care products, our babies are more susceptible of being exposed to one of the most harmful toxics called parabens. For those parents who are not aware of parabens, these are a type of preservatives introduced in 1950s to prolong the life of health and beauty products by preventing the growth of mould and bacteria within them.
The paraben family of preservatives have been identified to penetrate the skin and remain within the tissue and often lead to allergic reactions, rashes, an increased risk of cancer and hormonal problems, including infertility. The Environmental Working Group (EWG) claims: "Parabens mimic oestrogen and can act as potential hormone (endocrine) system disruptors."
Likewise, Benzyl alcohol often used in baby care products is a neaurotoxicant which is allergic to lungs and skin, leading to itching, burning, blistering and much more. The list of chemicals that are used in baby care products is again, endless. Ethylhexylglycerin, a chemical that is widely used as a deodorant agent and to condition the skin, has been found as a skin irritant, causing dermatitis and eye irritation.
