Personal care products are increasingly recognized for containing chemicals linked to possibly adverse physiological effects, and consumers are taking notice. Many companies now label their products paraben or preservative free, and consumers are putting greater care into choosing products with minimal and naturally-derived ingredients. This decision is voluntary, though, as many personal care products do not need FDA approval before hitting the market.
Did you know the same is true of all pet products, including those intended for wound care? This is why it is imperative that companies create products that feature only the best ingredients, especially when dealing with open wound care. After all, what goes into the wound likely makes its way into the body.
So what sets Fauna Care apart from other animal wound care sprays? Our products incorporate reliable ingredients that encourage wounds to heal, but also avoid the bad stuff that might further irritate a wound. Fauna Care products do not contain fragrance, preservatives, surfactants, and alcohol, and with good reason, as there really are sound answers as to why consumers should avoid these substances.
Read on to learn about:
- Not-so-friendly chemicals to avoid in pet care products.
- Fauna Care ingredients and what makes them work.
The Bad: Fragrance, Parabens, and Surfactants
Fragrance
The word “fragrance” in topical products often seems mysterious. Researchers and independent testing groups continue to spend time and money to fully investigate all the chemicals and their associated effects on humans and pets alike. So, what is a fragrance? A report released by the Environmental Working Group sums it up well: “a complex cocktail of natural essences and synthetic chemicals.”
Much of the danger in fragrances relates to the term’s ambiguity. Products do not have to list what chemicals actually compose a fragrance so that, as a result, even chemicals linked to hormone disruption and allergic reactions can be added to create the end product and desired scent. In discussing human products, EWG notes that some fragrance chemicals can accumulate in human tissues or pollute the body if inhaled or absorbed through the skin.
Common sense, then, would caution us against spraying fragrance-filled products on our animals’ open cuts; it’s a direct entryway into their bodies. And if chemicals from fragrance can accumulate in the human body, they no doubt have a similar if not exacerbated effect on animals as their bodies are smaller (in most cases…apologies to the Great Danes and full-grown horses). Besides this, if fragrance is harmful to humans through inhalation, why would consumers want to spray a product on their animal’s cut that might harm both the animal and themselves?
Parabens
Preservatives are another common additive in topical products. After all, products do need to be preserved to inhibit mold and bacterial growth. But some preservatives have received more attention than others—parabens in particular. A 2004 study by Dr. Philippa Darbre found high concentrations of parabens in human breast tumors. Darbre also found that the parabens she studied most likely entered the body through the skin—not orally—so topical products are definitely the culprit. Parabens are harmful because they interact with estrogen, a key reproductive hormone in both humans and animals, so there’s no reason to excuse their presence in animal products.
Surfactants and Alcohols
Though soap and detergent products often use surfactants to result in a better cleaning job, some surfactants are endocrine disruptors, messing with animals’ hormonal balance. As for alcohol, it does do a clean job of killing germs, but it’s known to irritate and dry out the skin. More important in our discussion of healing cuts, though, is the way alcohol disrupts the skin's barrier, creating more vulnerability to outside pathogens.
The Good – to Combat the Ugly
Fauna Care offers three spray products to heal cuts that not only avoid ingredients likely to counteract any wound-healing progress, but incorporate research-backed components that combat bacterial growth and encourage a quick recovery.
First Aid Spray
This spray is for general care and first aid. Bacitracin, an antibiotic, is its key active ingredient and as such, plays the role of preventing bacterial infections. It is also helpful for minor skin infections like small cuts, scrapes, and burns.
Zinc Spray
Did you know that zinc was used for wound healing as far back as 500 B.C. in ancient Indian medicine? They called their zinc oxide salve Pushpanjan. Fauna Care calls their formula zinc spray. Zinc oxide works by reducing skin inflammation, preventing bacterial growth, improving collagen synthesis so that connective tissue can grow more easily, and overall, improving the healing process of a cut. It is also a popular natural alternative to sunscreen.
Silver Spray
Another metal that works to heal wounds through its anti-microbial properties is silver. But instead of silver dressings, which are commonly used to apply silver to cuts, Fauna Care incorporates silver into a spray for a no-touch application. This way, animals won’t start tearing off the bandage, and it’s easier to apply.
The public has given more attention to the ingredients that go into home products for human safety. Giving similar attention to ingredients in animal products is the next step, both for the consumer’s safety in applying the product to their animal and the animal’s comfort. Have you ever wondered if we could improve our pets’ health and lifespan in general if we put more care into the products we choose? If cuts and wounds will heal with the aid of harmless ingredients like silver, zinc oxide, and Bacitracin, there’s no need to detract from them with additives that often work against the wound’s healing time.
