Safety And Health
The Center for Baby and Adult Hygiene Products is the only U.S.-based organization dedicated to advancing the personal absorbent hygiene products industry in North America
Diaper Safety & Health
Disposable diapers have a long history of safe use by hundreds of millions of people around the world. Members of the Center for Baby and Adult Hygiene Products are committed to the safety and gentleness of their products. Member companies employ scientists and engineers with special expertise in product safety to make sure the materials and products are safe before they go into the market.
There are several different parts to the safety review process:
Reviewing Diaper Safety
The various materials that are used in a disposable diaper are rigorously tested for safety. Learn more about which materials are used and how they are tested.
Testing Diapers’ Construction
Diaper manufacturers have studied the behavior of diaper-wearing children and design diapers so they can stand up to children’s curiosity and misadventures. Learn more about how companies test the construction of their diapers.
Conducting Clinical Studies
In addition to the rigorous safety testing already done, additional clinical testing may be completed. Learn more about how these clinical trials are conducted.
Collecting Consumer Data
Each company maintains a system to compile and respond to consumer concerns and comments. Learn more about how this information is collected.
Safety
The safety review begins with an examination of each of the individual materials used to construct a diaper. Diapers are primarily made of cellulose, polyethylene, polypropylene, superabsorbent polymer, (optional) lotion on the liner, elastics, adhesives and a few other very minor ingredients. If one of these materials is changed to improve diaper quality, the new material needs to pass through the safety review before it can be marketed.
Particular attention is paid to those materials which will be in direct or close contact with baby’s skin, such as the liner, cuffs around the leg, waistband and the lotion. The diaper liner, for example, will be evaluated to make sure it remains soft when dry and will not irritate the skin when wet. Materials or ingredients are evaluated by trained product safety professionals to ensure that any exposure will not cause a skin reaction.
The superabsorbent polymer in today’s diapers has been thoroughly studied. Over 400 tests have been conducted since its introduction – far exceeding the number of tests the FDA requires to approve a medical device. The tests have examined skin irritation, allergic response, and toxicity if in contact with skin or swallowed. All of the tests confirm that the superabsorbent materials used in disposable diapers are safe. Most of these studies have been published and reviewed by independent medical experts.
Testing Diapers’ Construction
The physical review of a diaper is done to help ensure the sturdiness of its construction while a child is wearing it. Manufacturers have studied the behavior of diaper-wearing children, and know that they may pick and pull at their diapers. But, diaper companies have consulted experts to learn the amount of force babies/toddlers can exert to pull on small objects. They have also studied which kinds of objects would be choking hazards.
Common areas of study include:
Avoiding sharp edges that scratch skin
Avoiding excessively tight parts that could leave red marks
Avoiding fastening tabs or tapes that can be pulled off and eaten
Avoiding elastics that can be pulled out
Strength of the bonds between diaper components so they cannot easily be pulled apart
The effects of aging on diapers
Chemical Traces Do Not Pose a Risk
to the Safety of Baby Diapers
Reports sometimes refer to chemical traces in personal hygiene products intended for use on children, which could include disposable baby diapers and training pants.
It is important to understand what chemical traces mean, and that these may even come from different sources in our daily environment. Everything in life is made up of chemicals, including products that we use every day and the food we eat. Chemicals can be of both natural or synthetic origin, and the origin does not cause or control the safety of any chemical. Trace chemicals are those which may be found at very low levels, and they are not added to provide any function to a finished product. When discussing trace levels, the term parts per million (PPM), parts per billion (PPB), and parts per trillion (PPT) are typically used. One teaspoon of table salt is equivalent to 2,325mg of sodium. As an example, a 1 PPM trace level of sodium would mean that 1/2,325th of a teaspoon would be present in one liter of pure water. 1 PPB would be 1000-times less than that. Trace levels of materials may be identifiable through highly-sensitive test methods, but presence alone does mean that there is a health or safety risk.
Disposable baby diapers have a long history of safe use by hundreds of millions of people around the world. The fact that chemicals may occasionally be identified at trace levels in personal hygiene products such as diapers does not mean that they present a risk to consumers. Members of the Center for Baby and Adult Hygiene Products (BAHP®) – the product manufacturers and their suppliers – keep safety at the very heart of everything they do.
