On average, each baby eats between 4,000 and 6,000 disposable diapers during toilet training-which also means using a lot of antibacterial wipes for babies.
To help you buy the right wipes for your family, we interviewed two experts—a consultant dermatologist and a cosmetic chemist—to help us answer common questions about baby wipes.
When you need to clean up during the trip, wet wipes are very convenient. But in these coronavirus eras, can they be used to wash your hands to help protect you from getting infected or spreading the virus?
Dr. Barbara Olioso, cosmetic chemist at The Green Consultancy, said: “Baby wipes are designed for gentle cleaning. I don’t want them to have the same cleaning performance as hand sanitizers or antibacterial hand gels or the impact on coronavirus.”
Dermatology consultant Dr. Justin Hextal recommends washing your hands thoroughly with soap and water. If you are traveling and cannot use hand washing facilities, please use baby wipes-but make sure to use hand sanitizer (at least 60% alcohol) To kill the virus).
Babies’ skin is delicate and the diaper area is particularly susceptible to irritation from moisture, urine and feces.
Dr. Hextall explained: “In the past, alcohol, perfume, and preservatives (such as methyl isothiazolinone (MI)) in wipes caused serious sensitivity problems. However, there is now a clear picture of these potential allergens. Guidelines.
Despite this, Dr. Barbara Olioso, cosmetic chemist at The Green Consultancy, said: “Since the baby’s immune system is still developing, I recommend staying away from perfumes to avoid the possibility of allergies later in life, or choosing perfumes that contain fragrance. Hypoallergenic or allergen-free, specially designed for babies.
Yes. Although baby wipes look and feel like cotton, they are usually synthetic and most are not biodegradable (not to mention plastic packaging, which is often not recyclable).
A 2017 study by Water UK, which represents a major water supply and sewage treatment company, found that wet wipes accounted for approximately 93% of the materials that cause “hypertrophy” and clogged sewers, with a high proportion of baby wipes.
Dr. Olioso said: “If they end up in the ocean, they will also affect marine life. Therefore, if you flush wet wipes into the toilet instead of throwing them into the trash can, wiping the baby’s buttocks can have quite serious consequences.
Friends of the Earth activist Tony Bosworth (Tony Bosworth) told “Which?”: “Although many wet wipes now meet the standard of’can be flushed’, which means they will not cause sewer blockage, but it does not It doesn’t mean we should use them.”
“Of course, for some people, wet wipes are not a luxury, but they are really helpful in daily life. But for most people, reusable options, such as washable cotton baby wipes or good The old flannel is competent and better for our environment.”
Technically, yes. Some people feel unclean unless they use wet paper towels instead of toilet paper.
However, Dr. Hextall said: “Once a child has received toilet training, I would advocate the use of toilet paper alone, because dry paper is less sensitive to skin than wet wipes. I often see adults who use wet wipes and have obvious symptoms. Skin irritation.
If you use wet wipes for this, it is best to use wet wipes with Fine to Flush certification, such as Aldi Moist Toilet Tissue or Andrex Washlets.
Opening a small bag and letting the baby wipe clean, and then closing it safely may keep them moist, but eventually they may start to dry out slightly-or even completely. So can you add water yourself?
“If water is added to the entire package without the need for preservatives, this may increase the risk of bacterial and yeast colonization.”
To prevent the wet wipes from drying out, make sure to close the lid after use and store them away from heat sources (such as radiators or direct sunlight).
“If the wet wipes contain too much alcohol, preservatives or perfumes, which will irritate the skin, then the damaged skin barrier will begin to lose water, making it dry and susceptible to further irritation and allergies.”
If the wet wipes destroy the natural acidic skin pH value, the function of the skin barrier will be reduced, so please choose wet wipes that respect the pH value of the skin.
Look for terms such as “pH Balance”, “Pediatrician Approved” or “Dermatology/Dermatologist Approved” or endorsed by the British Skin Foundation or Skin Health Alliance.
Dr. Hextall said: “When their baby’s skin is very sore, I sometimes recommend parents to add some mild cleansers (such as Avène’s XeraCalm cleansing oil or Dermol 500) to the water in the spray bottle.”
After cleansing, apply a moisturizer or barrier cream, such as La Roche-Posay’s Cicaplast balm or Sudocrem, to protect the skin barrier from urine irritation.
If you want to clean up spills on high chairs, strollers, or dirty toys, wipes may be easy to get, but experts say that baby wipes may not provide them with the most effective cleaning.
Dr. Olioso explained: “Baby wipes are designed to gently clean the baby’s buttocks, not the surface where various microorganisms exist. Therefore, from a hygienic point of view, the best way is to clean toys with soap and water.
Dr. Hextall said that although you can use baby wipes for purposes other than cleansing your skin, “during COVID-19, if you share toys, it may be wise to use antibacterial products.”
The technical terminology on the packet can be confusing. We explain what to look for in the ingredients of your baby wipes so that you can buy the best for you and your family.
Dr. Hextall said that, ideally, baby wipes are mostly water (some people claim to have a water content of up to 99.9%).
“Water is purified, and salts such as calcium and magnesium carbonate help to remove the hardness of the water,” she said.
According to the INCI (International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients) standard, sometimes the Latin “aqua” is written on the label of baby wipes.
Some of them are surfactants (or solubilizers), including cocoside and lauryl glucoside, which reduce the surface tension between the liquid and solid components of the wipes, making them easier to slide on the skin.
Surfactants are commonly found in cleaning products, including washing powders, washing liquids, and shampoos.
However, Dr. Hextall said: “The level of surfactants that help remove unwanted dirt is extremely low-much lower than the levels in shampoos or soaps. This way they can remove unwanted oils without removing the protection. Skin lipids of the delicate skin barrier.
For example, studies have shown that glyceryl stearate at a concentration of 1% to 2% has little skin irritation. Other cleansers include PEG-40 hydrogenated castor oil, sorbitan caprylate, polysorbate 20, and disodium coconut amphoteric diacetate.
Dr. Hextall said: “In order to prevent bacterial and yeast colonization, baby wipes require preservatives. But there are clear regulations for this. For example, MI and formaldehyde-releasing preservatives are rarely found in wet wipes.
Examples of preservatives with low irritation and allergy include 0.5% sodium benzoate and 0.6% potassium sorbate.
Other preservatives you may find in wipes include sodium sulfite and octanediol, and phenoxyethanol, which help protect the gaps in the container above the wipes from microorganisms that may accumulate in condensed water.
Dr. Olioso recommends staying away from scented products as much as possible when using for babies.
She suggested that if in doubt, buy products with UK allergy certification (such as Mammy or Water Wipes) to ensure that the product has been evaluated by a third party.
Dr. Hextall said: “Baby wipes should contain moisturizers and moisturizers to help moisturize and protect the skin barrier.”
Some wipes are more moisturizing than others. “Aveeno wipes contain a variety of moisturizers, including oatmeal (Avena sativa), which seem to nourish the skin better than other brands,” said Dr. Olioso.
Other emollients in baby wipes include cetyl isononanoate and capric triglyceride, as well as the veritable BIS-PEG/PPG-16/16 PEG/PPG-16/16 polydimethylsiloxane Alkane, it is both a humectant and an emulsifier.
Dr. Hextall said: “It is important to maintain the delicate acidic pH of the baby’s skin, so the ingredients in baby wipes need to respect this.”
Acidic pH buffers can help prevent skin irritation. Studies have shown that baby wipes with sufficient pH buffering capacity can help restore the skin’s pH balance to the level it should be when cleaned.
Post time: Nov-14-2021