Baby Powder, Is it Dangerous?

The presence of a baby in family is a beautiful gift from God for sure. So, it is not wondering if every parent, especially the new parents, tries to give the best caring for their baby. For example, in case of baby’s skin caring.

In order to avoid baby from suffering skin rashes and prickly heats, parents often to sow talcum powder to all of baby’s body. In fact, the use of powder is believed can endanger baby’s health. Why is that so?

Powder has hygroscopic characteristic which is very smooth and useful especially in decreasing the friction on the skin. That hygroscopic characteristic makes powder easy to be adsorbed and to cause the dryness on the skin. Powder also can act as a skin-cover, skin protector, and skin-cooler. Therefore, powder is suit to be used in intertriginous body area that is relative more humid compared to other area on the skin that tend to have friction between two skin surfaces.

There are several types of powder, check these out:

Inorganic Powder

Generally, this type of powder contains talcum venetian (it is usually called as talcum only), zinc oide, magnesium oxide, titanium oxide, etc.

Talcum is pure magnesium polysilicate and is considered as very light chemical substance and possesses slip power and adhesion characteristic. Besides, talcum also can absorb liquid so that it can cool your skin.

Oxydum zincicum is white soft powder that has hydrophobic characteristic and doesn’t cause hypersensitivity. Its main effect is act as a cover and cooler of the skin. If oxydum zincicum have long contacting with air then it will form lumps since zinc carbonate is formed and it can stimulate skin.

Organic or Plant Powder

The main ingredient of this powder is starch, polysaccharide granule (it is originated from corn, rice, and wheat), and also zeasorb that contain methyl cellulose. The advantage of organic powder lies in its absorb ability which is more superior than talcum.

Until now, there is a controversy regarding to the use of talcum powder. Many physicians do not suggest anymore about the use of this talcum powder or baby powder.

It is caused by these followings:

The particles contained in baby powder are very dangerous if it is inhaled by baby. Its powder shape and its easily dispersed characteristic make talcum powder easily enter baby’s nose. If it is happened then it surely endangers the lung function. Baby will have respiratory disorder and cough that do not heal for long time.
Sprinkling baby powder in your baby’s genital area, like in around the haunch and anus, could also endanger baby since it can cause bacteria to be grown.

Tips for mother:

When powder want to be used to baby, it should be better if powder is not sprinkled but is swab by using your hand palm. Use the powder adequately and evenly on baby’s skin that has dried and freed from previous powder residue.
Avoid the use of powder in your baby that is too thick.
Don’t use powder when you want to clean her genital area after taking a pee.
Don’t sprinkle powder on the wounded skin since it can cause granuloma reaction.
Stay the powder away from your baby’s reach in order to avoid the powder to be used as toy by baby so she can inhale the soft powder through her nose which is very dangerous for her health.
Be diligent to change baby’s diaper and don’t let her to wear the diaper too long in order to avoid the skin too humid so it is potential to be grown by bacteria.
Wash her genital area by using water in every time you change her diaper, then dry the area by using clean and soft towel. Assure that the genital area has already cleaned.
It is better if baby using cotton diaper instead of disposable diaper.