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DO YOU KNOW
WHAT’S IN YOUR
BEAUTY & PERSONAL CARE PRODUCTS?
Most people don’t know that
many popular beauty and personal care products contain toxic chemicals.
The common ingredients in things like toothpaste, deodorant, and skin care
products contain chemicals that scientists have linked to health problems
such cancer and learning disabilities.
Soaps and Lotions
One of the most common ingredients in shampoos and lotions is sodium
lauryl sulfate. You would be hard pressed to find a skin care product that
didn’t contain this chemical. Manufacturers use it because it adds
thickness and lather to their formulas. However, did you know sodium
lauryl sulfate’s most common industrial use is to clean oil off car
engines? It’s true. Your favorite shampoo and conditioner probably have
enough sodium lauryl sulfate to clean the grease pit of your local garage.
Deodorants
The most common ingredient in deodorants is Aluminium chlorohydrate.
Aluminum is widely recognized as a toxin. It works in antiperspirants by
blocking the sweat duct. It has been linked to increased incidents of
learning disabilities, organ dysfunction, and Alzheimer’s disease.
Parabens are also a common ingredient in deodorants. You would be hard
pressed to find a cosmetic that doesn’t contain parabens. Parabens have
been tied to breast cancer. Some scientists believe parabens interact with
estrogen and cause tumors.
Toothpaste
Fluoride is commonly believed to be good for your teeth; however, it has
quite a controversial history. Did you know it is registered as a
pesticide for killing rodents? Many people believe it to be a carcinogen.
It was originally a byproduct of the fertilizer manufacturing process.
While the pharmaceutical industry promotes its use, many scientists say it
is linked to learning disabilities and cancer.
When we truly understand how incredible our bodies really are, we take
better care of them.
Believe it or not, it takes a lot to keep someone as complex as you
running properly!
Take your nose, for instance. . . . did you know it can detect 10,000
distinct chemical odors?
How about your circulatory system? Your blood vessels are 60,000 miles
long if laid end to end, and 100 trillion cells make up your body.
Your bone marrow makes 140,000 blood cells each minute.
Your eye's retina has 100 million light receptor cells, and can
distinguish 7,290,000 shades of color, unless you're colorblind.
Covering all of this is the largest organ, your skin. Again, the numbers
are staggering: you have 2.5 million sweat glands on your body, . . . one
square inch of skin has 650 sweat glands, 65 hair follicles, 234 feet of
nerves, 57 feet of capillaries, 19,000 sensory cells, 94 sebaceous (oil)
glands, 1250 pain receptors, 13 cold and 78 heat receptors, plus
Langerhans (immune) cells.
Our skin has adapted to protect us from Mother Nature's onslaught, but it
is also designed to let things in as well. Back before the industrial age
came along, the types of chemicals that touched our skin were pretty much
those that the Earth made on her own. Today it's a different story. What
you are putting on your skin day after day, year after year, may be doing
much more harm than good. Have you ever stopped to think how many hours a
day your face spends under a layer of makeup, and what ingredients are
penetrating your skin? Remember -- your skin absorbs chemicals into your
bloodstream and tissue. It is not a barrier to them!
Harmful Skincare
Ingredients
Here's a partial list of ingredients found in many skin care items. For a
thorough list, please refer to Beauty to Die For, by Judi Vance
(available through Amazon.com), or A Consumer's Dictionary of
Cosmetic Ingredients, by Ruth Winter.
DEA (Diethanolamine), MEA (Monoethanolamine), TEA (Triethanolamine)
As if the long names are not frightening enough . . . these three are
hormone-disrupting chemicals and form cancer-causing agents. They are
commonly found in bubble baths (in which we relax and soak for long
periods), shampoos, soaps and facial cleansers. They are easily absorbed
by the skin, and research indicates a strong link to liver and kidney
cancer. There is also evidence that carcinogens form when Cocamide DEA (a
cleanser, thickener and foam booster) is applied to the skin.
FD&C Color Pigments
You see these at the end of every ingredient list, but not because they
are inconsequential. Many cause skin sensitivity and irritation, or even
oxygen depletion in the blood. Most are made from coal tar and studies
show that almost all of them are carcinogenic (cancer causing). For
example, FD&C Red #4 is no longer available for use in foods because of a
known threat to the adrenal glands and urinary bladder. It is considered a
carcinogen but is still used in non-food products.
