Are disposable wipes with alcohol safe for a baby's skin?
Avoid alcohol and fragrance for daily diaper changes. Use plain water and a soft cloth when skin is irritated.
What's actually in it
Some disposable wipes contain alcohol, fragrance, surfactants, and preservatives. Those ingredients can sting or dry baby skin, especially when the diaper area is already red.
The issue is not every wipe. The issue is using stronger wipe formulas many times a day on thin, irritated skin.
What the research says
A 2021 review in Australasian Journal of Dermatology found baby wipes are often studied as helpful for diaper rash, but it also identified common wipe allergens, including fragrance ingredients, cocamidopropyl betaine, formaldehyde-releasing preservatives, methylisothiazolinone, and methylchloroisothiazolinone.
A 2016 review in Advances in Neonatal Care notes that infant skin is prone to dryness and irritation from topical products that are not made for infant skin.
For daily diaper changes, choose alcohol-free and fragrance-free wipes with a short ingredient list. When skin is red, use a soft washcloth with warm water, pat dry, and let the skin breathe before adding diaper cream.
The research at a glance
| Study | Journal | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Baby wipes and nappy rash - what is the relationship? A review. | Australas J Dermatol | 2021 |
| Infant Skin Care Products: What Are the Issues? | Adv Neonatal Care | 2016 |