Helpful information about baby diapers for consumers and other important stakeholders can be found on the BAHP® Diaper Answers website, located at: https://www.diaperanswers.org/. The site also contains additional information about how these products are made, the selection and use of raw materials, and provides diagrams highlighting and describing the various parts of a diaper. This content can be found under the ‘How Diapers are Made’ section of the website at: https://www.diaperanswers.org/how-diapers-are-made/.
Manufacturers also carry out post-marketing surveillance of their products, actively respond to consumer comments or questions, and provide follow-up information about safety assessments to regulatory bodies when appropriate. Should you wish to learn more about the reporting processes that the industry has adopted for personal hygiene products such as baby diapers, this information can be found in the ‘Collecting Consumer Data’ section of the website at: https://www.diaperanswers.org/diaper-safety-health/clinical-studies-consumer-data/
The Components of Baby Diapers Are Selected with Safety in Mind
Some myths exist about how personal hygiene products such as baby diapers are manufactured and what their components are. In fact, these products are made of components which you find in many everyday consumer goods.
The final products and their components may be made of natural or man-made materials (cellulose (wood) pulp, viscose rayon, cotton, super absorbent materials, and polymers such as polyester, polyethylene, polypropylene and various adhesives). These materials are used widely and are not useful just for diapers. Cellulose pulp, typically from wood, is the same material that writing paper or paper towels are from. Polyethylene and polypropylene are common plastics and are even used for food packaging. Polyester is the same material that you will find in fabrics, your clothes, and your sportswear.
Personal hygiene products are produced in several steps in compliance with local and international safety standards and regulations. Raw materials are selected according to strict quality criteria and during manufacture, rigorous quality control systems and good manufacturing practices are in place to ensure the highest hygienic standards are met.
Chemical Trace Levels in Products Do Not Pose a Risk to Consumers
Chemicals which are found in very low amounts (some barely detectable, measured in parts per billion or even parts per trillion) are referred to as “residues” and/or “traces”. How traces are identified depends upon what test is used and how sensitive it is.
Today it is possible to detect smaller and smaller amounts of substances by using advanced analysis and detection techniques – even at amounts that are well below the levels that are established as safe for human use/consumption. Many of these tests are not able to test a product directly but need the sample to be tested to be in a liquid solution. These tests can use harsh methods to extract the various elements from a product or even dissolve the tested material, which while effective for measurement, does not represent the real conditions under which people use personal hygiene products every day. These harsh tests often involve the shredding of products, use chemical solvents which we do not have on our skin, or expose parts of the product which would not come into contact with skin during real-life use. A more realistic alternative is to extract elements using a solution of salt water (saline), which better-reflects real-life conditions, and this approach is also consistent with the relevant exposure during use by consumers.
What are Dioxins?
Dioxins are a group of chemical compounds which are present in the environment, as they are created both by natural (e.g. forest fires) and industrial processes (e.g. combustion engines). This means it is not unusual to find very small traces of dioxins in food, clothes and consumer products.
Traces may be found in personal hygiene products due to the ever-present nature of dioxins as environmental contaminants or could be at trace levels within the cellulose (wood) pulp or cotton due to them being a natural material. The traces are at such a low level that it is lower than exposure from other sources such as food that we consume each day.
Manufacturers of personal hygiene products such as baby diapers do not add dioxins to their products, nor do they use dioxins during the manufacturing process. The fibers and pulps used are processed and treated in a manner which does not create dioxins. Statements suggesting that the modern purification process for the fibers in these baby care products creates dioxins harmful for consumers are untrue.
Purification is a cleansing method for fibers, and also helps improve the absorbency of the products they are used in. Purification methods used today in the personal hygiene industry do not create dioxins, because these methods are either elemental or totally chlorine-free.
What are Herbicides and Pesticides?
Some myths exist about how personal hygiene products such as baby diapers are manufactured and what their components are. In fact, these products are made of components which you find in many everyday consumer goods.
The final products and their components may be made of natural or man-made materials (cellulose (wood) pulp, viscose rayon, cotton, super absorbent materials, and polymers such as polyester, polyethylene, polypropylene and various adhesives). These materials are used widely and are not useful just for diapers. Cellulose pulp, typically from wood, is the same material that writing paper or paper towels are from. Polyethylene and polypropylene are common plastics and are even used for food packaging. Polyester is the same material that you will find in fabrics, your clothes, and your sportswear.
