Triethanolamine

5+ year old childrenSkin contact product

Check for Different Age (6 available)

Is this kid-friendly to use Triethanolamine?

⚠️
USE WITH CAUTION
Danger Score: 4 (Lower is safer)
Quick Answer: Triethanolamine use with caution for 5+ year old children when used in topical products. Kids may have different tolerance levels.

ℹ️General Overview

For children 5 years and older, this ingredient can cause skin irritation and allergic reactions in some kids. There is also a known worry about possible contamination with nitrosamines in some products. Overall risk is lower than for babies and toddlers, but caution is still needed.

What to Do

When using products on school-age children (children, kids, tweens): - Prefer products made for kids or rinse-off products (shampoos, body washes) rather than leave-on creams or lotions that contain this ingredient. - Do a small patch test on the child’s forearm and wait 24–48 hours before regular use. - Avoid using on broken, scraped, or inflamed skin (including eczema) and stop if redness, itching or swelling appears. - Choose products from reputable brands and, if possible, those that state they control nitrosamine contamination or meet regional limits. - If your child has a history of sensitive skin or allergies, consider avoiding products with this ingredient and ask your pediatrician or dermatologist for alternatives.

⚠️Warnings

Watch for signs of skin irritation or allergic reaction (redness, itching, swelling). The main reasons for concern are documented skin allergy risk and the potential for nitrosamine contamination; these concerns come from regulatory and scientific reviews (for example, Cosmetic Ingredient Review, Association of Occupational and Environmental Clinics, Environment Canada and other agency findings). Also note that some regions limit how this ingredient may be used or how much may be present, and leave-on products are more likely to be restricted than rinse-off products.

Confidence: HIGH

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Safety Risk Labels

This ingredient has the following documented risks:

Immune system: Multiple safety reviews note that triethanolamine shows evidence of immune and allergy effects in people, including reports of immune system or allergy concerns and respiratory allergic reactions (noted by cosmetic safety reviewers and occupational health assessments). This means it can affect the immune response in children who are exposed.
Irritant: A cosmetic safety review found strong evidence that triethanolamine is a human skin toxicant or allergen. That means it can cause skin redness, itching, or rashes—especially on sensitive or young skin.
Asthma: An occupational health review lists triethanolamine as a human respiratory toxicant or allergen, so inhalation or skin exposure may worsen breathing problems or trigger asthma-like responses in sensitive children.
Eczema: Because triethanolamine is reported as a skin allergen/toxicant, it can trigger or worsen eczema and similar skin conditions in babies and children prone to eczema.
Organ Risk: A national environmental agency classifies triethanolamine as expected to be toxic or harmful to non-reproductive organs, and regulatory toxicology notes animal studies showing effects at moderate doses. Repeated or high exposures could harm organs such as the liver or kidneys.
Banned: Cosmetic safety reviews and regional cosmetic rules place limits on how this ingredient may be used and at what concentrations, and some regulations restrict its use in certain products. This means some countries impose legal use or concentration limits.
Cancer: There is a high-listed concern about contamination with nitrosamines (a class of chemicals linked to cancer). While the ingredient itself is not judged likely to cause cancer, the potential for nitrosamine contamination raises a cancer-related risk from impurities.

Tap or hover over labels to see detailed risk information.

Alternative Names for Triethanolamine

This ingredient may also be listed as:

triethanolamineTEATRIETHANOLAMINE, PHARMAGRADE, USP, MANUFACTURED UNDER APPROPRIATE GMP CONTROLS FOR PHARMA OR BIOPHARMACEUTICAL PRODUCTION.32132-EP2311827A132132-EP2301935A132132-EP2301933A132132-EP2301929A132132-EP2305674A132132-EP2301928A156753-EP2287158A156753-EP2275408A156753-EP2289483A1

Always check ingredient labels carefully, as ingredients may be listed under different names.

Products Containing Triethanolamine

This ingredient is found in the following products:

This list shows products that contain Triethanolamine or its alternative names.

Common Questions About Triethanolamine

Is this kid-friendly to use Triethanolamine?

Use caution with Triethanolamine for 5+ year old children. Some safety concerns have been identified.

What are the immune system risks of Triethanolamine for children?

Could weaken or confuse immune system.

What are the irritant risks of Triethanolamine for children?

Can cause skin redness, itchiness, or rashes—especially on sensitive baby skin.

What are the asthma risks of Triethanolamine for children?

Can make breathing issues like asthma worse in babies and kids.

What are the eczema risks of Triethanolamine for children?

Linked to triggering or worsening eczema and similar skin conditions.

What are the organ risk risks of Triethanolamine for children?

May harm organs like liver, kidneys, or lungs with repeated use.

What are the banned risks of Triethanolamine for children?

Banned or heavily restricted in one or more countries.

What are the cancer risks of Triethanolamine for children?

Connected to cancer risk with long-term or repeated exposure.

What products contain Triethanolamine?

Triethanolamine is commonly found in skincare products, cosmetics, and topical applications. Always check ingredient labels before use.

When can kids start using products with Triethanolamine?

The appropriate age depends on the specific ingredient properties and concentration. This analysis is for 5+ year old children. Use the age selector above to check other ages.

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