Are We Bringing Up Baby In a Haze of
Carcinogens?
According to the Organic Consumers
Association and the Cancer Prevention Coalition, we may be doing just that, and
the reasons may surprise you. The hazards these organizations recently highlighted
aren’t listed on product labels, and you won’t find them in ingredients
listings because they’re not supposed to be there. Instead, they’re sneaking
into baby products on the backs of legitimate ingredients or being created when
those ingredients break down.
Babies are the spitting image of purity itself, and
mothers and fathers everywhere rightfully take great pains to choose only the
very gentlest and safest products for their care. But hidden inside many of the
baby products we take for granted are some unsavory chemical characters that
aren’t supposed to be there.
The “hidden” nature of these compounds means that even the
most well-intentioned parent would never know they were there. In the same way
any pollutants in water used to make a bottled beverage would never be listed
on a product label, consumer products simply don’t list the possible
contaminants they contain or the substances that are created when their
chemicals decompose into other compounds in the environment or, worse, on baby’s
skin.
That’s the word from the Organic Consumers Association and
the Cancer Prevention Coalition, which recently offered a revealing overview of
some of the common baby product dangers few moms and dads know are lurking in
the products they trust.
[b:37900d0aff]Here’s a look at
some of the ingredients concerned parents should avoid:[/b:37900d0aff]
• Wetting agents and detergents, particularly those
chemicals called PEGs, laureths,
and ceteareths, are frequently if not always
contaminated with the carcinogens ethylene oxide and dioxane
(which is not to be confused with dioxin, a much different compound). These
cancer-causing substances could be largely removed during manufacturing but
only a few manufacturers take the necessary steps to assure the non-toxic
production of these otherwise generally safe ingredients.
• Lanolin, a natural ingredient obtained from sheep’s wool
is frequently contaminated with DDT-like pesticides.
• The detergent diethanolamine,
or DEA, can interact with nitrite, a common preservative, to become a precursor
of the potent carcinogen nitrosamine.
• Preservative compounds known as Quaterniums
and diazolidinyl urea break down in products
containing them and on skin, and release carcinogenic formaldehyde.
• Frequent inhalation of the mineral talc, which is found
in talcum and other powders, can lead to a condition of chronic lung irritation
called talcosis. Talc is also a suspected cause of
lung cancer, and is contaminated with asbestos, a potent cancer causing
material.
[b:37900d0aff]Other ingredients
to be on the lookout for include:[/b:37900d0aff]
• Paraben preservatives
(methyl-, propyl-, and the compound known as parahydroxybenzoate), which have been shown to mimic
hormones and disrupt the endocrine system. Abnormal hormonal effects have been
observed following their application to the skin of infant rodents. Parabens have also been found to have accumulated in the
breast tissue of women with breast cancer, a finding whose exact meaning is
currently unclear.
• Synthetic fragrances. These are almost always made with
solvents and other similar hazardous compounds. Many can also cause allergic
dermatitis.
Parents are cautioned to avoid products containing these
ingredients. In general, when it comes to baby care products, less is more.
Make the decision to use as few products as possible on your child’s hair and
skin. Aside from a little gentle natural soap, they don’t need much in the way
of toiletries! For those categories of products you do choose to purchase, select
products with a minimum of ingredients and buy those that use only
naturally-based ingredients. Be aware, however, that some natural ingredients,
like lanolin and talc, can cause problems, too. So make sure to inspect natural
products with a critical eye as well.
For more information about the hazards in personal care
products, visit preventcancer.com/consumers/.