Personal hygiene products are produced in several steps in compliance with local and international safety standards and regulations. Raw materials are selected according to strict quality criteria and during manufacture, rigorous quality control systems and good manufacturing practices are in place to ensure the highest hygienic standards are met.
Helpful information about baby diapers for consumers and other important stakeholders can be found on the BAHP® Diaper Answers website, located at: https://www.diaperanswers.org/. The site also contains additional information about how these products are made, the selection and use of raw materials, and provides diagrams highlighting and describing the various parts of a diaper. This content can be found under the ‘How Diapers are Made’ section of the website at: https://www.diaperanswers.org/how-diapers-are-made/.
Manufacturers also carry out post-marketing surveillance of their products, actively respond to consumer comments or questions, and provide follow-up information about safety assessments to regulatory bodies when appropriate. Should you wish to learn more about the reporting processes that the industry has adopted for personal hygiene products such as baby diapers, this information can be found in the ‘Collecting Consumer Data’ section of the website at: https://www.diaperanswers.org/diaper-safety-health/clinical-studies-consumer-data/
What are Halogenated Organic Compounds?
Halogenated organic compounds are a group of chemical compounds that contain at least one halogen (fluorine, chlorine, bromine or iodine) combined with carbon. Compounds differ in how they react and behave depending on which halogen it is and the chemical structure of the compound.
Some media have identified traces of halogenated organic compounds in personal hygiene products such as disposable baby diapers; however, consumers can be confident that halogenated organic compounds are not intentionally added during the manufacture of these baby care products.
Halogens may be detected by tests used to detect either extractable organic halogens (EOX) or absorbable organic halogens (AOX) – subsets of the broader category of halogens. One test for AOX is typically used to measure pollutants in waste water testing as specified by ISO 9562:2004, to indicate the overall level of halogens and to assess the environmental quality of water. The method is therefore not specific and not validated for finished products, and by testing absorbent hygiene products this way, real-life conditions are not reflected and any test results are likely to be misleading. The results from such tests do not indicate that any observed trace levels of halogens pose a safety risk to consumer use of personal hygiene products.
Baby Diapers are Safe
Baby diapers can be safely used with confidence. Additional information on Baby Diapers and the extensive work our industry has done to support them can be found on the website of the Center for Baby and Adult Hygiene Products (BAHP), located here.
Skin Health
Helping Prevent Diaper Rash
The term “diaper rash” describes a wide range of irritation or inflammation of the skin in the area covered by diapers. Most diaper-wearing children experience it at one time or another. Today’s disposable diapers are designed to help maintain healthy skin by quickly capturing urine and stool and locking it away inside the diaper, where it will not contact the baby's skin.
What Causes Diaper Rash?
A number of factors can make healthy skin susceptible to diaper rash. Learn more about these factors.
Modern Diapers Cause Less Diaper Rash
Over the last 15 years, consistent improvements in disposable diaper design and materials have reduced the severity and frequency of diaper rash. Learn how.
What Causes Diaper Rash?
A number of factors can make healthy skin susceptible to diaper rash, as shown in the chart below:
There are three important factors in the development of diaper rash:
Wetness – Prolonged wetness can lead to overly hydrated skin. This causes the skin to be more susceptible to abrasion and chafing.
Increased pH – Bacteria on the skin can break down urea in urine to ammonia which can increase the skin pH. Normally, the pH of skin is slightly acidic and ranges from approximately 4.5 to 6.0.
Damage from fecal enzymes – Increased skin pH activates enzymes that attack the skin. If the skin is also wet, it will be even more vulnerable.
Modern Materials Cause Less Diaper Rash
Over the last 15 years, consistent improvements in disposable diaper design and materials have reduced the severity and frequency of diaper rash.
Clinical studies show that babies in modern disposable diapers have drier skin, more stable skin pH and less diaper rash. Additional studies of children with naturally dry or sensitive skin and of children in day care verify the skin care benefits of disposable diapers.
Research Shows Other Diaper Features Keep Skin Healthy
Some disposable diapers are made with breathable, microporous outer covers to aid in reducing humidity inside the diapers. A series of double-blind clinical studies found that children wearing highly breathable disposable diapers experienced significantly less diaper rash compared to those with non-breathable diapers. Secondary infections were reduced by up to 50% in these children.
