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Published by BelovedLittleOne at December 28, 2018

Are Baby Wipes Safe? How to Avoid Allergies and Rashes

All moms quickly get confronted with keeping their beloved baby’s bum clean and also free of rashes and allergic reactions. Wet wipes or baby wipes are the usual way to go. They were for me too, but within the first week after my son’s birth, he had his first diaper rash.

Are baby wipes safe? Can allergies and rashes be completely avoided? Yes, baby wipes are safe to use for allergies if they contain no known allergens and only a minimum of additives like water, natural oils and fruit extracts. But no baby wipe will prevent rashes unless some basic rules are followed.

Putting my son at risk of developing allergies and having to deal with diaper rashes regularly were an absolute no-go for me. Both result in an unhappy, cranky, whiny and clingy baby, which in turn can quickly result in an unhappy mom. Also, visits to doctors and drug stores are not my favorite fun activities. I needed a solution that was safe and worked. I found it and would like to share it with you in this article.

What Causes Allergic Reactions and Rashes?

At a first glance, an allergic reaction and a rash look almost identical. The skin is red, can have dry patches, is itchy and extremely sensitive, or may even develop cracks or little pustules. But the causes are quite different, and so is the treatment.

It is best to see your pediatrician to find out the cause of baby’s discomfort.

The cause of an allergic reaction is basically an overreaction of the immune system. The main job of the immune system is to defend our body from invading harmful bacteria or viruses. When it starts to view other—usually harmless—substances as harmful, an allergic reaction occurs.

Often it is enough to eliminate the contact with the substance that your beloved baby is allergic to. Clearly identifying all the sensitizing substances is important for future avoidance and should best be done by a dermatologist. It is then necessary to check every single product you are using in order to totally avoid further contact with the substance.

But avoiding allergenic substances in wipes is not enough to prevent rashes. A rash can still be caused by a skin-irritating additive in the wipe (which may not be listed as allergenic and may also be present in wipes for hypersensitive skin).

Another common cause for rashes is simply wiping the bottom. Baby skin is very sensitive, and intense rubbing or cleaning may irritate the perianal area.

But the most overlooked cause of all is the one that can be eliminated the most easily: wrapping the clean but still wet or damp bottom into a non-breathable diaper. Any warm, damp place without access to fresh air is bound to be a great breeding ground for molds, infections and bacteria.

An article published in Pediatrics in 2014 put baby wipes into the spotlight. It stated that six children aged 3, 4, 6 and 8 were diagnosed with allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) to the chemical methylisothiazolinone (MI) in wet wipes. The children showed symptoms for between 1 and 11 months. All the children had had treatment before the diagnosis with ACD, but it didn’t work.

What few people know is that MI and methylchloroisothiazolinone (MCI) were introduced to the market as early as 1970. Although extensive studies on its sensitizing potential were performed at the time and the risk was rated as extremely small when used below concentrations of 15 ppm (parts per million, equals mg/L, milligrams per liter). Only a decade later, in Denmark alone, over 50.000 people were diagnosed with allergies caused by MCI. In 2013, the American Contact Dermatitis Society (ACDS) named MI “Contact Allergen of the Year.”

As the above-mentioned article caused quite a stir, baby wipe producers acted promptly and often changed the ingredients. New brands and allergen-free wipes were also introduced to the market. But still the trouble remains that wipes labeled as allergen-free or hypersensitive often contain a long list of compounds (which are tested and rated, just like MI and MCI were) for which long-term effects regarding allergic reactions are yet unknown.

The list below gives you an overview of already listed and known additives that could cause allergies and should therefore be avoided in all types of products.

common preservatives
- (e.g., formaldehyde, benzalkonium chloride, benzophenone, methyldibromoglutaronitrile)
certain fragrances
- (e.g., balsam of Peru, cinnamic aldehyde, copaiba balsam, tolu balsam and propolis)
parabens or related esters
- (e.g., benzocaine, PPD (p-Phenylenediamine))
lanolin
topical antibiotics
- (e.g., neomycin and bacitracin)
MCI or MI (methylchloroisothiazolinone, methylisothiazolinone)
nickel or cobalt
gluten
- (or other wheat-related ingredients, including barley, rye and oats)
soy
propylene glycol
- also PEG (polyethylene glycol) and PPG (polypropylene glycol)

What Are All the Different Substances in Baby Wipes Good For?

