Are baby wipes necessarily harmless?

If you' ve ever taken care of a baby, you know how helpful baby wipes can be. In fact, even if you don’t have a resident infant in your home, a supply of baby wipes can serve you well when you need it most.

Babies are more sensitive to the chemicals found in fragrances and preservatives than adults, and what may be harmless for an adult could be the origin of a painful diaper rash for an infant. You want the best for your baby, so you'll want to carefully consider which baby wipes will work for your infant. Babies have more sensitive skin than adults. Their skin can be irritated by almost anything. This is particularly true in the first few months and often results in a diaper rash. The fewer chemicals contained in baby wipes, the better. Alcohol of any kind, despite its cleaning power, is a known irritant.

Look for wipes that are pH balanced, meaning they’re neither too alkaline nor too acidic. The higher the water content, the better the wipes will be for your baby’s delicate skin. Purified or distilled water is best.

Some baby wipes are marketed as “hypoallergenic.” However, the Food and Drug Administration says on its website that no federal standards or definitions govern the use of this term. 

Notably, there is one allergen that seems to be cropping up in baby wipes lately. "MI" (methylisothiazolinone) is a preservative found in many water-based products: liquid soaps, laundry detergents, cosmetics, sunscreen, and baby wipes. The rash it produces has been described as the equivalent of a bad case of poison ivy.

If you or anyone in your family develops a poison ivy-like rashes, check the label of your baby wipes and related products. If MI is listed, you may be having an allergic reaction to it. Check with your doctor.