February 7, 2008 | Health, Shopping, Lifestyle
A new study was released that links the use of baby lotions, powders, and shampoos to reproductive disorder and endocrine disruption. The culprit? Phthalates. It’s a category of chemical that is used to stabilize artificial fragrances and does not need to be disclosed on the labeled ingredients of personal care products. It’s in most things with artificial fragrance, and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) is now advising against it.
In the study conducted, phthalate levels were highest, and most disturbing, in infants 8 months and younger. Their immature immune systems and rapid organ development make phthalates a major concern. According to the AAP, parents of infants as well as young children should limit their use of lotions and powders in general, and scale back on baby shampoo. But that’s not the only place your baby is likely to be exposed. Anything that contains artificial fragrance is likely to use phthalates - baby wipes, diaper creams, toothpastes, baby washes, laundry products, etc. When shopping for these products, look for the fragrance-free versions, as they’re less likely to contain phthalates.
If you’re concerned about phthalates (and really, we all should be), Baby Center has a great article here that talks about the dangers, how to avoid them, and gives a basic summary complete with further resources and links. There are some companies that have phased out phthalates. Personal care products that don’t use phthalates are:
- Arbonne
- Bath Junkie
- Tom’s of Maine
- Earth Mama Angel Baby
- Lush (though they don’t have products specifically for babies)
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Allie’s Answers » Blog Archive » What’s Going On says:
[…] Academy of Pediatrics confirms that phthalates are bad […]
February 8th, 2008 at 11:34 amJeana says:
Some of the Burt’s Bee’s products are also marked Phthalate Free on the bottle! Not all of their products say this though. Not sure if that means that they contain them or not.
February 9th, 2008 at 9:25 pmAJ in AZ says:
Not just for babies; we all need to avoid this stuff before manufacturers will stop using them. I’m glad to know about the Burt’s Bees; I already look for the unscented versions of just about everything commercial that I buy, but the list you posted on Broomhuggers is appallingly short! I am glad to have discovered you. Sometimes I get depressed and start to think that nobody cares about this stuff but me. NOT, thank goodness.
AJ in AZ
February 10th, 2008 at 10:35 amJill K says:
Phthalates are should be avoided by everyone! Fortunately, I found Arbonne has incredible products for baby, mommy, and daddy. These products are a must for every home!
March 12th, 2008 at 8:42 pmDouble Dead Frog Blog » Poisonous Smells, Yummy Smells, Frankenstein and the Tower of Babel says:
[…] Mudlark says, In the study conducted, phthalate levels were highest, and most disturbing, in infants 8 months and younger. Their immature immune systems and rapid organ development make phthalates a major concern. According to the AAP, parents of infants as well as young children should limit their use of lotions and powders in general, and scale back on baby shampoo. But that’s not the only place your baby is likely to be exposed. Anything that contains artificial fragrance is likely to use phthalates - baby wipes, diaper creams, toothpastes, baby washes, laundry products, etc. When shopping for these products, look for the fragrance-free versions, as they’re less likely to contain phthalates. […]
March 20th, 2008 at 7:48 am