by Megan Gage
Good moms want the best for their children. We make sure they eat nutritious food, get a good education, and wear clothing that is stylish and protective from the elements. With so much recent discussion about the safety of certain children’s products, many moms are feeling a bit confused.
Here is a brief explanation as to why children require specialized products. I hope you find it useful when determining which products to use on your precious little ones.
Hair Type
Like every other part of the human body, hair has different stages of development spanning from birth to death. Children’s hair differs from adults in texture, density, body, and color. Infant hair is soft and downy. In the first few months of life, this fluffy hair gradually falls out and is replaced with fuller follicles that often grow in a pattern.
As babies become children, their hair often darkens as more pigment is produced. Children’s hair traits change over time as they physically develop and age, though it is typically very fine until they reach ages 7-10 years old.
Delicate Skin
Sebum is a waxy ester that keeps skin moist and provides a protective coating to hair strands. During childhood this process is subdued as a result of lower hormone levels. Sebum production increases during puberty, building up every two to three days for the average adult. Build-up is often the cause of oily hair, which can be resolved by simply washing it away.
Children do not require daily washing because sebum is not at peak production. Daily washing, however, won’t hurt anything as believed by some. It is important to be very gentle when washing children’s hair, as the soft spot can be delicate until the age of five.
Chemical Exposure
Today, 1 in 3 American children has allergies, asthma, ADHD or autism. Children’s bodies grow and develop more rapidly than adult’s so harmful chemicals can do the most damage at this critical time. Biological immaturity impairs a child’s ability to detoxify and excrete toxins, making them far more vulnerable to dangerous ingredients than adults.
Marketing claims can be quite misleading. Children’s personal care products and their labels often possess blatant contradictions. Despite declarations of being “pure” and/or “gentle” the Environmental Working Group suggested that 57% of the top selling baby soaps were contaminated with 1,4-dioxane.
A separate study conducted by the Campaign For Safe Cosmetics suggested that 82% of the top selling children’s products contained formaldehyde. While both of these toxic ingredients are exempt from American labeling laws, chemicals of equal concern can easily be recognized if consumers know what to look for.
Recently Johnson & Johnson made headlines because it is still using the formaldehyde-releasing ingredient in Johnson’s Baby Shampoo in the United States, Canada and China, while making formaldehyde-free versions of the shampoo in several other countries.
Research well before choosing the right bath products for your kids.
Megan Gage lives with her husband and two children in Colorado. She is very passionate about healthy products for children and is the founder of Hot Tot, a specialized hair styling line created for little ones without the use of harsh or harmful chemicals.