Baby products – will they harm your baby?

You may sometimes hear claims like ‘toxic chemicals found in…[insert product name]’. Scary, right?

Not necessarily. Just because a chemical is present doesn’t mean it is harmful in the amount present.

The risk of harm always depends on two things:

• Hazard – the properties of the substance

• Exposure – how much substance, for how long, and via what route

Risk of harm = Hazard (inherent properties of substance) x Exposure (how much and how you come in contact with the substance)

For example, in 2009 a US-based activist group reported that formaldehyde and 1,4-dioxane¹ were present at very low levels in some children’s personal care products. But their self-published findings² did not consider the actual exposure of children to these trace levels or provide any evidence that these could be harmful to children under real-life exposures.

You would need to wash your baby’s hair 620 times a day, every day, to get close to a harmful level of exposure to 1,4-dioxane from baby shampoo!⁵

In another example, a 2008 study found that use of baby products, especially baby powder, lotion and shampoo, correlated with phthalates in babies’ urine.^3,4 Again, this study did not investigate any adverse effects from the levels of phthalates present. 

These are by no means the only substances you may have been instructed to avoid—many websites list substances that they say should be avoided in all baby products.

The problem is, these all treat hazard as if it was risk. It is worth saying again: Just because a chemical is present doesn’t mean it is harmful in the amount present. For more on this, see ‘Extra! Extra! Toxic chemicals found in...’

You may have heard that only organic and natural products should be used on baby skin. 

Not so! Certainly not on safety grounds—all baby products are regulated for safety in Australia, regardless of where their ingredients come from. Even if they are certified organic.⁶ Even if they contain all natural ingredients.

Just reflect on how many highly toxic natural substances you can think of. Lead, cadmium, arsenic…botulinum toxin, belladonna...so many more.

In fact, on the flip side, some experts suggest that skin care products containing food ingredients (natural!) should not be used on babies.⁷ Especially those with a high risk of a food allergy or eczema. That is, until they are safely consuming these foods in their diet. Such ingredients include cow or goats’ milk, oats, coconut, almond oil and peanut oil.

For more on natural vs synthetic ingredients, see Does ‘natural’ equal ‘safe’?

You have probably noticed that your baby's skin is super soft and delicate. It may also be more sensitive than your skin and prone to dryness.

Babies’ skin is actually very similar to adult skin but is thinner and has a slightly different structure and composition.⁸ The skin of full-term babies (born at or after 37 weeks) functions as an effective protective barrier, even as it continues to develop through the first year of life.⁹

That means your baby’s skin, even though slightly different to yours, is ready to defend your baby against irritants, toxins and infections.

Most people can use personal care products without any problems. But a small number of people of all ages—including babies—can be sensitive or allergic to certain substances, whether in food, skin care, the environment or elsewhere.  

If your baby has a reaction to a particular product, stop using it. You may wish to seek the advice of your GP or contact the product manufacturer. You may wish to seek further testing to work out which ingredient your baby is reacting to.

In Australia, the safety of ingredients in baby products is regulated by the Australian Industrial Chemicals Introduction Scheme (AICIS). The Poisons Standard also limits and sets labelling requirements for some ingredients in consumer products. 

The Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) oversees labelling requirements for baby products and has strong powers to remove unsafe products from sale. 

The ACCC's Keep baby safe webpage also has information to help new parents navigate baby product safety. The fact that this website does not mention products like bathwash and skin care for babies indicates that there are no general concerns with the products on the market—the regulatory system and responsible manufacturers are ensuring this.

It is in no one’s interest—least of all the makers of baby products—to have unsafe products on the market.

It may be stating the obvious, but manufacturers of baby products want people to buy their baby products. And be delighted with them! 

There is little as precious to a parent as their new baby. Manufacturers know this and design products with the extra sensitivity and moisture properties of your baby’s skin in mind.

Manufacturers also often choose to respond to consumer preferences, even when there is no safety issue with their products. In fact, ‘free from’ claims are becoming more and more common to meet consumer expectations. Parabens. Phthalates. SLS. For some of the potential problems this can cause, see What's chemophobia – and why does it matter?