“Fragrance” represents an unknown bouquet of unnecessary but potentially toxic chemicals. Women must demand accountability and transparency of product ingredients and challenge the marketing practices that prey upon them for unnecessary items. While there may be certain situations, and/or medical conditions where wet wiping can be advantageous or preferred, pre-moistened wipes do not have to be the solution, given their many drawbacks. The chemicals they contain may, in fact, have adverse effects on your health. The bottom line is that, despite what marketers are trying to sell you, wipes are not necessary for everyday cleansing for most women. Remember, you are ok just the way you are. Wipes are marketed to women in a manner that suggests they are not clean, or there is something wrong with their bodies. This compares to mere fractions of a cent for toilet paper use. Wipes are expensive! Costs vary from six cents per wipe to as much as forty cents per wipe (especially for individually wrapped “on-the-go” packages). Environmental impacts also include the additional solid waste from both the wipes and their excessive packaging.
The Marine Conservation Society in the UK found an astonishing 50% increase in wipes found on beaches between 20. An ever-growing number of wipes are also washing up on beaches. Numerous reports have demonstrated that the use of wipes is wreaking havoc by clogging sewer systems and septic tanks. Wipes are disposable products that do not degrade well. Women of color are disproportionately impacted by toxic chemicals in feminine wipes, as they’re more frequent users of these products. Several women noted that they used wipes in order to alleviate symptoms, but found that the wipes merely exacerbated the problems they were experiencing. In addition, there were several reports of associated urinary tract infections. Specifically, complaints of itching, burning, irritation, allergic reactions and bleeding rashes were commonly reported. We compiled over 150 examples of online product reviews from 11 different brands of feminine wipes, which detailed associated adverse health effects. In 2015, Women’s Voices for the Earth researched women’s experiences using feminine wipes. The long term health risks of exposure to these chemicals from using wipes have never been studied and are largely unknown but concerning. Many feminine wipes contain chemicals of concern linked to cancer, hormone disruption and fertility problems (see list of chemicals in wipes below). But the truth is, wipes may be doing you (and the planet) more harm than good. Through claims of “freshness,” “confident clean” and yes, even “odor control,” wipes are being advertised as the better option for the health and happiness of women. They claim that women will feel better, fresher (and sexier) by using pre-moistened wipes. More and more these days, marketers are misleading women to believe that dry toilet paper just isn’t doing the job.
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