Baby Safety / Compounds / HHCB

Is HHCB safe for babies and kids?

Elevated risk for kids

(Babies-specific data is limited; this page draws from human pregnant context.) Pregnancy alters the metabolism and distribution of HHCB, potentially increasing fetal exposure. The developing embryo/fetus is vulnerable during organogenesis (weeks 3-8) and neurological development. Placental transfer should be assumed.

What is hhcb?

The IUPAC name is 4,6,6,7,8,8-hexamethyl-1,3,4,7-tetrahydrocyclopenta[g]isochromene.

Also known as: 4,6,6,7,8,8-hexamethyl-1,3,4,7-tetrahydrocyclopenta[g]isochromene, Galaxolide, Abbalide, Galoxolide.

IUPAC name
4,6,6,7,8,8-hexamethyl-1,3,4,7-tetrahydrocyclopenta[g]isochromene
CAS number
1222-05-5
Molecular formula
C18H26O
Molecular weight
258.4 g/mol
SMILES
CC1C(C)(C)C2=CC3=C(C=C2C1(C)C)C(C)COC3
PubChem CID
91497

Risk for babies

Elevated risk

Pregnancy alters the metabolism and distribution of HHCB, potentially increasing fetal exposure. The developing embryo/fetus is vulnerable during organogenesis (weeks 3-8) and neurological development. Placental transfer should be assumed.

Suspected reproductive toxicant (GHS H361) or suspected endocrine disruptor. Precautionary approach warranted. Animal studies or limited human data suggest developmental toxicity potential.

What to do: Minimize exposure during pregnancy and lactation. Consult healthcare provider regarding specific risks. Consider alternative products with lower hazard profiles.

Risk for pregnant and nursing people

Elevated risk

Pregnancy alters the metabolism and distribution of HHCB, potentially increasing fetal exposure. The developing embryo/fetus is vulnerable during organogenesis (weeks 3-8) and neurological development. Placental transfer should be assumed.

Suspected reproductive toxicant (GHS H361) or suspected endocrine disruptor. Precautionary approach warranted. Animal studies or limited human data suggest developmental toxicity potential.

What to do: Minimize exposure during pregnancy and lactation. Consult healthcare provider regarding specific risks. Consider alternative products with lower hazard profiles.

Regulatory consensus

2 regulatory and scientific bodies have classified HHCB. The classifications differ — that's the data.

AgencyYearClassificationNotes
EPA CTX / Genetox—Genotoxicity: negative (Ames: negative, 0 positive / 8 negative reports)
EPA CTX / Genetox—Genotoxicity: negative (Ames: negative, 0 positive / 8 negative reports)

Regulators apply different standards of evidence — animal-data weighting, exposure-pattern assumptions, epidemiological power thresholds — which is why two scientific bodies can review the same data and reach different conclusions. The disagreement is the data.

Where kids encounter hhcb

  • Industrial Facilities — Manufacturing plants, Waste treatment sites
  • Occupational Environments — Factories, Warehouses

Safer alternatives

Lower-risk approaches that achieve a similar outcome to HHCB:

  • Fragrance-free formulations
    Trade-offs: Consumer preference for scented products
    Relative cost: Lower (ingredient elimination)
  • Essential oil-based fragrances (with disclosure)
    Trade-offs: Natural does not mean safe — many essential oils are skin sensitizers
    Relative cost: 2-5× conventional

Frequently asked questions

What products contain hhcb?

HHCB appears in: Manufacturing plants (Industrial facilities); Waste treatment sites (Industrial facilities); Factories (Occupational environments); Warehouses (Occupational environments).

See HHCB in the baby app

Look up products containing hhcb, compare to alternatives, and explore the full data record.

Open in baby View raw API data

Sources (3)
  1. PubChem Compound CID 91497 — database
  2. EPA CompTox Chemicals Dashboard — DTXSID8027373 — epa
  3. ATSDR Toxicological Profile — CAS 1222-05-5 — reference

Reference data, not professional advice. Aggregates publicly available regulatory and scientific data; not a substitute for veterinary, medical, legal, or regulatory advice. Why we built ALETHEIA →