Should I Avoid hydrolyzed wintergreen extract During Pregnancy? | VeriMom

What to use instead

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Pregnancy-Safe Alternatives to hydrolyzed wintergreen extract | VeriMom

Ingredients — Pregnancy-Safe Ingredients Database — 28,000+ Ingredients Rated

See also

• Is hydrolyzed wintergreen extract safe during pregnancy?
• Is hydrolyzed wintergreen extract safe for babies?
• What are pregnancy-safe alternatives to hydrolyzed wintergreen extract?

FAQ

Is hydrolyzed wintergreen extract safe during pregnancy?

Regulatory and scientific reviews treat methyl salicylate (the main constituent of wintergreen) as a substance of reproductive concern (SCCS/ECHA activity and ECHA/C&L references indicate a Repr.2/H361-level concern), so hazard is scored as suspected (h=2). Salicylates are metabolized to salicylate which is known to cross the placenta (mechanism demonstrated), so m=2. Dermal use of methyl salicylate produces measurable systemic exposure (used clinically in topical analgesics), so topical exposure is moderate (e=2). Sources: SCCS scientific advice on children’s exposure to methyl salicylate; ECHA/C&L and registration pages; CIR safety assessment of salicylates.

Is hydrolyzed wintergreen extract safe while breastfeeding?

Same intrinsic hazard (methyl salicylate → salicylate) so h=2. Mechanistic evidence of salicylate systemic distribution and transfer supports m=2. Dermal/topical products containing methyl salicylate can lead to measurable systemic levels; breastmilk transfer of salicylates is plausible based on known salicylate pharmacokinetics, so exposure for a breastfeeding parent is moderate (e=2). No infant-specific milk-transfer quantitative studies for methyl salicylate were identified in the searched sources.

Is hydrolyzed wintergreen extract safe for baby skin?

Hazard and mechanism follow the parent compound (methyl salicylate) → h=2, m=2. Because infants (0–3 yr) have higher skin permeability and surface-area-to-weight, and regulators (SCCS) have issued specific tighter limits for methyl salicylate in products for 0–3 yr, exposure for baby skin from topical products is increased by +1 (adult e=2 → infant e=3). SCCS specifically reviewed children’s exposure and set much lower concentration limits for 0–3 year products, indicating elevated concern for this age group.

How does VeriMom score hydrolyzed wintergreen extract?

VeriMom scores hydrolyzed wintergreen extract at 33/100 (high risk) based on EU CosIng status, ECHA hazard classifications, and peer-reviewed PubMed studies. Our scoring pipeline is fully transparent.

What are pregnancy-safe alternatives to hydrolyzed wintergreen extract?

See our curated list of pregnancy-safe alternatives to hydrolyzed wintergreen extract based on similar function and a no-known-risks safety band.