FDA warning RE: Mommy's Bliss Nipple Cream

[elliput]

Just an FYI-

http://www.cnn.com/2008/HEALTH/05/23/fda.nipple.cream.ap/index.html

[tnrnchick74]

I wonder which ingrediants have caused the resp. distress. The Earth Momma nipple butter has some of the same ingrediants. The shea butter and calendula SHOULDN'T have any effect. I wonder if the evening primrose oil is what is causing the problem.

ETA: here's the link from the FDA website: http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/2008/NEW01839.html

[MamaMolly]

I wonder which ingrediants have caused the resp. distress.

The first article said:
"The potentially harmful ingredients in the cream are chlorphenesin and phenoxyethanol."

And just as an aside, IIRC shea butter comes from shea nuts and I think should be avoided by folks who are avoiding tree nuts, even though it is highly refined.

[chlobo]

interesting. Their website says they are "out" of it. Doesn't have any cautionary information.

IIRC they also had a recall on their gripe water a while back. I'm starting to think the company is a little careless.

[tnrnchick74]

The first article said:
"The potentially harmful ingredients in the cream are chlorphenesin and phenoxyethanol."

And just as an aside, IIRC shea butter comes from shea nuts and I think should be avoided by folks who are avoiding tree nuts, even though it is highly refined.

Yeah, I went back to the FDA article and read that. Now, I didn't research the chlorphenesin or phenoxyethanaol very closely, but they don't seem to be "all natural" ingrediants like that company's website suggests.

I'm planning on using the Earth Mother nipple butter that does have the following ingrediants: Olea europaea (organic olive) oil, Calendula officinalis (organic calendula) extract, Theobroma cacao (cocoa) butter, Butyrospermum parkii (organic shea) butter, (Euphorbia antisyphilitica (candelilla wax), Mangifera indica (mango) butter

I'm not allergic to shea butter, but I will definitely keep an eye out for any kind of reactions in me or the baby since I do have nut allergies. Actually shea butter is about the only moisturizer that works well for me & my massively dry skin! Go figure!

[GeekLady]

Yeah, I went back to the FDA article and read that. Now, I didn't research the chlorphenesin or phenoxyethanaol very closely, but they don't seem to be "all natural" ingrediants like that company's website suggests.

Oh please. Next you'll tell me urushiol, terpinen-4-ol, and genistein aren't all-natural either.

[MamaMolly]

I'm planning on using the Earth Mother nipple butter...

Are you sensitive to lanolin? I used the Lanisoh and it was very effective. I think it is also super refined to be 'medical grade' and safe for your boobs and safe for baby to ingest. It only takes a tiny amount and the tube lasted forever. HTH

[tnrnchick74]

Are you sensitive to lanolin? I used the Lanisoh and it was very effective. I think it is also super refined to be 'medical grade' and safe for your boobs and safe for baby to ingest. It only takes a tiny amount and the tube lasted forever. HTH

Yeah, I'm allergic to wool and have had reactions to lanolin

[tnrnchick74]

Oh please. Next you'll tell me urushiol, terpinen-4-ol, and genistein aren't all-natural either.

Those come up pretty easily as natural products. Is there something you didn't understand about me saying "Now, I didn't research the chlorphenesin or phenoxyethanaol very closely"...meaning that I COULD be mistaken since I didn't research it very closly?

[GeekLady]

Yeah, I'm allergic to wool and have had reactions to lanolin

You may be stuck with preparations you have to wash off if even the ultrapure lanolin (Lansinoh) causes an allergic reaction. I've done a bit of poking and from what I've unearthed, chlorphenesin and phenoxyethanol are used as paraben-free preservatives in a lot of natural products.

Can't tell you if they were deliberately added to the nipple cream as a preservative or not though, the compounds are definitely simple enough to occur naturally.

[tnrnchick74]

You may be stuck with preparations you have to wash off if even the ultrapure lanolin (Lansinoh) causes an allergic reaction. I've done a bit of poking and from what I've unearthed, chlorphenesin and phenoxyethanol are used as paraben-free preservatives in a lot of natural products.

Can't tell you if they were deliberately added to the nipple cream as a preservative or not though, the compounds are definitely simple enough to occur naturally.

thanks for the heads up. The ingrediants that were listed for the Earth mother nipple cream do not list any of those on their website or the container, but I will email them and make sure.

[GeekLady]

Those come up pretty easily as natural products. Is there something you didn't understand about me saying "Now, I didn't research the chlorphenesin or phenoxyethanaol very closely"...meaning that I COULD be mistaken since I didn't research it very closly?

I'm sorry, it's just that the supposition that natural means safe drives me up the wall.

Urushiol is the compound in poion ivy/oak/sumac/etc. that makes it itchy.
Terpinen-4-ol is the primary antimicrobial component of tea-tree oil.
Genistein is one of the major phytoestrogens found in soy.

My point was that while something may not sound very natural, it doesn't mean it isn't a naturally occurring compound.
Commenting that "chlorphenesin and phenoxyethanol don't sound like they are the "all natural" ingredients the website suggests" doesn't mean they aren't a component of one of the ingredients the company did use.

[tnrnchick74]

I'm sorry, it's just that the supposition that natural means safe drives me up the wall.

Urushiol is the compound in poion ivy/oak/sumac/etc. that makes it itchy.
Terpinen-4-ol is the primary antimicrobial component of tea-tree oil.
Genistein is one of the major phytoestrogens found in soy.

My point was that while something may not sound very natural, it doesn't mean it isn't a naturally occurring compound.
Commenting that "chlorphenesin and phenoxyethanol don't sound like they are the "all natural" ingredients the website suggests" doesn't mean they aren't a component of one of the ingredients the company did use.

I TOTALLY don't believe that "natural" = safe or vice versa. I'm just not familiar with the "chlorphenesin & phenoxyethanol" and from what little research I was able to do this morning (before running out the door) it didn't appear that they were "natural" ingrediants but synthetic. I could be wrong about that though.

But yes, even those ingrediants that are "all natural" and "organic" can have bad side effects. thanks for the reminder!