A lot of baby wipes contain a long list with more than a dozen different additives. But what are all these substances actually needed for? Let’s take a closer look at some of the ones that are known to cause allergies, but the principles apply to the non-allergenic additives as well.

First and foremost, you need preservatives to keep the wipes from rotting, as anything that is humid will eventually get moldy and rot or turn into a perfect breeding ground for bacteria. By adding preservatives, this natural process is stopped or delayed.

You can check the best before date: the longer the expiry date is from the production date, the stronger or more concentrated the used preservative is. Examples of allergenic preservatives are formaldehyde, benzalkonium chloride, MCI and MI, and some parabens. They are commonly used as industrial disinfectants or antimicrobial agents.

Now that we know that the smell of baby wipes might just remind us of an antiseptic wipe or a medical lab, it is almost natural to add nice-smelling fragrances. Although benzyl cinnamate is occurring naturally in balsam of Peru, the International Fragrance Association (IFRA) now restricts the use of benzyl cinnamate in fragrances because of potential sensitization.

Since some of the common preservatives also cause skin irritation and damage the first protective layers of the skin, it makes sense to throw in some disinfectants—preferably some that don’t sting, since we don’t want our precious babies’ bums to hurt. Having said that, why not add a local anesthetic like benzocaine (also known as Orajel) as well ?

Also, we want to prevent or treat skin infections caused by bacteria, so current antibiotics such as neomycin or bacitracin are the most effective way to do that.

I have to admit, I was surprised to find lanolin on the list of potential allergens. I only knew the substance as the highly praised, recommended and safe-to-use wool wax. I was using it myself to treat nipple soreness when I started breastfeeding. There is this phenomenon called “the lanolin paradox.” It states, that very few people have an allergic reaction to it, while at the same time it is used to treat skin conditions, including eczema and open wounds. I guess the industry has good intentions and adds lanolin to treat our beloved babies’ sore bums (caused by the wiping itself and some of the goodies in the wipes).

Finally, let’s be honest: There is nothing more annoying than a wet wipe that is dried up. The solution to that is to add substances like propylene glycol—a synthetic liquid which absorbs water—and voila: The wipes stay wet.

Now that we know why most of the additives are in a wipe in the first place, the next question arises.

Which Baby Wipes Are Allergen Free and Safe to Use?

Finding the right baby wipe can be quite overwhelming. If you go to Amazon and search for baby wipes, you will find over 10,000 results and 15 different brands. Do the same on Walmart and you’ll get 690 products and 20 different brands. You can choose different categories such as alcohol free, chlorine free, eco-friendly, hypo-allergenic, natural, sensitive, unscented, scented and organic.

So, this list here may help you find a known-allergen-free way through the baby wipe jungle:

Brand	Product	Notes	Approx. cost/wipe
Huggies	Natural Care Unscented Baby Wipes	648 wipes	$ 0,03
Water Wipes	Baby Wipes	720 wipes	$ 0,06
Pampers	Complete Clean Scented	(not fragrance free) 504 wipes	$ 0,03
Seventh Generation	Free and Clear	384 wipes	$ 0,08
Parent’s Choice	Fragrance Free Baby Wipes	500 wipes	$ 0,02
Bounty	Select-A-Size Paper Towels – 6 Double Rolls	660 towels	$ 0,015

Please note that I am not advertising any of the above-mentioned brands or products, I am not getting paid in any form for this article and I am not receiving affiliate commissions. This is just a selection of the most common wipes on the market. I personally have not used any of these—more information on that in the next paragraph. Please also note that I put paper towels (kitchen rolls) on the list.

Will Allergen-Free Baby Wipes Prevent Diaper Rash?

No, unfortunately, they will not.

Diaper rashes usually start with an irritation of the skin. Untreated and with no change in the causing condition, it can very quickly develop further into a bacterial or yeast infection.

The first stage of the rash, the irritation of the skin, can be caused by aggressive feces, thoroughly wiping the bottom, some additives in the wipe or simply by quickly wrapping the clean but still damp bottom into a new diaper.

My son has very sensitive skin and after having to deal with the first diaper rashes, I searched intensely for an always-rash-free-solution. Since then we have managed to get through the first two years of my son’s life with only three (yes, no kidding!!) very minor rashes that were easily treated with a mild, self made skin-healing cream and usually disappeared after applying the cream overnight.

