TOXIC COSMETICS
Toxicologists have clearly shown that many of the most popular cosmetics and personal care products - from shampoos to skin lotions - contain ingredients that act just like the female hormone estrogen and can potentially cause cancers.

Just as women are warned to avoid HRT which can also increase the risk of breast cancer, they should avoid cosmetics that can cause cancers and other health problems.

PARABENS
There are skin lotions, available at almost any supermarkets that contain paraben preservatives (methyl-, ethyl-, propyl-, and butyl-paraben). Paraben preservatives have been identified as clear-cut xenoestrogens (substances that have the potential to act like the female hormone estrogen in women's bodies). Many popular-brand shampoos also contain parabens. Most cosmetics clearly indicate this ingredient so it is easy to spot.

In a 1998 report in Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology, researchers from the Department of Biology & Biochemistry, BrunelUniversity, Uxbridge, Middlesex, found that paraben preservatives are estrogenic. In an estrogen receptor-binding assay, butylparaben was able to compete with the female hormone estradiol and was not much less potent than diethylstilbestrol (DES, a highly carcinogenic synthetic estrogen). In addition, administration of butylparaben into the skin produced a positive estrogenic response on uterine tissues. The researchers conclude, "Given their use in a wide range of commercially available topical preparations, it is suggested that the safety in use of these chemicals should be reassessed..."

In 2005, researchers reported that parabens not only cause human breast cancer cells to proliferate but that they activate estrogen-responsive genes. Offering further evidence for parabens' disturbing effects on breast cancer risk, British researcher Dr. Philippa Darbre and colleagues at the University of Reading carried out tests on samples of 20 different human breast tumors taken from cancer sufferers. Writing in the Journal of Applied Toxicology, they say they found traces of parabens in 20 out of the 20 tumors. Levels of parabens that had been absorbed in four of the tumors were so high that they could have had a damaging biological effect on cells.

PHTHALATES
However, phthalates, which also imitate toxic forms of estrogen, are not listed on labels. Yet many cosmetic and personal care products contain phthalates in particular, dimethyl phthalate (DMP), diethyl phthalate (DEP), and dibutyl phthalate (DBP). Phthalates provide flexibility to products like hair sprays (making them less stiff on the hair) and nail polishes (so they don't chip as easily). Phthalates also extend the scent release of perfumes.

Every American and European fragrance the nonprofit Environmental Working Group tested contained phthalates. European deodorants EWG recently tested also all contain phthalates. When testing 72 name-brand, off-the-shelf beauty products for the presence of phthalates, the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics lab found phthalates in nearly three quarters of the products tested, though the chemicals were not listed on any of the labels.

Phthalates can be absorbed into the human body either through inhalation or through the skin. Leave-on products, such as facial make-up and skin lotions, are of greatest concern because of the long exposure time and opportunity for migration via the skin into the bloodstream. Their use in cosmetics is particularly troubling because their absorption into the bloodstream bypasses the gastrointestinal tract where they might be broken down. In other words, cosmetic products likely deliver one of the most potent dosages of these toxins.

Puerto Rico has the highest known incidence of premature thelarche (premature breast development) ever reported, according to researchers reporting in Environmental Health Perspectives.

An investigation was designed by researchers at the University of Puerto Rico and San Juan City Hospital to identify pollutants in the blood serum of Puerto Rican girls with premature thelarche. Forty-one serum samples from thelarche patients and 35 control samples were analyzed. No pesticides or their metabolite residues were detected in the serum of the study or control subjects. However, significantly high levels of phthalates were identified in 28 (68 percent) samples from thelarche patients. Of the control samples analyzed, only one showed significant levels of phthalates. The researchers conclude, "This study suggests a possible association between plasticizers with known estrogenic and antiandrogenic activity and the cause of premature breast development in a human female population."

The phthalates found at significantly elevated levels in the blood serum of young Puerto Rican girls with premature secondary sexual characteristics were dimethyl, diethyl, and dibutyl phthalates-all widely used in cosmetic products.

SODIUM LAURYL SULPHATE
Talk to many health-conscious consumers today about personal care products and one of their main topics of concern is use of the allegedly dangerous shampoo and toothpaste ingredient, sodium lauryl sulfate. How dangerous is sodium lauryl sulfate?

Other studies have indicated that sodium lauryl sulfate enters and maintains residual levels in the heart, liver, lungs and brain from skin contact. This poses the question whether it could be a serious potential health threat from its use in shampoos, cleansers, and toothpastes.

Still other research has indicated sodium lauryl sulfate may be damaging to the immune system, especially within the skin. Skin layers may separate and inflame due to its protein denaturing properties.

Although sodium lauryl sulfate is not carcinogenic in experimental studies, it has been shown that it causes severe epidermal changes in the area it is applied, indicating a need for tumour-enhancing assays.

LIPSTICKS
 

The suspect chemicals in lipstick may be absorbed into your body as you moisten your lips throughout the day. Chemicals that could be found in lipsticks include butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) and sodium saccharin, as well as artificial colours including D&C Orange 5, D&C Orange 17, D&C Red 9, D&C Red 19, FD&C Blue 1, FD&C Yellow, and FD&C Yellow 6. Certain toxic metals such as lead and tin have also been found at high levels in lipsticks.

Independent laboratory testing initiated by the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics in 2007 found that lipsticks from top brands contain lead. Two-thirds of the 33 samples tested contained detectable levels of lead, a potent neurotoxin and linked to numerous other health problems. Source: http://www.safecosmetics.org .

HAIR DYES
A European Commission watchdog has criticised the hair dye industry for failing to provide evidence of the safety of its products. Researchers have found that long-serving hairdressers were also at increased risk.

Colourings used in some hair dyes could cause cancer, it has been claimed.

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Poisonous Lipstick

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