Changing the baby and preventing nappy rashes. Whit or without zinc?
The change is an essential step both for baby's hygiene but also in the emotional bond established. Choosing the right care is as important as taking advantage of these moments of complicity.
Did you know that Zinc Oxide is a controversial ingredient?
Found in many cosmetics, it is not safe for the body. Druide® Laboratories have always made it a point of honor to guarantee safe, quality products. We therefore want to use as much as possible the ingredients that we can assure they are harmless and thus help you see a little more clearly. So, we hope to help you choose what is best for your little ones and especially on the subject of nappy rash.
What is nappy rash?
Whether or not you have a baby, you've probably heard of nappy rash. This skin inflammation affects about 8 out of 10 young children and is one of the leading causes of pediatric consultation.
It is a skin condition also called "seat dermatitis" characterized by redness, itching and pain. These lesions can extend to the genitals, to the thighs, and up to the lower back. They usually settle in the folds of the skin.
What are the causes of nappy rash
• Moisture: it causes maceration and prevents the skin barrier from playing its protective role against aggression and maintaining hydration.
• Stools and urine:The mixture of stool and urine in the nappy allows bacteria to convert urea into ammonia. This causes a rise in the pH and an increase in the permeability of the skin barrier and reactivates the digestive enzymes which then attack the skin.
• Physical irritants: repeated friction during cleaning, contact with nappies or clothing can degrade the quality of the skin barrier.
• Chemical irritants: the use of unsuitable and aggressive cleaning products, or even excessive care can be sources of irritation for baby's thin and fragile skin.
How to prevent nappy rash?
In order to best prevent nappy rash, here are a few tips:
• Change the nappy as soon as it gets dirty, as often as possible.
• Cleanthe skin properly with soft, non-irritating products and, above all, pay particular attention to drying! Ban scented wipes or any other similar product. If you choose hypoallergenic wipes, use them for troubleshooting, if you are traveling for example.
• Take the right actions.Dry the skin well by patting, not by rubbing the cloth or cotton on the skin. We must see the material as a blotter that absorbs rather than a sponge that wipes. Emphasize the folds, gently pulling the skin apart to make sure the folds are healthy.
• Choose nappies adapted to your baby (disposable, washable, ultra-absorbent, organic…). Note that reusable nappies are not recommended due to their low due to their low absorbency.
• And above all, protect and hydrate naturally! Ditch anything that contains Vaseline. Be aware that the latter is a product derived from petroleum, criticized for its carcinogenic potential, its polluting manufacturing process as well as its slow and partial degradation. Also watch out for allergenic substances such as lanolin, stearyl alcohol and perfumes, for example. It is preferable to use instead of treatments with or without zinc containing many vegetable oils (sweet almond, avocado, jojoba, olive, etc.) with nourishing, emollient and protective properties.
What is Zinc Oxide? The WITH or WITHOUT Zinc debate
Zinc oxide (formula ZnO) is an inert white powder extracted from pure zinc ore. It is widely used in cosmetics for its properties:
• Soothing:calms irritated or delicate skin in creams or lotions
• Antibacterial: fight against the proliferation of bacteria on acne-prone skin
• Anti-odor: neutralizes the production of acids, it is ideal in the formulation of deodorants
• Mattifying: matt white pigment, it is used in make-up in powders and foundations
• Anti-UV protective: used in sunscreens for adults and children, it forms a protective film on the surface of the skin and reflects UV rays (reference to another article on sunscreens)
After listing the many benefits of zinc, you will say, but why is there debate, it is an ingredient with tremendous virtues!!
Unfortunately, it's not that simple ... Scientific studies are still lacking on this subject, and many researchers contradict each other. It is above all its size that concerns. Zinc oxide can be used in microparticulate form (between 1 and 100 microns) or even smaller in nanoparticulate form (between 1 and 100 nanometers). The micro form is safe, but the nano form, although easier to spread, is accused of penetrating the skin barrier and accumulating in the body. Which makes zinc oxide potentially carcinogenic!
Finally, the question of their application on injured skin, which is the case for nappy rash, arises and would not be recommended in view of the inconclusive results and the lack of information on this subject.
The choices of a zinc-free treatment by Druide® Laboratories
To guarantee efficiency, quality and transparency to consumers and thus remove all doubts and limit exposure to allergens and other controversial substances, Druide® Laboratories have developed a healthy formula without zinc for baby's nappy change and effective in preventing erythema.
Enriched with nourishing shea butter, soothing Calendula oil and softening vegetable waxes, this oily balm relieves redness and itching while protecting against chapping, roughness and cracking caused by dry skin from wearing layers.
Rest easy and protect baby's bottom with our BioLove Zinc Free Paste, already adopted by thousands of households!
Genuine Swiss Army Knife! Other uses
Its use is not limited to changing the baby. The whole family can benefit from its many benefits. Although this balm is perfect for infants, it will also be perfect for senior adults who have to wear incontinence protection or because of a mobility problem, for example.
With daily use, it effectively prevents the risk of pressure ulcers. It will also be suitable for the sensitive skin of children and adults to treat dryness, itching, redness or eczema. Ideal for the care of severely damaged or cracked hands in addition to hand cream.
Finally, in the event of milk crusts, many parents have shared their positive experiences with us. With a local application, leave on for 10 to 15 minutes before cleaning the scalp with a suitable and very gentle shampoo. The results are very satisfactory.
And you?
Hope this article has helped you learn more about nappy rash and disentangle the real from the false when it comes to using zinc oxide. Please feel free to leave a comment at the bottom of this article, ask us your questions and share your experiences ...
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The BioLove baby / child care routine from Laboratoires Druide® offers a wide range of cleansing and moisturising products, certified organic and hypoallergenic, perfectly formulated for the most sensitive skin types.