Clinical Studies & Consumer Data
Once diapers and their materials have successfully passed through the rigorous safety review process, they may be evaluated in clinical studies. Depending on how significantly different a material change is or how different a new diaper design is, clinical testing may be used to confirm complete compatibility with the baby's skin. These studies involve babies wearing diapers for defined periods of time followed by measurements and evaluation of the skin. Investigators look at skin wetness/dryness and skin pH.
Over the years, a large number of studies have looked at diaper rash in particular. These studies can last upwards of several months with regular rash gradings done by trained skin graders. These studies, which have included many tens of thousands of babies, have built a very large database to confirm the safety of disposable diapers.
An absolutely critical element of the overall product safety program is the monitoring of health- and safety-related comments received from parents and caregivers. Each company maintains systems to compile and respond to these comments. Global databases offer companies the ability to analyze trends and quickly identify possible product improvement opportunities.
Diapers Cannot Cause Chemical Burns
Chemical Burns and Diapers Q&A
Chemical Burns
Author: Shan Yin, MD Medical Director, Drug and Poison Information Center, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Assistant Professor, UC Department of Pediatrics
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A: Chemical burns will typically look similar to a burn one would get from a fire or hot scalding water. Depending on the severity of the burn, there could be some combination of redness or other skin discoloration, blistering, skin peeling, thick dark scabs, and swelling.
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A: Chemical burns are caused by chemicals which cause damage to the skin or other parts of the body on contact with those surfaces. The most common types of these chemicals are either acids or alkalis.
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A: The most common cause of chemical burns in children comes from accidental exposure to household products, many of which are not intended for use by children. Typical products that may contain a corrosive substance are toilet bowl cleaners, drain cleaners, oven cleaners, dish washing detergents, liquid bleaches, and metal cleaners.
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A: Minor burns which generally just cause redness and pain at the site can look similar to other rashes that cause redness and irritation such as diaper rashes, allergic reactions, and skin infections. A health care professional can usually distinguish between these conditions.
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A: Contact with household products that can cause chemical burns will typically cause immediate symptoms. Exposure to skin or eyes could cause redness, blistering, and pain. Oral exposures could cause swelling, drooling, difficulty swallowing, and vomiting.
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A: If you suspect your child has suffered a chemical burn, you should immediately contact a health professional or the local poison control center. Depending on the size or location of the burn, the child may need to be immediately evaluated in an emergency department.
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A: Preventing exposure to household products not intended for children is the best way to prevent chemical burns. These products should be secured in cabinets with child safety locks. Product bottles should be immediately recapped and stored safely after use. Products should never be transferred to other bottles which do not contain child resistant closures or proper labeling.
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A: More information about Chemical Burns is available at:
http://www.mayoclinic.org/first-aid/first-aid-chemical-burns/basics/art-20056667
Diapers Cannot Cause Chemical Burns
Author: Kara Shah, MD, PhD
Director, Division of Dermatology Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Associate Professor, UC Department of Pediatrics
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A: Diapers are composed of inert or non-reactive materials and cannot cause chemical burns.
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A: A chemical burn results when skin or other areas such as the lips or mouth come in contact with something that is corrosive, such as a strong acid (has a low pH, such as drain cleaner) or a strong alkali (has a high pH, such as bleach). Diapers do not contain materials that result in the production of acidic or alkaline chemicals.
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A: Urine is mostly water with small amounts of urea, salts, and other usually non-irritating compounds. Therefore, urine is not likely to cause a chemical burn, though prolonged contact of the skin with urine may result in skin irritation. Stool contains numerous bacteria and enzymes that may cause skin irritation when there is prolonged contact with the skin, but this is different from a chemical burn.
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A: Given that both chemical burns and diaper rash may result in skin redness and sometimes peeling in the diaper area, a diaper rash may mistakenly be attributed to a chemical burn. However, these are two very different processes and may require different courses of treatment.
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A: There are many causes of diaper rash, several of which may cause the skin in the affected area to become very red and sometimes to peel. These include irritation from stool and/or urine, infection (such as impetigo), and eczema. It is very important for your child’s healthcare provider to examine your child in order to determine the cause of the diaper rash and to treat it appropriately.
