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Safe Or Not - Desitin
Jennifer Taggart
Friday, November 07, 2008
We hear lots of talk about avoiding certain ingredients in personal care products. Hormone disrupting phthalates, cancer causing 1,4-dioxane as a result of ethoxylation, formaldehyde releasing Quat-15. But figuring out which products are okay when shopping is difficult and frustrating. Then you add in the misleading nature of beauty product labels and, well, most of us just give up and buy what we have always bought.
Yes, it would be great if we could do research online before shopping, and then go to the store armed with a list of exactly what we want to buy. But who the heck is that organized? I’m not. I usually stop by a store in between something else – squeezing an errand during my lunch or on the way to daycare if I perchance happen to be early and not that late mom. It’s also hard to translate the list of ingredients to avoid into actual products. Most of us shut down during chemistry class.
A nursery staple is diaper cream. Whether you go disposable or reusable cloth, you’ll use diaper cream. My mom bought me Desitin when I had my son. Despite her ringing endorsement that she used it on my tushie, I wasn’t so sure about whether it was what I really wanted to use.
When you are slathering on diaper cream, keep in mind that an infant’s skin is thinner than an adult’s skin, so chemicals can more easily penetrate. Also, an infant has 2 and ½ times the skin surface area as an adult when compared to his internal mass, which basically means an infant gets a greater exposure to toxic chemicals in body care products on a body weight basis than an adult.
So, what is in Desitin – Original Formula? The ingredients in Desitin are: Zinc oxide 40%, BHA, Cod Liver Oil, Fragrance, Lanolin, Methylparaben, Petrolatum, Talc.
So what do you think, safe or not? Let’s just talk about a couple of the ingredients.
(1) BHA. BHA is associated with cancer and hormone disruption in laboratory animals. .It has been banned from cosmetics in the EU because of skin dipigmentation.
(2) Fragrance. Synthetic fragrance contains phthalates, hormone disrupting chemicals. A study published in Pediatrics showed the presence of phthalate metabolites in the urine of infants and that exposure is widespread, 81% of the infants tested have 7 phthalates above detection limits.
(3) Methylparaben. Methylparaben is one of the parabens, the most widely used preservatives in cosmetics. Parabens are hormone disruptors. And, although they have been found in breast cancer tumors, no direct link has been established between parabens and breast cancer development. A small percentage of the population is also allergic to parabens, resulting in contact dermatitis reactions.
The Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep cosmetic safety database gives Desitin – Original Formula a score of 5.
Another popular choice is Desitin Creamy. Desitin Creamy has a different formulation. Its ingredients are: Zinc Oxide 10%, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Cyclomethicone, Dimethicone, Fragrance, Methylparaben, Microcrystalline Wax, Sodium Borate, Sorbitan Sesquioleate, Vitamin E, White Petrolatum, White Wax.
So what about Desitin Creamy?
(1) Fragrance. As mentioned previously, synthetic fragrance contains phthalates, hormone disrupting chemicals.
(2) Methylparaben. One of the problematic parabens as discussed above.
(3) Sodium borate. The cosmetics industry’s own safety panel states that sodium borate “should not be used on infant skin or injured skin.” (CIR, p. 228).
EWG’s Skin Deep score: 5
So what can you do? Look for diaper creams free of synthetic fragrance, BHA, parabens and sodium borate. Personally, I used Earth Mama Angel Baby’s Baby Bottom Balm on my children, but a number of options exist.
An original post from Jennifer Taggart, The Smart Mama. You can read more from Jennifer at her personal blog on simple solutions for non-toxic homes at TheSmartMama.
Posted by Mindful Momma on 11/08 at 11:35 AM
We need to get doctors to buy in to this message too. So many parents (myself included with my first child) listen to their doctor’s recommendation - which is usually Desitin.
Posted by Jessica on 11/10 at 12:14 PM
What a great post! I have found the need for a diaper cream has greatly diminished after using products which also do not contain any of the ingredients you are talking about. What is even more scary is the way some of those ingredients mimic estrogen in the bodies of our little ones. We should all make sure we are using products that are on the Compact for Safe Cosmetics list. I know I am!
Posted by Jennifer Taggart, The Smart Mama on 11/11 at 12:26 AM
Kirstin - I am always torn whether to say something or not. I usually compromise by starting a conversation along the lines of “Have you tried Earth Mama Angel Baby’s products? I loved the diaper cream. It is free of phthalates and parabens . . ” and see if I can get a bite.
Mindful Momma - I have no idea how to convince doctors. I read somewhere that doctors get no more than 1 hour of environmental health medicine. They need more!
Jessica - Thanks for the comment!
Posted by Rose on 11/11 at 11:03 PM
This post makes me really glad I researched an alternative to Desitin when I was pregnant with my second. I switched to Boudreaux’s Butt Paste because it was only a 2 in the skin deep report, available in mainstream stores and had good customer reviews. If you are ever looking for a mainstream alternative to suggest to people I like it. (Luckily we’ve only needed it a few times.)
Posted by Heather - SF Mama on 02/03 at 02:45 AM
This is a great article, but what about other types of popular baby creams, lotions and potions? Such as A&D ointment? I’d love to see a wrap up of all these types of products covered here! Thanks again!!
Posted by Britney on 04/30 at 01:25 PM
As a baby my mom used Desitin and for some reason my rashes never went away. Then one day i was wiggling quite a bit and she put her hand on my belly to steady me. When she took her hand a way I had a perfect rash of her thumb print on my stomach, turns out I was allergic to some ingredient in Desitin. I will be having kids soon and it is nice to know an alternative.
Posted by Christina on 08/11 at 03:41 PM
Ohh so glad you wrote on this. I think I will toss mine away…and stick to the Butt Paste and other natural ones I have.
Posted by Cheri Couture on 10/31 at 01:36 PM
Well I just learned that desitin is not a good choice when it comes to diaper rash. But Christina please DO NOT use Butt Paste it contains a chemical call thimerosal which is 49.6 percent mercury. The FDA allows thirmersol in most skin products as a preservative so please do not use Butt Paste. So the two most recommended ointments are now finding to be harmful. What is a healthy option for parents to use?
Posted by Kirstin on 11/07 at 07:33 PM
I was just at Babies R Us today and saw a woman in line with Desitin. It’s such a tricky thing for me - do I say something or not? It’s all about timing. The problem is that these “less safe” products are the only ones available at mainstream stores where most people shop and many people just don’t know the dangers. Put then all together and millions of children are exposed to these harmful chemicals for a long time.