Fragrance
The term "fragrance" appearing on a product label indicates the presence
of any number of up to 4,000 different ingredients. The majority of these
are synthetic and are either cancer-causing or otherwise toxic. Exposure
to fragrances has been shown to affect the central nervous system.
Fragrance is found in most deodorants (and the underarm is too close to
the breast area), shampoos, sunscreens, skincare and bodycare products.
Essential oils are the healthful alternative.
Imidazolidinyl Urea and DMDM Hydantoin
These are two of many preservatives that are formaldehyde donors. While
other less dangerous preservatives exist and are necessary,
formaldehyde-based chemicals are best left to morticians, as they can
cause joint pain, allergies, depression, headaches, chest pain, ear
infections, chronic fatigue, dizziness, loss of sleep, or even function as
asthma triggers. Serious side effects include the weakening of the immune
system, and, as usual, cancer. These chemicals are commonly found in
skincare, bodycare and haircare products, antiperspirants and nail polish.
Quaternium-15
Quarternium-15 is also used as a preservative in cosmetics and toiletry
items, as well as skin moisturizers and hair care products. It commonly
causes allergic reactions and dermatitis, and breaks down into
formaldehyde (see above).
Isopropyl Alcohol
Isopropyl Alcohol is petroleum derived, and is used in antifreeze and
shellac. Side effects are headache, dizziness, mental depression, nausea,
vomiting, and coma. It is commonly found in hair color rinses, body rubs,
hand lotion and aftershave lotions. It penetrates the skin easily and is
thought to destroy intestinal flora, leaving your body's major organs open
to parasites, and thus to cancers. The sad fact is that isopropyl alcohol
simply isn't needed, but the petroleum industry makes a killing off of
this industrial byproduct (read: industrial waste).
Mineral Oil
Mineral oil sounds nice, doesn't it? It isn't. It is a petroleum
derivative that coats the skin like plastic wrap, which stands in the way
of the skin's natural function of releasing toxins from the body. It slows
the skin's natural cell development, causing the skin to age prematurely.
Baby oil is 100% mineral oil!!!
Healthful alternatives are moisture magnets such as saccharide isomerate
from beets, ceramides, jojoba and other vegetable oils.
PEG (Polyethylene Glycol)
PEG's are used to dissolve oil and grease, and to thicken products. They
strip the skin of its natural moisture factor, leaving the skin and hence
the immune system vulnerable. They are also potentially cancer causing.
They are used in spray-on oven cleaners and, not surprisingly, in many
haircare and skincare products.
Propylene Glycol
Propylene Glycol is a very beneficial product -- for your car's radiator.
It is, after all, the active ingredient in antifreeze. Used as a
surfactant (or wetting agent), it also breaks down protein and cellular
structure, yet it is still found in bodycare products, including
toothpaste, makeup and deodorants. The EPA requires workers to wear
protective gloves, clothing and goggles when working with it. Direct
contact can cause brain, liver and kidney abnormalities. Stick deodorants
are higher in concentration of PG than is allowed for most industrial use!
Also beware of Butylene Glycol, a petroleum plastic like PG.
Sodium Lauryl Sulfate and Sodium Laureth Sulfate
Both are used as detergents and surfactants in car wash soaps, garage
floor cleaners, and engine degreasers. Yet these two are most widely used
in cosmetics, toothpaste, hair conditioner, shampoo and other foaming
products. Exposure causes eye damage, depression, diarrhea and many other
ailments. This is perhaps the MOST DANGEROUS of all ingredients, and when
used in combination with other chemicals, can form nitrosamines, a potent
class of carcinogen.We use a gentle, safe alternative: Sodium Cocoyl
Methyl Taurate, which may not be easier to pronounce, but it certainly is
easier on your body.
Triclosan
Triclosan is a synthetic antibacterial ingredient with a chemical
structure similar to that of Agent Orange. And it behaves the same way:
The Environmental Protection Agency registers it as a pesticide, highly
toxic to any living organism. It is also classified as a chlorophenol, a
chemical class suspected of causing cancer in humans. It is a hormone
disrupter, which means it affects sexual function and fertility and may
foster birth defects. Its manufacturing process produces Dioxin (need we
say more?), a powerful hormone-disrupting chemical with toxic effects in
quantities as small as parts per trillion (that's one drop in 300
Olympic-size swimming pools). Triclosan stores away in body fat and can
accumulate to toxic levels in the liver, kidneys and lungs. It can cause
paralysis, suppression of the immune system, brain hemorrhages, and heart
problems. It is widely used in antibacterial cleansers, toothpaste (not
ours!), and household products.
