Is Zinc Oxide Safe for My Baby?

As parents, we take extra interests in all things to do with health and safety. From keeping ornaments out of reach through to baby gates at the foot of the stairs and kitchen entrance, ‘safety first’ is our motto.

When it comes to the products we use on our baby the ethos still applies, maybe more so.

With this in mind, many parents are asking ‘Is zinc oxide safe for my baby?’. As a dermaceutical company, it literally is our business to make sure our products are both extremely effective as they are safe.

Because of our work and our R&D Department, we felt we can answer this common parents’ question easily.

What is zinc oxide?

Zinc oxide is a white mineral powder that doesn’t dissolve in water. It’s one of the key ingredients in sunscreens and is also often used for first-aid tapes and ointments.

What is it used for?

Zinc oxide is widely used to treat a wide range of skin conditions, including dermatitis, itching due to eczema, nappy rash and acne. It is often used to ease itching caused by sunburn, insect bites and plant stings and rashes.

As we’ve already mentioned, zinc oxide is a popular ingredient of sunscreens. Not only because it doesn’t dissolve in water (making it perfect for use by the pool or on the beach) but also because it’s an effective UV absorber, giving you strong protection against UVA and UVB ultraviolet radiation.

Is it safe?

In the media, there has been wide speculation of the safety of zinc oxide. This mainly came from the perceived potential health risks of zinc oxide nanoparticles entering the body. But scientific research overwhelmingly shows that zinc oxide particles (larger than 30nm) are not absorbed into the body when used in creams or lotions.

The European Union has set a specific maximum zinc oxide percentage for baby nappy changing creams that are available within the European Union market. The maximum amount of zinc oxide allowed under EU law is 20% and all corresponding products available in these countries adhere to this regulation.

So, overall zinc oxide, like many other medical preparations is safe when used as doctors and manufacturers recommend. Zinc oxide has for many years been a key ingredient in nappy rash creams due to its excellent properties of creating a protective barrier on the skin.

Our Baby Cream is no different. Winning two LBP Awards, our Baby Cream uses a very low percentage of zinc oxide giving you extra peace of mind whilst also protecting your baby’s delicate skin from irritations and nappy rash. The added chamomile extract has anti-inflammatory and soothing properties making it an essential product for healthy, clean and happy babies. Why not request a sample today and see for yourself?

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