As a mother of a child in diapers, I am very tuned in to baby product recalls and consumer complaints. A new product making headlines lately is Pampers’ newest version of disposable diapers: Pampers Dry Max.
Parents are complaining that the new diapers, boasting a thinner design, are causing horrible rashes on their children. These rashes have been compared to chemical burns, and have been reported to blister, ooze, and bleed. The rash supposedly disappears when parents switch to a different diaper.
Pampers has responded by saying they have found absolutely no evidence that the materials used in Pampers Dry Max cause a skin safety issue. They go on to say that they would never release any product that would give them the slightest cause for concern.
My response is a huge eye-rolling and a resounding, “Come ON, Pampers. Are you kidding me?”
I understand that parents who have found a product they love (Pampers diapers) will resist any type of modification to that product. I get it that Pampers might be suspicious of these so-called diaper rashes, thinking it’s a ploy to get the old diapers back.
However, for Pampers to claim that they would never release any product that would give the slightest cause for concern is a bit ludicrous.
Have you smelled a Pampers diaper lately? I have. They are thick with added fragrances and scents. I’m sorry, Pampers, but it has been proven that scents and fragrances are detrimental to a baby’s health. Also, the polyacrylates added to your diapers that allow babies to “stay dry” in them for huge amounts of time? Those are horrible for a baby’s health. I don’t care if there are two layers of soft fabric between the baby’s skin and the chemicals. How about the dyes that make your diapers fun and colorful? They are totally unnecessary and not good for any baby’s health.
In my opinion, Pampers should be respectful enough of its customers to at least admit there is a chance their diapers are causing rashes. Any company that claims to be 100% fault free seems a little suspicious to me.
My other response is the same eye-rolling and, “Come ON,” but this time, it’s to the parents who don’t like the new diapers.
First of all, if you are very concerned about the health of your child, you probably shouldn’t be using Pampers to begin with. For the reasons listed above, Pampers are not the top choice for a “healthy” disposable diaper, whether they cause a rash or not.
Secondly, if you don’t like the new diapers, stop buying them. Put in your complaints to Pampers and wherever else need may be. Work hard to get a baby product that is unsafe off of the market. Then, go out and buy a cheaper diaper that works just as well (I recommend Target’s Up & Up brand). Nothing will make Pampers listen up more than loss of sales.
I, personally, have used the new diapers and had no problem with them. On the rare occasions we use disposables, the new Dry Max diapers have been in the mix, and we haven’t had a problem with a rash (which is pretty unbelievable, because if anyone’s going to get a rash, it’s our daughter).
All of the complaints have prompted the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission to do an investigation on the new diapers. It will be interesting to hear the end result.