Skin Absorption ** Your Opinion

[Guest guest]

this was also posted on that group. what do you think about it?

 

triclosan used in antibacterial soaps is a drivative of agent orange.

 

Common Hazardous Ingredients in Personal Care Products/soaps

 

More than 5,000 ingredients are allowed for use in personal care

products. Many are identified by government agencies as hazardous,

but many others remain untested. Some ingredients with known health

hazards are very common in personal care products, both conventional

products and alternative ones. We are providing information on some

of these common ingredients.

 

(TEA), and monoethanolamine (MEA) are hormone disruptors. They are

also known to combine with nitrates to form cancer-causing

nitrosamines. If a product contains nitrites (used as a preservative

or present as a contaminant not listed on labels) a chemical reaction

can occur either during manufacturing or after a product is made.

There is no way to know which products contain nitrosamines because

government does not require manufacturers to disclose this

information on the label.

 

A 1997 study by the U.S. National Toxicology Program found that these

compounds themselves might also be carcinogenic. Repeated skin

application of DEA was found to cause liver and kidney damage in

animals. The study also discovered that when absorbed through the

skin, DEA accumulated in organs. TEA may also cause contact

dermatitis in some individuals.

 

Dioxins - You won't find dioxin listed on any label. It's formed as

an accidental by-product of some manufacturing processes using

chlorine, especially paper bleaching and the creation of plastic.

Dioxin is one of the most powerful carcinogens known and accumulates

in body fat. Mainstream deodorants and anti-bacterial soaps are

suspect. Chlorine bleached tissues, toilet paper and cotton balls can

contain dioxin. Plastic bottles may leach dioxin into creams,

shampoos and other products we use daily.

 

DMDM Hydantoin, Diazolidinyl Urea and Imidazolidinyl Urea - DMDM

hydantoin, diazolidinyl urea and imidazolidinyl urea are

preservatives that release formaldehyde. It is estimated that 20 per

cent of people exposed to this chemical will experience an allergic

reaction. Exposure to formaldehyde may cause joint pain, depression,

headaches, chest pains, ear infections, chronic fatigue, dizziness

and loss of sleep. In lab tests, formaldehyde has caused cancer and

damaged DNA. Formaldehyde is a known sensitizer. Imidazolidinyl urea

may cause contact dermatitis in some individuals.

 

FD & C Colours - Used extensively in personal care products, FD & C

colours are made from coal. Coal tar colours have been found to cause

cancer in animals and many people experience allergic reactions like

skin irritation and contact dermatitis. They are listed as FD & C or

D & C, followed by a colour and a number. Example: FD & C Red No. 6, or

D & C Green No. 6.

 

Fragrance - Synthetic fragrance is the most common ingredient found

in personal care products. " Fragrance on a label can indicate the

presence of up to 4,000 separate ingredients. Most or all of them are

synthetic. Symptoms reported to the FDA have included headaches,

dizziness, rashes, skin discoloration, violent coughing and vomiting,

and allergic skin irritation. Clinical observations by medical

doctors have shown that exposure to fragrances can affect the central

nervous system, causing depression, hyperactivity, irritability,

inability to cope, and other behavioral changes. " (Home Safe Home,

Debra Lynn Dadd). Fragrance is a known trigger of asthma. Many of the

compounds in fragrance are suspected or proven carcinogens.

Phthalates in perfumes are known hormone disruptors. In 1989 the US

National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health evaluated 2,983

fragrance chemicals for health effects. They identified 884 of them

as toxic substances. The US Environmental Protection Agency found

that 100% of perfumes contain toluene, which can cause liver, kidney

and brain damage as well as damage to a developing fetus.

 

Lanolin - Lanolin is a common allergen and because of this has been

replaced in many products. But there is another reason to be cautious

about lanolin. Lanolin is derived from sheep's wool. It may contain

residues of insecticides into which sheep are dipped to control

external parasites. These insecticides are fat-soluble. Dr. Samuel

Epstein, chairman of the Cancer Prevention Coalition, says these

chemicals are likely to migrate through the skin and into the

bloodstream. However, some sheep producers now control parasites by

injecting sheep with insecticides, which work by circulating through

the animal's bloodstream. The best way to know if the lanolin in a

personal care product is free of insecticide is to look for a

certified organic product. Uncontaminated lanolin is perfectly safe,

although it can cause contact dermatitis in some people. Lanolin oil,

a more refined product, has been found to have little insecticide

residue. Purified lanolin oil is a healthy product, as long as you

aren't allergic to it.

