Step one: Don't panic! (stay out of traffic!)
Step two: examine claims.
Step three: debunk crap
Quote:
Originally Posted by Palermo
A recent study from biochemist Richard Bence suggests that women who use make-up every day are flooding their bodies with as much as 5lbs of chemicals each year.
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Who is Richard Bence? Was there ever a "recent study"?
THIS is Richard Bence:
Being Organic - About Us
He's an organic advocate and certainly has a vested interest in scaring people away from commercial products and toward his own. At the very least there is a conflict of interest that ought to have been pointed out in the article. Interestingly, none of the scare stories gives a reference to a source for this "study". The claims of "five pounds" sound dubious. Does the average woman even use five pounds of makeup per year? Is he even in the position to conduct such a study? How would it be done? Has he, as I suspect, just pulled the numbers out of his ass? According to Skin magazine(Source:
Skin Magazine | Women absorb 5lbs of chemicals a year though their skin from beauty products ), Bence published his "study" in the cosmetics trade magazine In-Cosmetics(can't find this one online if indeed his "study" exists). It is a promotional vehicle published in conjunction with a yearly trade show where companies that sell cosmetic ingredients go to show off their newest products and is NOT a peer reviewed scientific journal. The skin is not some magic sponge that absorbs everything (or even '60%' as claimed lower in the article) placed on it. The whole thing smells of BS.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Palermo
"The average woman will eat two pounds of lipstick in her lifetime," says Ruth Wallerius, founder of PurelyNatural.net "Most lipsticks contain petroleum derivatives so try brands based on beeswax, plant oils or vitamin E." |
Do check out her website. It's one of those domain placeholders. What she is quoted as saying is interesting. It is word for word plagiarism from an article from The Guardian newspaper from 2004.Source:
20 Ways to Reduce Your Intake of Chemicals in Body Care Products--Guardian UK because the original article is not longer available online) The two pounds figure has no source. Just endless repeating as if it's fact.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Palermo
Dr Susan Blakeney of The College of Optometrists, explains why we shouldn't. "Mascara can be a breeding ground for bacteria," she says. "Nearly half of women suffer from itchy, watery and red eyes when they are keeping make-up for so long and sharing it among their friends."
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This is one of the few bits of truth in this steaming pile.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Palermo
Those who use permanent hair dye are 2.1 times more likely to develop bladder cancer (as are their hairdressers) according to the International Journal of Cancer.
Both ammonia and paraphenylenediamine (PPD) - a chemical substance widely used in dyes - can cause allergic reactions too. Hairdresser Karine Jackson says she's switched to organic dye after investigating the alternatives.
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"Up to now, some research has indicated that using hair dye may lead to increased risk of
bladder cancer, while other research has suggested it doesn’t. Some of the research has considered different types of dyes and others haven't. Some studies have probably been too small to show up any small increase in ris k. In the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) May 2005, there was a large meta analysis published that looked into all the research on hair dyes causing cancer. A meta analysis is research that pulls together all previous study results. This has found that there is
unlikely to be any link between hair dye use and bladder cancer."
"
There is no definite evidence of a link between the use of any type of hairdye and non Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL), leukaemia or myeloma. Some studies have shown a slight possible increase in risk and other studies have found no link. The meta analysis of all these studies, published in the JAMA in May 2005, found that there may be a small link between hair dye use and myeloma, lymphoma or some types of lymphoblastic leukaemia. But the results of this paper show that
if there is any increase in risk, it must be extremely small.
A study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology in 2004, focusing only on
non Hodgkin's lymphoma, suggests that long term use of dark hair dye may slightly increase your risk of developing non Hodgkin’s lymphoma. But the researchers say these findings don’t prove that colouring your hair causes cancer. The study points out that there could be an increase in risk for people who used hair dyes before 1980. A lot of hair dyes made before 1980 contained chemicals that were known to cause cancer in mice. Since 1980, hair dyes have changed dramatically and many no longer contain these cancer causing chemicals (carcinogens)."