But what about those times when the “big business” resembles an explosion that sometimes cannot even be contained by the diaper? My honest advice in such a case is: Don’t even bother with any kind of wipe. Just try to find a changing room that has a sink or if you’re at home, use the bathtub, shower, sink or hose in the backyard and give the “culprit” a thorough wash. Dry the little one, put on a fresh diaper and fresh clothes and add the incident to your “been there, done that, got the T-shirt” list.

For all other occasions: Use wipes.

Water Wipes vs. Wet Washcloths vs. Paper Towels (Kitchen Rolls)

Now that you are aware of the fact that the fewer additives the wipe has, the safer it is to use, let’s compare three different types of “just water” wipes.

Water Wipes are perfect. They usually contain 99% water and either natural oils or fragrances. But honestly, they are on the expensive side of the scale. Also, wet wipes don’t solve the big problem of quickly getting the bum completely dry again before wrapping it into the new diaper.

Therefore, some parents prefer the warm wet washcloth version. You can always keep a dry corner on the cloth to use it for drying the bum after cleaning. Also, it is definitely cheaper and very environmentally friendly, for you just throw the used cloth in with your normal washing. But the big downside of the washcloth is that the surface is rather rough, especially if you must wipe the same area a few times. Skin irritations often follow the use of a washcloth.

This leads me to normal paper towels. They are very durable and, folded in half, have the perfect size and thickness. If you carry a water bottle (for drinking), you always have the wet version with you as well as the dry one. They are the cheapest compared to all the other wipes on the market. They are also surprisingly soft once they are wet.

Our usual procedure that kept us almost completely rash-free throughout the whole 16 months of daytime-diapering (more information on how to achieve that here: BelovedLittleOne ToiletTraining Course) was this: We would wet a paper towel with water, squeeze it, clean the bottom, and if necessary, use a dry one to dab the bum completely dry.

You can best check whether your little one’s behind is not damp anymore with a sensitive part of your hand (back of your hand or your wrist) and then put on a new cloth diaper—or let him/her go diaper free. You don’t have to use cloth diapers, we just found that we preferred them to (even organic) disposable ones.

Whatever you decide to use, try it on yourself first. Not just once or twice. Try the whole pack or try it at least for a week. Choose a method and a product that you are comfortable with and that works for your little family (yes, it need to work for all members). Don’t get discouraged—have a happy family time!

You may also be interested in:

Is It Safe to Clean Babies’ Hands, Faces and Toys with Baby Wipes?

In principle, yes. But keep in mind that hands and toys often end up in your baby’s mouth. A chemical additive may have a different reaction when applied outwardly on the skin compared to being taken orally. Therefore, choose your product very carefully and make sure it’s completely allergen free and contains as few extra chemicals as possible. Avoid letting your baby suck on the wipes.

Can You Take Baby Wipes in Your Hand Luggage Onto a Plane?

Baby wipes are not considered liquid by the Transport Security Administration (TSA) and are therefore allowed both in carry-on and checked-in bags. But the official website of the Department of Homeland Security also states that the final decision on whether an item is allowed through the checkpoint rests with the TSA officer.

Fact Box!

The Research Institute for Fragrance Materials Expert Panel (REXPAN) evaluated benzyl cinnamate , which resulted in the establishment of the International Fragrance Association (IFRA), in 1973. The IFRA standard now restricts the use of benzyl cinnamate in fragrances because of potential sensitization. Imagine, a whole association founded because of a report.

In May 2018, the American Dental Association (ADA) published an article stating that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warned consumers against administering benzocaine, also known as Orajel, to children under the age of two. Orajel is used as a topical pain reliever in cough drops or in products to treat teething pain and sore gums in infants. The FDA stated that Orajel carries serious risks and can cause the life-threatening condition of methemoglobinemia . Methemoglobinemia is a blood disorder in which an abnormal amount of methemoglobin is produced, which doesn’t release oxygen to the tissue (cells).

Every year, the American Contact Dermatitis Society (ACDS) names a “Contact Allergen of the Year.” In 2013 it was methylisothiazolinone (MI), in 2014, benzophenones, in 2015, formaldehyde, in 2016, cobalt, in 2017 alkyl glucoside and 2018 propylene glycol.