A study reported by the Associated Press on 9/9/2000 reports that nearly
half of all hand and bar soaps contain anti-bacterial ingredients, which
some experts say could be killing harmless germs and contributing to the
spread of hard-to-kill germs: "With more commercial soaps containing anti-bacterials,
bacteria may become resistant to these soaps, and the speed with which the
resistance develops is likely related to the amount used by the public. .
. . Anti-bacterial soaps and lotions should be reserved for the sick
patients, not the healthy household." Synthetic antibacterials such as
Triclosan have been banned in Europe, but Anti-Bacterial is still
available in the United States. Finally, why are we, in the United States,
so fanatic about destroying bacteria. Most is harmless.
Talc
Talc has been around for a long time, which isn't reason enough to use it.
It is widely used in makeup, baby and adult powders and foundation. It
conveniently provides slip and covering, with the inconvenience of being
strongly linked to ovarian and testicular cancer.
Retinyl Palmitate
A topical form of Vitamin A derivative. It is listed on the Health Canada
Product Safety Bureau's Hit List as: TOXIC.
Petrolatum
Petrolatum is a petrochemical that contains two well-known carcinogens:
Benzo-A-Pyrene and Benzo-B-Fluroanthene. It prevents the skin from taking
in oxygen or respiring waste. It is used in hand and skincare products to
form an occlusive barrier on the skin (again, preventing the skin from
doing what it is meant to do, detoxify).
The Growing Concern of
Parabens
by Jeremy
Likness
Parabens are a group of chemicals used as preservatives in both food and
cosmetic products. Some are found in very low levels in nature. This class
of chemical is also known as esters of p-hydroxybenzoic acid. Some common
names include benzylparaben, isobutylparaben, butylparaben, n-propylparaben,
ethylparaben, and methylparaben.
A recent study linked parabens with breast cancer: "Concentration of
Parabens in Human Breast Tumors." Darbre, PD. et al. J. Appl. Toxicol. 24,
5-13 (2004).
Parabens have been used as preservatives since the 1920s. They are used to
prevent the growth of bacteria. By far the most prevalent use has been in
cosmetics, skin care products, shampoos, conditioners, sunscreens,
deodorants, and soaps. A report that was published in 1984 - Elder, RL.
"Final report on the safety assessment of methylparaben, ethylparaben,
propylparaben and butylparaben." Journal of the American College of
Toxicology, vol. 3, pp. 147-209, 1984 - estimated that parabens were used
in over 13,200 different cosmetic products.
Recent evidence from over a dozen scientific studies has indicated that
several types of parabens can bind to the estrogen receptor and cause
estrogen-like responses when tested in laboratory animals or in a variety
of tissue cultures. In studies using animals, the estrogenic effects were
not found when fed, only when applied to or injected into the skin. There
is no comprehensive research regarding the long-term effects of low-dose
paraben use.
In these studies, the researchers looked at twenty (20) human breast
tumours and found synthetic chemicals known as parabens in eighteen (18)
of them. The level of parabens in four of the tumours so high that it
could have had a damaging biological effect on cells. It is the first time
parabens (para-hydroxybenzoic acids) have been detected within tumours,
suggesting that the man-made chemicals accumulated in the breast tissue
after being absorbed through the skin.
According to The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, "the chemicals in any one
consumer product alone are unlikely to cause harm. But unfortunately, we
are repeatedly exposed to industrial chemicals from many different sources
on a daily basis, including cosmetics and personal care products."
Do you Have a Healthy
Home?
Everyone faces health risks in day-to-day living. Some are unavoidable.
This article will make you aware of some risks you can avoid by making
informed changes which will enhance the quality of your family's heath and
future.
Click
Here to Download a Toxin Checklist
Household cleaners and personal care products
(shampoos, cosmetics, hair sprays, etc.)
These products contribute to this pollution in YOUR home. Many of these
products release organic compounds while you are using them and even when
they are stored. Think about the odor as you walk down that aisle of the
supermarket! The EPA found levels of about a dozen common organic
pollutants to be 2 to 5 times higher and occasionally up to 100 times
higher, inside the homes then outside, regardless of whether the homes
were located in rural or highly industrial areas.
