TOXIN FREE SKIN CARE FOR BABY

The advancement of science and technology has lead to discovery of many chemical compounds that serve from killing weeds to saving a terminally ill patient. But in this era we human beings are exposed to a plethora of chemicals at various occasions in our day to day life, we can call them xenobiotics especially if they are from outside and have capability to exert an action in our body system. An average human being will never hold a list of such compounds or their hazards handy in their pocket. All such chemicals matters to us when we take up a special responsibility, i.e., the responsibility to nurture a precious life ensuring its health and safety.

Than adults the little ones need to be taken care from the exposure of toxins. There are countless ways they can be exposed even during their intrauterine life. The air and water pollution, household chemicals, the chemicals in daily care products, toys and other products witch which they come in intimate contact with like diapers and clothing act as potential sources of exposure.

The reason why we need to protect the tender life from such chemicals is that, many of such chemicals can cross the placental barrier in the intrauterine stage when the cells of the baby are in the state of continuous division and differentiation. Here they can create havoc in their healthy development causing a range of abnormalities that might be genetic, structural or physiological.

Neonates, infants and toddlers are in such a stage of their life that they do have an instinct to move away from hazards and due to their inquisitive nature, they wish to explore everything that they come across which include nibbling on a tube of cosmetic that was handy. They have relatively larger body surface area and the absorbed chemicals do not get eliminated from the body in the same pathways as that of an adult. At different point of their growth the toxicokinetics, i.e, the pathways through which these chemicals are processed in the body and finally neutralized, tend to vary. The half life of chemicals tends to be more in them. Thus they are at potential risk of conditions including various types of cancers if the concentration of hazardous chemicals builds up in their body.

It will be impractical for a normal human to monitor the air pollution index before taking the baby to a park, or to evaluate the mineral and chemical content of the water every time before serving it to the baby. Yes we can certainly keep the household chemicals away from their reach and also be more judicious in choosing their daily care products.

A perfectly groomed baby is surely a visual treat at an occasion. A couple of decades before the number of offspring per couple were more and mostly the elder ones took care of the younger. It was not a rare sight to see all of them wrapped in mud or soot or crawling in the yards soiled from head to toe. Now the scenario is different, as parents we are more hygiene conscious and like our children to look their best, at home and in occasions. In fact they also step out in photo perfect looks. For this we select a range of products for their daily care from soaps, powders, massage oils, moisturizers, diaper creams, wipes and what not. Studying the market demand, different brands have launched countless products in the market with promises, novel ingredients and attractive packaging. Bewildered by the existing types and choices of the same parents have one main query buzzing in their minds, what to use?

The guidelines for manufacture of safe baby care products in India are laid down by the Drug and Cosmetic Act and on a global level by the FDA i.e., the Food and Drug Administration. Over the years many chemical compounds used in the products to have been identified to cause potential health hazards to babies. Thus in the past few decades many such chemicals have also been banned in their products making it even more difficult and costly to manufacture the safest product. The chemicals are added in various products to serve as preservatives, stabilizers, emulsifying agents, lubricant, binders and many more.

Make label reading mandatory before purchase. It is the best way to ensure that the products are free of harmful chemicals. It is mandatory to enlist the entire components in the product on the product label by rule. Some of the hazardous chemicals are enlisted in the table below for quick reference.

There are also certain things that we can put to practice other than judicious selection. They are:

• Use reusable diapers and diapers from natural fabrics. Avoid cleaning them with harsh detergents and bleach.
• Avoiding scented wipes, diapers and other products.
• Understanding that not all essential oils are indicated for the baby. Eucalyptus, menthol and tea tree oil are some that should not be entertained too much in kids.
• Avoid powder usage as they also cause issues from inhalation of fine dust.
• Select natural oils like virgin coconut oil or proven traditional herbal oils for moisturizing.
• Diaper creams with zinc oxide are a good choice.
• Don’t fall for advertisements, market claims, attractive colors or labels.
• Citric acid, Salt, sugar, oil, lemon, cloves, herbs, rosemary extract are some natural preservatives.
• Liquid soap free cleansing agents, mild, without fragrance is the best choice.
• Try to use lead free kajals.
• Avoid direct sunlight for infants’ up to 6 months. Protective clothing and shade are the best sunscreens.
• Properly educate oneself regarding the correct mode of administration and purpose of every products used.