Baby wipes present a risk, according to a report by an Australian research group.
CHILDREN, VICTIMS OF BABY WIPES.
http://www.smh.com.au/national/health/disposable-baby-wipes-linked-to-dermatitis-20140302-33u15.html
So the report says that experts have determined that 11 percent of the diaper rashes in a study group of 389 babies with diaper rashes are attributable to a baby wipe preservative methylisothiazolinone, MI for short, a preservative that is ubiquitous in cosmetics soaps, shampoos and toiletries.
No real indication in the report that they found an “allergic” dermatitis, but some vague references to patch testing and unclear discussion about whether they are ready to call the diaper rash chemical versus contact versus allergic dermatitis. There are plenty of chemicals of all kinds that have an effect on baby skin. In fact the most common cause of diaper rash is wet and dirty diapers.
But this is a chemical wipe created by a COMPANY an eeeeevvvvviiiill company for the convenience of mothers who are taking babies on the go.
Just as another consideration, adults use em too. In fact baby wipes are even used by special forces troops in the field as an important option for hygiene for soldiers in the field. The chemicals on the wipes are intended to absorb and clean–antiseptics are included. The embedded chemicals are volatile so there is little residue left behind.
I am an old physician and familiar with rashes. I know something about cause and effect for genital, inguinal, perineal and buttocks rashes and the causes that vary by sex and age of the victim. Age has a big impact on susceptibility to rashes–baby skin is baby skin.
In babies a diaper rash can be chemical, allergic, contact, bacterial or fungal, for example–chemical effects on the skin, bacterial and fungal effects and invasions, contact sensitivity, flora, desiccating effect of moisture alone, which reduces the integrity of the skin. Long term wetness is hard on skin–like chronic moisture can contribute to trench foot, dish pan hands, fungal and bacterial infections of wet or constantly sweaty areas, for example.
Confounders and uncertainties are not mentioned in this article as is usual for a news report–too confusing.
Take home message–baby wipes bad, cause rashes.
Here is another report on Diaper Rashes from my files.
From the New Amsterdam Bugler
Ivory Plague Diaper Rash Puts Children at Risk, Mothers Outraged
April 1, 1963,
By Arrogancia de Flame, Bugler Medical Science Correspondent
Researchers report a new epidemic called they have named the Ivory Plague–a developing major problem of diaper rashes in New Amsterdam babies caused by wash cloths saturated with a combination of di-hydrogen oxide and a preparation that floats and is sold in powder or bars composed of sodium tallowate, sodium cocoate or sodium palm kernelate. The powder or bar product is called “Ivory Soap” to hide its real chemical identity. Ivory is named such because most people have a positive image of Ivory as a color and substance. Piano keys are finished on their surface with Ivory, for example. The producers and marketers of Ivory Soap allege that Ivory is 99.99 % pure. That assertion is in question and already representatives of consumer groups insist that Ivory Soap is a toxin and not 99.99 % pure. They have entered a complaint with the consumer protection agency of Amsterdam to investigate the company for fraudulent advertizing. The Bugler and this Science Journalist would ask, pure what?
Regularly readers of this author and the Bugler also know that Procter and Gamble, the producer of Ivory Soap, is a not only accused of producing a toxin, false advertizing, but it is also accused of Devil Worship on many reliable internet sites.
The Bugler has exposed the Company’s Devil Worshipful programs, its corporate misconduct and its dangerous household products in other articles by this writer. Thank you for your support and applause.
The children stricken withe malady some have named the Ivory Plague were not hospitalized and the serious damage from diaper rashes of many different types and severity was averted by prompt intervention by public officials. Ivory Powder and Bar Soap preparations were recalled and put in hermetically sealed rail cars and returned to the company. The cost of the recall may force P and G into bankruptcy, but plaintiff attorneys have made a peremptory request to Amsterdam District court to create a compensation trust fund for the Ivory Plague.
The court immediately ordered creation of an Ivory Plague compensation trust and ordered that attorneys will receive 89.9 percent of all recoveries from the developing class action suit on the diaper rash called the Ivory Plague.
Keep watching articles by Ms. de Flame in the Bugler for updates on the crisis.
US Public Health Service officials and the Centers for Communicable Disease have promised an investigation and ordered the Ivory removed from shelves and returned to the company. The Law Firm of Dewey, Cheatum and Howe encourages mothers of children affected to call the toll-free number 800 SUE-CASH for an initial free interview to evaluate your claim against the oppressor pig company, Procter and Gamble for putting a dangerous product into the stream of business.
More Studies on this problem are suggested by the Study authors.
There’s a list a mile long of chemicals on the “Wet Ones” I get. They are scent-free though! My Pampers “unscented” lists perfume, but says it’s only for “masking purposes”. I really don’t care what’s in them as long as they have no fragrances.
Liked your Ivory Plague story. Very clever. If I remember correctly, back then the cloth diapers were often washed in Ivory laundry soap. Whoa! Double dosing the poor things! How horrible!
(Of course we would have to go back to the washcloth and water, not Ivory!)
i looked at the ingredients for the baby wipes i get at the Walmart and MI isn’t in it, even if it was, i am not convinced about the claims.
put a preservative in a patch and look for a reaction–sometimes it will happen because of chemical properties, but the exposure for baby wipes is not like a patch, it is on and off and dried.
as for the washcloth, how’d you like my Ivory Plague story?
If you give up the wipes, what do you use? Washcloth? Dry paper towel that you toss out afterwards? What if it turns out disposable diapers have chemicals, like say ones that work as a fire suppressant? Will mothers switch to cloth? You generally have to pay a lot for day care if you want to use cloth diapers, so working mothers are going to switch??? I’m not seeing any of this changing much. Diapers and wipes are just too convenient. Maybe the Hollywood celebrity types will have the nanny use cloth diapers and a washrag, but I don’t see it going much beyond that.
It’s either laugh or cry.
I hope you laughed a little?
That di-hydrogen oxide is the worst.
Many Democrats at protest rallies have signed petitions against it after hearing about how it is used in so many industrial processes that it is impossible to avoid.