Bathed in Toxins: Baby Shampoos Aren't as Mild as They Claim

I used to be like any other mom when I strolled down the baby care aisle. I simply plucked whatever baby shampoo was on sale off the shelf and made my way to the checkout stand. Baby shampoo was never a big issue for me until I heard a rumor that many of the more popular brands of baby shampoo contained chemicals that numb and paralyze the tear ducts.

Tear-free shampoos aren't really tear-free
Most baby shampoos contain sodium lauryl sulfate; a chemical responsible for the suds produced by most soaps. This chemical, however, stings badly if it comes into contact with the eyes. Many believe that baby shampoo manufacturers have turned to other chemical additives to help neutralize this stinging. Tear-free shampoos aren't really tear-free, rather, they contain other chemicals that work by numbing or paralyzing the tear ducts, reducing the reaction the eyes have to the sodium lauryl sulfate.

The evidence behind this claim varies, but tear-free shampoos are being criticized more harshly for containing these chemicals that numb or anesthetize the tear ducts, therefore, making it "tear-free." If the tear ducts are temporarily paralyzed, they can't produce and excrete tears as they would normally.

Numbing agents are not easily recognized on the label
Reading a list of ingredients off of a baby shampoo bottle can feel as if you're trying to read something written in Greek. Of course, baby shampoo companies aren't going to list an ingredient in a recognizable form like, "anesthetic," "numbing agent" or "tear duct paralyzer." Ingredients aren't easy to interpret to those who don't recognize them. Ingredients that contain the prefix "PEG" followed by a number are often responsible for the anesthetic effect of baby shampoos on the tear ducts. What's even worse, is that scientists are still unsure exactly what kind of impact PEG's have on human health.

Some are doubtful
It's difficult to say whether or not tear-free baby shampoos work by numbing the tear ducts or not, as different sources make different claims. One blogger, although after reviewing a list of ingredients in tear-free baby shampoo, doesn't believe the claims. She does however, point out that the United States does not regulate labels such as "tear-free" meaning, any company could produce a mild soap and label it as tear-free.

Baby shampoos still contain many concerning chemicals and additives
Even if the claims of anesthetizing and numbing agents in baby shampoos were found to be incorrect, baby shampoos still contain a large number of concerning chemicals, even in products labeled as "natural." Chemicals such as phthalates, have been shown to have toxic effects on humans, yet they are continually used in the production of products such as shampoo, lotion and soap. Phthalates can even be found in carpeting.

Check your child's soaps
Parent's should check their child's shampoos and lotions (as well as their own) against the Cosmetic Database; a resource that evaluates exactly how toxic a cosmetic is. The database lists products using a ranking system of 0-10, with products ranked as 0 being the least toxic and product ranked as 10 being the most toxic.

Some of the most common and popular baby shampoos are among the most toxic. Johnson's baby shampoo is ranked as a 4 with a high risk of allergies and immunotoxicity, Baby Magic baby shampoo is ranked as a 6 with high risk of developmental and reproductive toxicity. Mustela foam baby shampoo ranked as a 5 with high risk of allergies and immunotoxicity. Huggies lavender and chamomile baby wash ranked as a 5 with high risk of allergies and immunotoxicity. Even more popular brands, like Yes to Baby Carrots baby shampoo ranked at a 5 with high risk of developmental and reproductive toxicity. Other popular brands such as Earth's Best, Method and Boudreaux's all ranked poorly as well.

Reading reports on baby shampoos, like the ones listed above, make me so glad I switched to a toxin-free baby shampoo by Earth Mama Angel Baby. It may not be the cheapest or most inexpensive baby shampoo on the market, but I can pronounce and understand the ingredient list, and it is one of the few baby shampoos listed as a 0 on the Cosmetic Database.

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