Baby Wipes Warning in France

chibride4

FYI, French press recently issued a warning urging parents to stop using any wipes containing scents or, specifically, phenoxyethanol the ingredient that enables wipes to disintegrate on babies/children under 3. The risk being that the ingredient is carcinogenic and can harm future reproductive capacity in children of both sexes. 

Before you run out to register for/buy cloth wipes, there are plenty of safe brands on the market i.e., Pampers Sensitive, Seventh Generation. Check the labels carefully!

AliciaS1411

I use cloth wipes but I'm curious where you got this news from?

I'm fluent in french and I watch the french news (TF1) every day, and there was a story about it on there last night about a new study that could POSSIBLY link the ingredients in wipes to reproductive infections (not necessarily harm reproductive abilities). But it wasn't urging parents to stop using them at all. It just explained to make sure that the baby's bottom has time to dry before a diaper is put on to decrease the risk of infection and went on to say that the study didn't do any research to determine the effects of LONG term wipe use. It was a study done on the short term. 

The news specifically said that there is "NO cause for concern" and that there was just "a question of how much the skin absorbs the phenoxyethanol"

 

It also went on to say that the people involved in this study are asking for funding for a long term study to determine whether or not they should ban the use of phenoxyethanol in wipes and in cosmetics. 

It sounds like where ever you heard this was either TERRIBLY translated or way exaggerated.  

 

For reference: https://lci.tf1.fr/science/sante/prudence-sur-certaines-lingettes-pour-bebes-7667418.html?xtmc=bebe&xtcr=1 

 

ETA- It also stated that phenoxyethanol only makes up .04% of the wipe solution. 

chibride4

AliciaS1411:

I use cloth wipes but I'm curious where you got this news from? I'm fluent in french and I watch the french news TF1 every day, and there was a story about it on there last night about a new study that could POSSIBLY link the ingredients in wipes to reproductive infections not necessarily harm reproductive abilities. But it wasn't urging parents to stop using them at all. It just explained to make sure that the baby's bottom has time to dry before a diaper is put on to decrease the risk of infection and went on to say that the study didn't do any research to determine the effects of LONG term wipe use. It was a study done on the short term.nbsp;The news specifically said that there is "NO cause for concern" and that there was just "a question of how much the skin absorbs the phenoxyethanol"nbsp;It also went on to say that the people involved in this study are asking for funding for a long term study to determine whether or not they should ban the use ofnbsp;phenoxyethanol in wipes and in cosmetics.nbsp;It sounds like where ever you heard this was either TERRIBLY translated or way exaggerated. nbsp;nbsp;For reference: https://lci.tf1.fr/science/sante/prudencesurcertaineslingettespourbebes7667418.html?xtmc=bebeamp;xtcr=1nbsp;nbsp;ETA It also stated thatnbsp;phenoxyethanol only makes up .04 of the wipe solution.nbsp;

I'm so relieved to hear this! My source, if you will, is a French woman in my neighborhood mom's group. Sounds like she jumped the gun a bit and scared the rest of us to death :

AliciaS1411

chibride4:

AliciaS1411:

I use cloth wipes but I'm curious where you got this news from? I'm fluent in french and I watch the french news TF1 every day, and there was a story about it on there last night about a new study that could POSSIBLY link the ingredients in wipes to reproductive infections not necessarily harm reproductive abilities. But it wasn't urging parents to stop using them at all. It just explained to make sure that the baby's bottom has time to dry before a diaper is put on to decrease the risk of infection and went on to say that the study didn't do any research to determine the effects of LONG term wipe use. It was a study done on the short term.nbsp;The news specifically said that there is "NO cause for concern" and that there was just "a question of how much the skin absorbs the phenoxyethanol"nbsp;It also went on to say that the people involved in this study are asking for funding for a long term study to determine whether or not they should ban the use ofnbsp;phenoxyethanol in wipes and in cosmetics.nbsp;It sounds like where ever you heard this was either TERRIBLY translated or way exaggerated. nbsp;nbsp;For reference: https://lci.tf1.fr/science/sante/prudencesurcertaineslingettespourbebes7667418.html?xtmc=bebeamp;xtcr=1nbsp;nbsp;ETA It also stated thatnbsp;phenoxyethanol only makes up .04 of the wipe solution.nbsp;

I'm so relieved to hear this! My source, if you will, is a French woman in my neighborhood mom's group. Sounds like she jumped the gun a bit and scared the rest of us to death :

Yeah probably. France is small, a bit smaller than texas, and Tf1 is the only news station. I can't imagine that she heard it any where other than that report.  

chibride4

AliciaS1411:

chibride4:

AliciaS1411:

I use cloth wipes but I'm curious where you got this news from? I'm fluent in french and I watch the french news TF1 every day, and there was a story about it on there last night about a new study that could POSSIBLY link the ingredients in wipes to reproductive infections not necessarily harm reproductive abilities. But it wasn't urging parents to stop using them at all. It just explained to make sure that the baby's bottom has time to dry before a diaper is put on to decrease the risk of infection and went on to say that the study didn't do any research to determine the effects of LONG term wipe use. It was a study done on the short term.nbsp;The news specifically said that there is "NO cause for concern" and that there was just "a question of how much the skin absorbs the phenoxyethanol"nbsp;It also went on to say that the people involved in this study are asking for funding for a long term study to determine whether or not they should ban the use ofnbsp;phenoxyethanol in wipes and in cosmetics.nbsp;It sounds like where ever you heard this was either TERRIBLY translated or way exaggerated. nbsp;nbsp;For reference: https://lci.tf1.fr/science/sante/prudencesurcertaineslingettespourbebes7667418.html?xtmc=bebeamp;xtcr=1nbsp;nbsp;ETA It also stated thatnbsp;phenoxyethanol only makes up .04 of the wipe solution.nbsp;

I'm so relieved to hear this! My source, if you will, is a French woman in my neighborhood mom's group. Sounds like she jumped the gun a bit and scared the rest of us to death :

Yeah probably. France is small, a bit smaller than texas, and Tf1 is the only news station. I can't imagine that she heard it any where other than that report.  

Besides, now I see that phenoxyethanol is an inactive ingredient in Desitin as well. And I love me some Desitin on my baby's tush!

theboki

Luckily we use 7th Generation. Scary.

Unknown

AliciaS1411:

Yeah probably. France is small, a bit smaller than texas, and Tf1 is the only news station. I can't imagine that she heard it any where other than that report.  

 

 

I guess you only watch Fox News to have this view of other countries. There is hundreds of channels in France, dozens of news stations. Maybe less than in US but to have lived in both countries, access to information is much better in France since most of the news stations are free and not just the local ones (and free is not like local channels in US where you still have to pay a provider) and to  my opinion less biased than in US.