Source:
Does hair dye cause cancer?
Paraphenylenediamine on the other hand CAN cause reactions.
Reaction caused by the use of hair dye in mild cases usually only involves dermatitis to the upper eyelids or the rims of the ears. In more severe cases, there may be marked reddening and swelling of the scalp and the face. The eyelids may completely close and the
allergic contact dermatitis reaction may become widespread.
Severe allergy to PPD can result in contact urticaria and rarely,
anaphylaxis.
Source:
Paraphenylenediamine & hair dye contact allergy. DermNet NZ
So do the patch test!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Palermo
You've been faithfully brushing twice daily since childhood but some pastes contain sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS) - known to cause recurrent mouth ulcers. It's been prohibited in bubble baths because it can cause rashes and infection.
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MOST, not some, toothpastes contain SLS but MOST people are not that sensitive to it. Canker sores as a result of irritation from toothpaste don't happen to everybody. Toothpaste is only in your mouth for a minute while you brush and then you rinse and spit. If it is causing irritation, and SLS is a known irritant, definitely discontinue. It most certainly has not been prohibited in bubble baths. Just look at the ingredients.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Palermo
A pearly white smile is obviously appealing but teeth whitening kits can have their pitfalls too.
Dr Phil Stemmer, dentist to Jude Law and Patsy Kensit, reveals, "Over-the-counter whitening kits use chemicals with a low pH which are highly acidic.
"Acid softens and dissolves tooth enamel which can mean your teeth could end up weaker and looking more yellow."
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The pH of over-the-counter tooth whitening kits varies widely and is not necessarily low. A high pH can be just as damaging as a low pH and formulas used by dentists are not necessarily pH neutral. The bleaching agents themselves will weaken tooth enamel. Source:
The pH of Tooth-Whitening Products
Quote:
Originally Posted by Palermo
Aluminium in antiperspirants has been highlighted after tests on women who've had mastectomies found high levels of metal in their outer breast tissue. Research has showed that metal could cause cancer and tests suggest parabens - chemicals in beauty products and toiletries - are also linked with the killer disease.
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"Scientists first became aware of aluminum's potential health risks 20 years
ago, when a group of kidney patients came down with a similar form of
dementia after being exposed to aluminum through dialysis. Another study
found aluminum inside the plaques and tangles that appear in Alzheimer's
patients' brains.
Meanwhile, a few epidemiological studies found that people with a high level
of aluminum in their drinking water had a higher incidence of Alzheimer's.
Other studies that followed, however, did not show the same correlation.
Studies of cultures that drink large amounts of tea (which leaches a lot of
aluminum) also did not show a link. After several decades,
scientists have
been unable to replicate the original studies showing aluminum deposits in a
brain affected by Alzheimer's. "There was an aluminum scare 20 years ago,
but it now looks like there is no connection," says Harvard Alzheimer's
researcher Dr. Ashley Bush.
New research, by Bush and others, shows Alzheimer's to be a much more
complex illness than anyone had imagined. "
"Experts now believe if aluminum does appear in an Alzheimer's brain, it's
simply because it is so common in our environment. "It's a major component
of the Earth's crust, so it shows up everywhere," Bush says. As for food and
water contamination, aluminum probably isn't much of a threat because most
of it passes right through the intestines without being absorbed. "
Source:
E Aluminum Alzheimer's
And that's with ingested aluminum. Any amount absorbed through the skin would be much smaller.
"epidemiologist Amy Borenstein of the College of Public Health at the University of South Florida in Tampa. Her 1990 case-control study, reported in the
Journal of Clinical Epidemiology, found no association between aluminum-containing products and Alzheimer's disease. "If it even plays a role at all," she says, "it's negligible."" Source:
Fact or Fiction?: Antiperspirants Do More Than Block Sweat: Scientific American
And for anybody using one of those crystal deodorants in an effort to avoid aluminum, yes it is a "pure mineral salt".......potassium aluminum sulphate.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Palermo
Around 79 per cent of liquid soaps and 29 per cent of bar soaps contain triclosan - an antibiotic designed to kill a wide variety of germs.
