Dermatitis Allergens and Marketing Claims of Popular Baby Washes Dermatitis 2024 Aug 01;35(4)397-399, S Atluri, C Jeong, JW Rick, C Dagenet, KA Tran, DR De, R Masson, JL Hsiao, VY Shi

Assessing Ingredients and Marketing Claims of Popular Baby Wash Products

Dermatitis

 1 Expert Comment

TAKE-HOME MESSAGE

• This study investigated the ingredients and marketing claims of 50 most-reviewed baby wash products. The results showed that 86% of the products contained at least one allergen. Overall, 88% of the products labeled as "hypoallergenic" and 85% of those labeled as "clinically tested/proven" contained at least one allergen. The most common allergens were sodium benzoate, decyl glucoside, and cocamidopropyl betaine.
• This study highlights that most baby wash products, even those labeled "hypoallergenic" and "clinically tested/proven," contain allergens.

–  Lillian Sun, MD

Christen Maria Mowad MD

Marketing claims are used to encourage consumers to purchase products. Terms such as "paraben-free," "hypoallergenic," clinically tested/proven," and "sodium lauryl sulfate–/sulfate-free" represent some of these claims. The authors of this study looking at allergens in baby wash products found these four marketing claims to be the most common. There are many other claims, such as "dermatology-tested" and "clean." The authors reviewed the marketing claims of popular baby wash products that were on common websites and were the most-reviewed products. They then compared the ingredients in these products with allergens identified by the 2020 American Contact Dermatitis Society Core Allergen Series. They found that the mean number of ingredients per product was 18.3, and the mean number of potential allergens per product was 2.5. Overall, 86% of the products contained at least one potential allergen. When looking at specific marketing claims, 88% of the products labeled "hypoallergenic" contained at least one allergen, and, of those labeled as "clinically tested/proven" 85% contained at least one allergen. The most common potential allergens identified were sodium benzoate, decyl glucoside, and cocamidopropyl betaine. This article reminds us that marketing claims do not mean that the products do not contain potential allergens or have the potential to cause allergic reactions. Furthermore, having a potential allergen present in a product does not mean it will become problematic for all, but patch testing helps identify the particular allergen for a specific individual who is having a cutaneous problem. If dermatitis and allergic contact dermatitis are suspected, patch testing should be pursued to help identify allergens.

Abstract

Allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) is a common inflammatory skin disorder mediated by a type IV hypersensitive immune response to allergens. Children are prone to ACD due to their immature skin barrier. Atopic dermatitis (AD) is estimated to occur in 20% of children. AD was historically thought to increase the risk of developing ACD. However, recent literature demonstrated that AD patients have similar incidence of ACD as the general population. Baby washes help remove dirt and microbes from the skin surface but may contain allergens that disrupt the sensitive pediatric skin barrier. However, there are limited data on allergen composition of these products, making strategic selection challenging. Thus, we sought to investigate ingredients and marketing claims of the most-reviewed baby wash products.

Dermatitis

Allergens and Marketing Claims of Popular Baby Washes

Dermatitis 2024 Aug 01;35(4)397-399, S Atluri, C Jeong, JW Rick, C Dagenet, KA Tran, DR De, R Masson, JL Hsiao, VY Shi

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Benjamin Hidalgo-Matlock
Skin Care Physicians of Costa Rica

Clinica Victoria en San Pedro: 4000-1054
Momentum Escazu: 2101-9574

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