Health effects from these exposures may occur immediately after exposure
or years later. Immediate effects include eye, nose and throat irritation
headaches, loss of coordination, nausea, fatigue. Asthma and allergic
reactions may also show up soon after exposure to these products. Other
health effects may appear years after exposure has occurred. These can be
severely debilitating or fatal and include damage to the liver, kidney or
brain, breathing problems and cancer.
Research indicated that people spend about 90% of their time indoors. For
stay-at-home Moms, infants, young children and the elderly, this time is
spent primarily at home. Children are especially vulnerable to the toxic
effects of household products.
THE EFFECTS ON CHILDREN
Children breathe at a faster rate then adults and therefore inhale more
pollutants per body weight. They also spend their time closer to the
ground where heavier pollutants will settle. Not to mention the objects
infants and toddlers pick up off the floor and put in their mouths.
Developing fetuses, infants and children are also undergoing critical
stages of development which may be permanently affected by exposure to
certain chemicals. Most commonly measured chemicals in the home caused
cancer. Amazingly the indoor concentrations of these chemicals were up to
5 times higher then outdoor concentrations.
Cancer is the leading cause of death by disease in children. The overall
incidence of childhood cancer has increased about 13% since 1973 according
to the National Cancer Institute (CNI). During this same period, some
childhood cancer rates have risen much faster. Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma has
in-creased 30%, Brain Cancer 21%, leukemia 21%. Has exposure to indoor air
contaminants contributed to this disproportionate rise? To date little
attention has been given to lifestyle, diet and home environmental
exposures as risk factors. Consider the following: Children don't smoke,
drink alcohol or face occupational exposures known to cause an increased
risk of cancer. However, they are exposed to more pollutants in water,
food and air. In proportion to their body weight, children breathe twice
as much air, eat 3-4 times more food and drink 2-7 times more water than
adults.
Quaternium-15 and bronopol are preservatives used in personal care
products (including the leading baby shampoo and bath soaps). Although not
carcinogenic themselves, these break down to release formaldehyde.
Formaldehyde has been listed as a probably human cancer causing chemical
by the EPA.
Considering that most chemicals we bring into our homes have never been
tested for adverse effects on humans and that children are most vulnerable
to toxic effects, are we putting our children at risk for future health
problems which may be fatal?
CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT
There are several factors which contribute to learning and behavioral
problems. Exposure to common chemicals during critical period of
development is a preventative cause of harm. Approximately 17% of American
children have learning and/or behavioral disabilities including attention
deficit disorder which has been estimated to occur in as many as 20% of
school-aged children. Autism has increased 100% over the past 30 years.
The number of children in special education increased 191% from 1997 to
1994.
Most potential toxins to the developing brain have not been adequately
studied. EPA regulations currently do not require the household chemicals
be tested for possible effects on brain development before being put in to
the market. Due to the slow rate which "proof" of harm shows up,
generations of children are at risk and may be harmed before adequate
regulation and testing occurs.
REPRODUCTIVE AND DEVELOPMENTAL HEALTH
Exposure to certain toxic chemicals can cause infertility, miscarriage,
birth defects, hormonal disruption and/or chromosome damage. Substances of
concern include cleaning products, pesticides, cosmetics and personal care
products.
Birth defects are the leading cause of infant mortality in the U.S. Birth
defects also contribute to long-term disability. Incidences of 29 (out of
38) types of birth defects have increased since the 1980's. Only recently
are chemicals in the home being recognized as causative factors.
AN EXAMPLE OF THE EFFECTS OF AN UNKNOWN CHEMICAL
PCBs are an example of a chemical which was not recognized to be harmful
until catastrophic epidemics drew attention to its effects. These
epidemics occurred in Japan and Taiwan in the early 1970's when thousands
of people ingested rice oil accidentally contaminated with PCB's Newborns
who had been exposed while inside the womb had a variety of developmental
effects including low birth weight, borderline mental retardation and
increased behavioral problems. PCB's had been used from the 1920's to
1970’s. It was not until this tragedy occurred that production was banned
in most of the industrialized world.
ASTHMA
The relevance of asthma rose 61% from 1982 to 1994. In 2001 31.3 million
people reported being diagnosed with asthma; 92 million were children. In
2000 children had over 728,000 ER visits for asthma with the highest rate
among children 1 to 4 years old. Asthma is also one of the most frequent
causes of school absence among children. The number of children dying from
asthma increased almost threefold from 1979 to 1996. Asthma incidence,
prevalence, morbidity and mortality continue to increase despite advances
in treatment.
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