Safety Guide to Children's Personal Care Products

Check the ingredients of your child's personal care products.

There are many personal care products that are geared toward children specifically and that fill up cabinets and bathroom sinks in every household. As a parent, it's easy to be sucked into believing that if a product says it's safe for children that it is in fact safe. With the lack of regulations and little oversight of cosmetic companies, you may be surprised to find out what is and is not safe for your children.

Concerns

Even when you purchase items that say “safe for children” the product may contain some chemicals and additives that have not been approved or tested for safety. According to an online survey conducted by the Environmental Working Group, on average children are exposed to 27 chemicals on a daily basis that have not been cleared for use in babies, toddlers and children. The Environmental Working Group reports that these chemicals carry the risk of hormone disruption, brain and nervous system damage, allergies and cancer. Using personal care products on children that include harmful ingredients is even more of a concern because a child’s skin is 30 percent thinner than adults, making them more susceptible to chemical absorption.

Chemicals to Avoid

Just as you pay attention to the ingredients of food items, you also need to check the list of ingredients on your child’s personal care products. The Environmental Working Group recommends parents avoid purchasing products that contain parabens, triclosan, phthalates, formaldehyde, 1,4-dioxane, coal tar, BHA, benzoyl alcohol, isopropyl alcohol, fluoride and toluene. Each of these chemicals poses neurological or reproductive concerns for children.

Choosing the Right Product

Unfortunately, just checking the ingredients list may not give you the full picture of what chemicals the core product contains. The Federal Drug Administration (FDA) does not regulate cosmetic products and manufacturers are often not even required to list all of the chemicals that go into the manufacturing of the product. Formaldehyde and 1, 4-dioxane especially are not chemicals that actually go into making the product but instead byproducts of the manufacturing process. In addition, companies that use phthalates as a fragrance additive are not required to list the ingredient on the label. With the risk of hidden ingredients in a wide range of personal care products, you may be wondering how to wade through all of the information. The Environmental Working Group (see Resources) has a list of more than 62,000 products in its database and can inform you of what ingredients your personal care products contain.

Protection at Home

You need to make sure that personal care products -- for both you and your child -- are kept out of reach and are used under parental supervision. Products such as mouthwash, toothpaste, perfumes and hand soap can be poisonous if ingested. While it may be convenient to leave personal care products out on the counter or in the bathtub, keep these items in locked medicine cabinets when not in use.

References

• Environmental Working Group: Hazardous and Untested Chemicals in Children’s Products
• WebMD: What's in Your Personal Care Products?
• The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia: Personal Care Products
• Environmental Working Group: Toxic Chemicals in Kids' Bath Products
• Environmental Working Group: Study Shows Infants Exposed to Reproductive Toxins from Shampoo, Lotion and Powder