A few words - Infants use antibacterial cream to turn into big-headed babies, beware of "Xiao Zi Hao" products pretending to be medicines

event:

On January 7, 2021, a blogger on a video website exposed a suspected "big-headed baby" incident - a parent bought a certain brand of antibacterial cream from the market and used it on a 5-month-old child. The child developed a "big-headed baby" phenomenon: developmental delay, excessive hair growth, swollen face, etc. Later, the blogger sent this product and another baby cream from the same manufacturer to a professional institution for testing, and found that both products contained more than 30 (mg/kg) of hormones (clobetasol propionate).

A few words from the voice of science:

Niu Niu: There is another big-headed baby incident. This time it is not milk powder but antibacterial cream. I can understand that poisonous milk powder is dangerous if consumed, but how can antibacterial cream be so scary?

Binghai: I know what happened. The baby originally had a red bottom, and the parents used that antibacterial cream, and the problem of the red bottom may have been solved. But they didn't know that this product contained excessive hormones, which made some babies become big-headed dolls after using it.

Niu Niu: Yes, this kind of incident is not an isolated case. Maybe this product has been exposed, but there are still other products with problems. Do you have any preventive measures?

Binghai: There are many issues that can be discussed. First of all, I will not use any "Xiao Zi Hao" products to treat diseases.

Niu Niu: Isn’t “Xiao Zi Hao” also a formally marketed product? What’s the problem? 84 disinfectant is a Xiao Zi Hao product, and it’s very effective.

Binghai: It is effective, but “Xiao” products are used for disinfection.

Niu Niu: Yes, then can’t it be used to disinfect the human body?

Binghai: "Xiao Zihao" is different from "Guoyao Zhunzi". It only needs to verify the disinfection effect, not the efficacy on the human body, let alone the side effects. Therefore, its instructions cannot write any effect of treating diseases. In 2009, the government issued such an announcement "Beware of "Xiao Zihao" products pretending to be medicines": According to relevant laws and regulations, the labels and instructions of disinfection products shall not contain false exaggerations, explicit or implicit content on the treatment of diseases and effects. At present, there are still some non-disinfection products on the market that are labeled with "Xiao Zihao" without authorization, and promote the efficacy in the name of disinfection products. When consumers buy medicines in pharmacies, they should pay attention to distinguish between Xiao Zi and Guoyao Zhunzi. The general format of the drug approval number is "Guoyao Zhunzi Z/H", and the general format of the Xiao Zihao product is "(province, autonomous region, municipality abbreviation) Weixiaobeizi (issued year) No."

Niu Niu: So, is this a way for the manufacturer to skirt the law? Most people don’t understand. If I use that cream and find that my problem is solved, I will be so happy.

Binghai: That’s why the approval requirements for “National Medicine Approval Number” are so strict. Many products that have not obtained the National Medicine Approval Number often like to intentionally mislead people in their publicity, making them feel as if they can cure diseases.

Niu Niu: If you don’t obtain the “National Medicine Approval Number”, you cannot promote the efficacy of the product, right?

Binghai: Ha, you don’t know that even if you get the “National Medicine Approval Number”, you can’t directly promote the efficacy, you can only promote what diseases it treats. However, there are many ways to promote it in a roundabout way. Those advertising slogans can make you think that it can cure diseases, but at the same time it is difficult for the regulatory authorities to say that there is any problem with it: enhancing immunity, replenishing qi and protecting the liver, detoxifying and nourishing the skin, nourishing yin and replenishing yang, improving sub-health, regulating the body’s acid-base balance...

Niu Niu: I think there is something wrong with what you said. You are also denying the effectiveness of some health supplements, right?

Binghai: I dare not say that. But in fact, we all know that most health products have almost no therapeutic effect. However, what I just said does not belong to the category of "therapeutic effect", but is considered to belong to "health effect". That's fine, but the problem is that "health effect" can be legally promoted without detailed verification. Because it does not require verification, it is difficult to distinguish between true and false, and there are good and bad mixed.

Niu Niu: What would you do if your baby has a red butt?

Binghai: If it's not caused by being spanked, then it's probably diaper rash. I definitely wouldn't use powder, because it's almost completely useless. The main cause of diaper rash is that the diaper is too wet, for example, if it hasn't been changed for a long time, and there's feces and urine on the butt. Then the chemicals in the urine will irritate the skin, and the digestive substances in the feces will erode the skin. Once the skin is damaged, bacteria and yeast will multiply on the butt...

Niu Niu: Yeast? The one for making steamed buns? I still have Shu Han old dough.

Binghai: I really don't know if they are the same species. Yeast is a relatively large genus with more than a thousand species, so I guess it probably can't be used to make steamed buns. Oh, don't interrupt me.

Niu Niu: Oh, then just tell me what to do? For example, the older generation would use powder, cooking oil, etc., would you do that?

Binghai: You see, I'm almost there. Since diaper rash is caused by the contact between feces and urine and the buttocks, the first thing I have to do is to change diapers frequently.

Niu Niu: That makes sense. Many elderly people nowadays are more frugal. They don’t change diapers frequently even though they see them getting wet. If they want their baby to poop more before changing them later, won’t it make the baby more likely to get diaper rash?

Binghai: It is possible. But we can’t blame them, they don’t know. So you see, baby powder is useless for red buttocks, because it can’t isolate feces and urine, and even small babies may be at risk of inhalation. I absolutely dare not use it.

Niu Niu: What about cooking oil?

Binghai: This may still have some effect. But don't rush, I don't recommend it. Because the cooking oil is still too thin, it may be the last resort of the older generation. My personal opinion is to wash frequently and change diapers frequently. If the condition is more serious and requires medication, I will only choose products with national medicine approval.

Niu Niu: Can I apply some diaper cream or Vaseline? I also heard that products like zinc oxide can be used?

Binghai: My advice is: Wash your butt frequently and change diapers frequently if you have diaper rash. If you don’t see improvement in two or three days, go to the hospital. In fact, single-ingredient zinc oxide, Vaseline, and regular diaper cream designed for babies can also be used. If you want to apply it, apply a thick layer. But I’m afraid you can’t tell which ones are regular products, so don’t get cheated. More importantly, if you are a new mother, I even doubt that you can’t tell which one is diaper rash. Don’t underestimate “timely cleaning”, it is the safest and most practical for ordinary people.

Niu Niu: Ahem, don’t be so unsure of me. But raising a baby is really not easy, and a lot of information is really asymmetric.

Binghai: That’s why we need to keep learning.