Cocamidopropyl betaine, or the coco betaine, is noted to be a chemical compound, as seen in multiple household cleaning products and personal care items; it is a surfactant, which means it gets to interact with water. That will make the molecules slippery so that they won’t stick together. Whenever the water molecules fail to adhere, they are likely to bond well with dirt and oil so that when you rinse the cleaning product, the dirt will cleanse off too. In some products, there is a good use of coco betaine to make lather.

Cocamidopropyl Betaine Long Term effects

Cocamidopropyl betaine is indeed noted to have an allergic reaction whenever using any product with CAPB. In a 2012 scientific review, it was found that it is not only the CAPN that causes the allergic reactions but two impurities produced within the manufacturing process.

Those two irritants are AA and DMAPA. When people have been exposed to Cocamidopropyl betaine that did not have these two impurities, they did not have any allergic reactions. There are higher graded CAPBs available, which are purified and free from contaminants to follow.

The skin discomfort:

If your skin seems sensitive to the items with CAPB, you might notice some redness, tightness or itchiness once you use the product. This form of reaction is called contact dermatitis.

If dermatitis seems severe, you might have sores or blisters whenever the product comes into any type of skin. Most of the time, the reaction will heal on its own or once you stop using the same product.

How to identify Cocamidopropyl betaine in a product

You will see Cocamidopropyl betaine listed on the ingredient label. There are some alternative names for CAPB available, and those are:

• Hydroxide inner salt

• I Propanaminium

Then in some of the cleaning items, you will see Cocamidopropyl betaine stated as:

• CADG

• Disodium cocoamphodipropionate

• Cocamidopropyl dimethyl glycine

According to the National Institute of Health, a Household Product Database is maintained, where you can check on your own if the chosen product consists of Cocamidopropyl betaine.

Cocamidopropyl betaine avoidance methods

Some international consumer organisations are available, like the EWG Verified and the Allergy Certified, where you will find assurances that products with their seals have already been tested by toxicologists and have been stated to have safer levels of AA and DMAPA. These two impurities are known to cause some severe allergenic reactions in those items which have Cocamidopropyl betaine in them.

The final say:

Cocamidopropyl betaine is one fatty acid in various personal hygiene and household items. It helps water bond well with oil, dirt and other debris so you can rinse them off clean. Even though it is believed that CAPB is an allergen, researchers have found that it is mainly two impurities that emerge during manufacturing, which will irritate eyes and skin.