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A: Allergic reactions to materials used in diaper construction are very rare. Since diapers are designed for babies, they contain materials that have been thoroughly evaluated and proven to be safe for babies’ delicate skin. With an allergic contact dermatitis reaction, the skin in the affected area would be expected to become red, itchy, and sometimes scaly or blistered. Less commonly, an allergic rash may result in the rapid development of itchy hives/welts.
Severe Diaper Rash
Author: Bernard Cohen, MD
Professor of Pediatrics and Dermatology, Johns Hopkins Children’s Center
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A: Diaper rash is extremely common and probably accounts for 25% of all visits to primary care providers for evaluation of rashes in babies and young children. Almost all babies will develop a mild diaper rash during the first year of life and with peak occurrence between the ages of 9-12 months.
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A: The most common diaper rash shows redness and scaling in areas where the skin can become rubbed or irritated particularly on areas of such as the thighs, pubic area, and buttocks. The skin creases are less commonly affected.
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A: Severe diaper rashes are much less common and probably account for far less than 10% of all diaper rashes seen by the primary care provider. Severe diaper rashes can be recognized by the presence of tenderness, open sores, red lumps, and infection with pus bumps. If the skin is sore enough, children may withhold urine and stool.
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A: The most common cause of severe diaper rash is irritation from urine and stool, especially in children with frequent stools or diarrhea. Children with sensitive skin and children taking oral antibiotics or with diarrhea caused by viral infections may be particularly at risk for developing severe diaper dermatitis.
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A: In children with a rash in the diaper area that does not improve after treatment from the primary care provider, when pain from diaper rash is interfering with normal activities, in children with known underlying medical conditions, and in children who are not growing and developing normally, other conditions should be considered.
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A: The risk of developing diaper rash can be reduced by changing wet or soiled diapers frequently; gently cleaning the diaper area with water, soft wash cloths, or non-irritating disposable wipes; applying bland barrier ointment; using absorbent and lotion containing diapers; and using diapers that fit the baby well.
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A: Rarely persistent or chronic diaper rash may be a clue to an underlying medical illness or a sign of infection. Parents should call the primary care provider when diaper rash worsens despite preventative measures; when diaper rash is painful and interferes with daily activities including passing urine and stool; and when scabs, open sores and/or pus bumps appear.
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A: More information about diaper rash is available at:
https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/baby/diapers-clothing/Pages/Diaper-Rash.aspx
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/diaper-rash/multimedia/diaper-rash/img-20007114
Over the past several years, a number of articles and posts have circulated on the internet associating diapers, both disposable and cloth, with chemical burns on babies’ skin. These are misleading for parents and may potentially distract parents from proper treatment and prevention of diaper rash or actual chemical burns.
According to Dr. Shan Yin, Medical Director of the Drug and Poison Information Center at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, “Chemical burns are caused by chemicals that can damage the skin on contact, most commonly acids and alkalis.” The most common cause of chemical burns in children comes from accidental exposure to household products, many of which are not intended for use by children. Typical products that may contain a corrosive substance are toilet bowl cleaners, drain cleaners, oven cleaners, dish washing detergents, liquid bleaches, and metal cleaners.
Mild chemical burns generally cause redness and pain and can look similar to other rashes, which is why parents might confuse them with diaper rash or skin infections. Severe chemical burns may cause redness, blistering, skin peeling, and swelling. You may suspect a chemical burn if you see sudden, unexpected changes in the affected area of skin such as pain, itching, or redness (most chemical burns will cause immediate symptoms) and in particular if the child was near a container of one of the cleaning products mentioned above. If you suspect a chemical burn, contact a health care professional or poison control center immediately.
Diapers cannot cause chemical burns because they are made of inert materials – materials that do not create any chemical reaction. Disposable diapers are primarily made of polymers found in other consumer products like clothing, furniture upholstery, food containers, and paper products. The pH of disposable diapers is comparable to the pH of normal skin, meaning compared to skin they are neither acidic (low pH) nor alkali (high pH) so they cannot cause chemical burns.
One question parents ask is whether there is anything in urine or stool that can cause chemical burns or react with the diaper to cause a burn. Dr. Kara Shah, Director of the Department of Dermatology at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center responds, “Urine is mostly water with small amounts of urea, salts, and other non-irritating compounds. Therefore, urine is not likely to cause a chemical burn, though prolonged contact of the skin with urine may result in skin irritation. Stool contains numerous bacteria and enzymes that may cause skin irritation when there is prolonged contact with the skin, but do not cause a chemical burn.”
