Hi Sandra, my young baby is suffering from nappy rash. I want to use something gentle and preferably natural to support healing. There is so much on the market that the choice is confusing - what should I be looking for in a nappy-rash product? Thanks, Janine.
Hi Janine, thanks for your question. A baby's skin is five times thinner than that of an adult and is exceptionally sensitive. As such, it's important to be selecting products for our babies that are as gentle and natural as possible. When the skin is irritated like with nappy rash, it's even more important to be using products that can calm and repair the skin's natural barrier.
The most important consideration is that our baby products are free from unnecessary ingredients. Historically it was thought that cosmetic ingredients applied to the skin rarely get into the body, and when they do, the amounts are too low to matter. However, we now know that the skin is a sponge, absorbing everything we apply to it. Studies are finding health problems in people exposed to common fragrance and sunscreen ingredients, including increased risk of sperm damage in men and low birth weight in girls where there mothers were exposed to synthetic substances found in skin care. Ingredients in personal care products are less regulated then medicines so consumers need to educate themselves rather than rely on industry regulation to ensure safety.
Choose products that clearly state that they are free from artificial colours or fragrances, detergents, GE-modified plant materials or extracts, mineral oils, parabens, propylene glycol, sulphates or synthetic fillers. If there are confusing scientific names on the label, use the Environmental Working Group's Skin Deep database to look them up. Each ingredient is given a hazard rating with the associated evidence to help you make an informed decision. Staff in health stores are often willing to do this for you or have knowledge of the ingredients themselves.
The best baby products use plant oils and plant extracts that are naturally protective, allowing the skin to breathe and regenerate unlike mineral oil derivatives such as petroleum or paraffin in conventional barrier creams. These tend to form an occlusive film over the sensitive baby skin and interfere with its normal functioning.