Can endocrine disruptor exposure be measured in mother and baby hair?

What's actually in it

Hair absorbs chemicals from the bloodstream as it grows, creating a timeline of chemical exposure. Endocrine-disrupting chemicals from plastics, cosmetics, and household products get deposited in hair over weeks and months. Testing hair from mothers and babies reveals what chemicals both have been absorbing from their shared environment.

What the research says

A 2026 study in Toxics used hair biomonitoring to track endocrine disruptor exposure in mother-infant pairs from birth through infancy. The researchers found multiple EDCs in both mother and baby hair, confirming that infants absorb these chemicals from breast milk, formula, baby products, and their home environment.

The patterns changed over time as babies grew and were exposed to new sources like baby food containers, teething toys, and household dust. Some chemicals were higher in baby hair than in the mother's, suggesting that certain products targeted at babies are major exposure sources.

Choose natural, fragrance-free baby products. Use glass bottles and containers. Keep the home well-ventilated and dust-free to reduce airborne EDC exposure.