This skin irritation from contact with urine or stool can cause diaper rash, which is the most common reason for redness in the diaper area. Diaper rash is extremely common. Almost all babies will develop diaper rash during the first year of life, with a peak occurrence between the ages of 9-12 months. Diaper rash commonly presents as redness and scaling in areas where the skin can become rubbed or irritated, particularly on areas such as the thighs, pubic area, and buttocks. A severe rash may also result in open sores, small red bumps, and oozing. Fortunately, severe diaper rashes are much less common and probably account for far less than 10% of all diaper rashes seen by the primary care provider.
However, the similarities between diaper rash symptoms and mild chemical burn symptoms may be the reason parents can be confused. According to Dr. Shah, “Given that both mild chemical burns and diaper rash may result in skin redness and sometimes peeling in the diaper area, a diaper rash may mistakenly be attributed to a chemical burn. However, these are two very different processes and may require different treatments, which is why it’s important to understand the difference.”
So when should a parent worry about a rash in the diaper area? Dr. Bernard Cohen, Professor of Pediatrics and Dermatology, Johns Hopkins Children’s Center advises parents, “Parents should call the primary care provider when diaper rash worsens despite preventative measures; when diaper rash is painful and interferes with daily activities including passing urine and stool; and when scabs, open sores and/or pus bumps appear. On rare occasions, persistent or chronic diaper rash may be a clue to an underlying medical illness or a sign of infection.”
Learn more:
How to Prevent Diaper Rash:
The most common cause of severe diaper rash is irritation from urine and stool, especially in children with frequent stools or diarrhea. Children with sensitive skin and children taking oral antibiotics or with diarrhea caused by viral infections may be particularly at risk for developing severe diaper rash. The risk of developing diaper rash can be reduced by changing wet or soiled diapers frequently; gently cleansing the diaper area with water, soft wash cloths, or non-irritating disposable wipes; applying barrier ointments; using absorbent diapers; and using diapers that fit the baby well.
For more information on diaper rash:
https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/baby/diapers-clothing/Pages/Diaper-Rash.aspx
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/diaper-rash/multimedia/diaper-rash/img-20007114
How to Prevent Chemical Burns:
The most common cause of chemical burns in children comes from accidental exposure to household products, many of which are not intended for use by children. Typical products that may contain a corrosive substance are toilet bowl cleaners, drain cleaners, oven cleaners, dish washing detergents, liquid bleaches, and metal cleaners. Preventing exposure to the dangerous household products is the best way to prevent chemical burns. These products should be secured in cabinets with child safety locks. Product bottles should be immediately recapped and stored safely after use. These products should never be transferred to other bottles that do not contain child resistant closures and proper labeling. For more information on chemical burns:
http://www.mayoclinic.org/first-aid/first-aid-chemical-burns/basics/art-20056667
https://www.healthychildren.org/English/health-issues/injuries-emergencies/Pages/Treating-and-Preventing-Burns.aspx
Chemical Burn Expert Statements:
Bernard Cohen, MD
Professor, Departments of Dermatology & Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins Medical School
Over the last several decades we have seen a dramatic decrease in the incidence of diaper rash as a result of the increased use of super absorbent diapers. However, diaper rash still occurs and should not be confused with chemical or thermal burns. Fortunately, extensive safety studies have led to the development of safe and effective diapers for our patients.
Kara Shah, MD, PhD
Director, Division of Dermatology Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Associate Professor, UC Department of Pediatrics
General
Despite the common misconception that diapers can cause chemical burns, an extensive review of the safety data available about the materials used in the manufacture of disposable diapers indicates that this is not true. There are no materials used in the construction of disposable diapers that either by themselves or in the presence of urine or stool can cause a chemical burn. Until they are toilet trained, infants and toddlers are prone to developing rashes in the diaper area due to irritation from urine and stool, and many other skin disorders may cause a rash in the diaper area that can resemble a burn.
Shan Yin, MD
Medical Director, Drug and Poison Information Center, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Assistant Professor, UC Department of Pediatrics
General
As a pediatric emergency medicine physician and medical toxicologist, I have reviewed material and safety data for disposable diapers. Extensive safety testing is performed on these products by their manufacturers and there is no evidence that disposable diapers could cause or contribute to a chemical burn.