 

Lead - Lead is a known carcinogen and hormone disruptor. It is

readily absorbed through the skin, and accumulates in the bones. It

causes neurological damage and behaviour abnormalities, and large

accumulations can result in leg cramps, muscle weakness, numbness and

depression. Lead is found in some hair dyes.

 

Nonylphenols - This estrogen-mimicking chemical is a surfactant used

for its detergent properties. It can be found in some plastics, as

well as shaving creams, shampoos and hair colours. It can be created

when certain chemicals commonly found in personal care products break

down. Nonylphenols can be a component in polyvinyl chloride (PVC), a

compound often found in acrylic nails. They are persistent in the

environment and of such concern that many European countries are

phasing them out. Some manufacturers have voluntarily discontinued

their use.

 

Parabens - An estrogen mimic, parabens are preservatives with

antibacterial properties. Widely used in all kinds of personal care

products, paraben is usually preceded by the prefixes methyl-, ethyl-

, butyl-, or propyl-. Parabens can cause allergic reactions or

contact dermatitis in some people. Preservatives are one of the

leading causes of contact dermatitis. There are safer practical

alternatives to parabens, including vitamin E, vitamin C and

grapefruit seed extract.

 

PEG - Polyethylene glycol (PEG) is used in cleaners and some oven

cleaners to dissolve oil and grease. It can also be found in many

personal care products. PEG may be contaminated with 1,4-dioxane, a

carcinogen. Dioxane readily penetrates the skin. While dioxane can be

removed from products easily and economically by vacuum stripping

during the manufacturing process, there is no way to determine which

products have undergone this process. Labels are not required to list

this information.

 

Phenylenediamine - Used in permanent hair dyes, phenylenediamine can

cause eczema, bronchial asthma, gastritis, skin irritation and even

death. It is also a carcinogen. It can react with other chemicals to

cause photosensitivity. The US Food and Drug Administration proposed

legislation which would have required warning labels on products,

advising that this ingredient can penetrate skin and has been

determined to cause cancer in lab animals. If passed, beauty salons

would have had to post warnings for their customers. Cosmetic

industry lobbyists defeated the proposal.

 

Phthalates - Everyone in the general population is exposed to

phthalates from one source or another. They are found in many

products from plastics to shampoo. These hormone-disrupting chemicals

are suspected of contaminating breast milk and causing damage to the

kidneys, liver, lungs and reproductive organs. One type of phthalate,

diethyl phthalate (DEP) is commonly found in fragrances and other

personal care products. Phthalates are used to enhance fragrances, as

solvents, and to denature alcohol. A study published in Environmental

Health Perspectives (December 2002) found that DEP is damaging to the

DNA of sperm in adult men at current levels of exposure. DNA damage

to sperm can lead to infertility and may also be linked to

miscarriages, birth defects, infertility and cancer in offspring. DEP

is the phthalate found in the highest levels in humans. Recent

product tests found the chemical in every fragrance tested in the

United States. Manufacturers are not required to list phthalates on

product labels, so they are difficult to avoid.

 

Polysorbate 60 and Polysorbate 80 - Polysorbate 60 and polysorbate 80

may be contaminated with 1,4-dioxane, a carcinogen. Dioxane readily

penetrates the skin. While dioxane can be removed from products

easily and economically by vacuum stripping during the manufacturing

process, there is no way to determine which products have undergone

this process. Labels are not required to list this information.

 

Propylene Glycol - Propylene glycol is recognized as a neurotoxin by

the National Institute for Occupational Health and Safety in the U.S.

It is known to cause contact dermatitis, kidney damage and liver

abnormalities. It is widely used as a moisture-carrying ingredient in

place of glycerine because it is cheaper and more readily absorbed

through the skin. The Material Safety Data Sheet for propylene glycol

warns workers handling this chemical to avoid skin contact.