Your shampoo, toothpaste, hair
sprays and dyes, underarm deodorants, body lotions, creams, perfume,
lipstick, bubble bath, shaving preparations, aftershave, deodorants,
scented soaps, fingernail polish and polish removers all can contain
substances that can make you sick.
So
many people developed asthma from scented perfume strips in magazines,
for example, that many advertisers discontinued them. Remember, what
you put on your skin
can go directly into your body.
There
is little supervision of the cosmetics industry. The FDA does not require
manufacturers to register their products or to file safety data on the
ingredients used. There is nothing stopping them from putting a number
of toxic chemicals in their products. One perfume, for example, can
contain over 200 chemicals.
There
is no doubt that many products contain numerous substances that can
make you ill, and some are known to cause cancer in animals. Many chemicals
can damage the skin, cause rashes like hives or eczema or a contact
rash on the spot where they are placed. Some can hurt inner organs,
cause asthma or hay fever, sudden hoarseness or problems thinking clearly,
behaving appropriately or even writing. One giant whiff of a perfume
spray, for example, can create a medical emergency and cause some, who
are very sensitive, to collapse or be unable to stand and walk. Only
about 1% of the population, for example, recognizes they are bothered
by perfumes. The number affected is probably much larger. Those who
have multiple chemical sensitivities are almost always extremely ill
or incapacitated by exposures to innumerable scented items
Let's
look at a few examples:
•Fragrances
can contain urine and feces.
They can be toxic and cause allergies and changes in behavior.
•Artificial colors or dyes come from coal tar and
can contain heavy metals and deposit toxins in the skin. Some cause
cancer.
•Mineral oil in baby oil sounds safe but it clogs
skin pores like a plastic coating. It can lead to premature aging of
the skin and cause acne.
•Sodium lauryl sulfate is one such product. It
is in 90% of personal care products that foam. It can damage cell membranes
and possibly cause hair loss. It is commonly found in shampoos. It is
used as an engine degreaser and in car washes.
•Another substance is called propylene glycol (PG).
This is in shampoos, styling gels, body lotions and creams. It is actually
antifreeze. Propylene glycol (PG.) weakens skin cells. It’s so toxic
those who work with it must wear gloves and goggles.
•Cocamide DEA is another substance found in shampoo
and bath products. In mice, it can cause liver and kidney cancer.
•There is another category called alpha hydroxyl acids.
Substances such as glycolic, citric, lactic, malic, or hydroxycaprylic
acid can be found in body creams and sometimes in shampoos. These can
cause redness, burning, bleeding, blistering, itching, rashes and discoloration.
They increase sun sensitivity and therefore the risk of skin cancer.
•Polyelthylene glycol (PEG) can cause dry skin,
cancer and aging. It is used in oven cleaners and can be in many body
products.
•Another substance is isopropyl alcohol. This
strips the skin of its natural protection barrier.
•Mono, di or tri ethanol amines disrupt hormones
and produce cancer causing substances such as nitrates and nitro amines
that are known to damage the liver and kidney.
•DMDM hydantoin and imidazolidinyl urea can release
formaldehyde and cause joint pain, heart irregularities and a weakened
immune system.
•Butyl toluene is used as a fragrance fixative
so aromas last longer. One is a nitro-musk compound known to cause weak
hind legs in rats and serious nervous system problems and brain cell
damage. What does it do to humans?
•Tricolsan is similar to the pesticide\defoliant
Agent Orange and can cause decreased fertility, birth defects
and damage to major body organs.
•Fluorides are in most toothpaste's used today.
Read the labels. The government has stated it can be unsafe. Children
under 7 should not swallow more than a pea-sized amount. If it were
unsafe for a small child, why would it be safe in your toothpaste or
water, for you or your other children?