MRSA. However it seems this trend for cleanliness could actually be too effective and lead to bacterial resistance. This in turn can contribute to incidence of
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True. This is an unnecessary ingredient. Have a wiki:
Triclosan - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Quote:
Originally Posted by Palermo
"One of the main things to avoid in pregnancy are laurel sulphates (often in shampoos and toothpaste)," says Leila Wilcox, founder of Halos and Horns, who produce chemical-free toiletries for children. "Your skin absorbs around 60 per cent of products so what you apply to your skin goes into your system which is then absorbed by your foetus.
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Sodium laurel sulphate
is an irritant. It is also a cheap and effective degreaser. You don't leave it on your head though. It is in a concentration of about 15% in shampoos and is used and then rinsed off.
It does not cause cancer.
ACS :: Debunking the Myth Again the "absorbs around 60 per cent" looks like it was pulled out of someone's ass. Leila Wilcox clearly has a vested interest in denigrating commercial products because she is trying to promote her own. That being said, personally I prefer shampoos without SLS/SLES because the laurel/laureth sulphate containing shampoos are a little too effective at cleaning and seem to leave the hair feeling stripped and dry whereas the shampoo I use leaves my hair shinier and softer. The laurel sulphates won't hurt you though.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Palermo
"Parabens (often in deodorants, shampoo and make-up) have been linked with cancer so should be avoided too. We recommend you don't bathe your baby in anything apart from plain warm water for at least a month after the birth. Their skin is tender and thin and the chemicals that they absorb leave them with skin problems for the rest of their lives. Use olive oil on dry cracked skin or even breast milk!"
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Parabens are used as preservatives in cosmetic products. They are even in many "natural" cosmetic products. They have to be or the products would grow all sorts of nasties. They are "practically non-toxic, not carcinogenic, not genotoxic or co-carcinogenic and not teratogenic" Source:
http://ec.europa.eu/health/ph_risk/c...sccp_o_00d.pdf "Skin problems for the rest of their lives" my ass.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Palermo
Baby wipes often contain propylene glycol, a chemical that carries moisture in cosmetics. A common ingredient in anti-freeze and paint it's classified by the government as a "safe toxin".
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What a load of crap. While
propylene glycol
can be used as antifreeze,
ethylene glycol is what is commonly known as anti-freeze and is the liquid generally used in vehicles. They are two different chemicals and by connecting propylene glycol to antifreeze they are creating unnecessary panic since most people know that "anti-freeze is poisonous".
Ethylene glycol is highly toxic and MUST be kept away from children and pets who have been known to drink it due to the sweet taste.
Propylene glycol is not known as a "safe toxin" it is actually classified by the government as "Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS)" meaning that under the conditions of its intended use, it is safe. I have never seen the designation "safe toxin". It is approved for use in food, medicines and cosmetics to hold moisture. It gets used as a personal lubricant and as an airplane de-icer among many other uses. Your body metabolizes ethylene glycol into oxalic acid which is toxic while propylene glycol gets changed into lactic acid; something your body produces naturally through exercise. Yes, it is used in paints and you shouldn't drink paint. That does not mean that all paint ingredients are poisonous.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Palermo
Talcum powder contains a substance similar to asbestos and the use of talc has been linked to increased cases of ovarian cancer.
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Inconclusive. (But why would you use it 'down there' anyway?) Also, talc is similar to asbestos in the same way that I am similar to a fungus. Talc and asbestos are both silicates. A fungus and I are both carbon-based lifeforms."A number of past studies found an increased risk of ovarian cancer from talcum powder use, but these studies were considered inconclusive because of limitations in the way data were collected and analyzed. A new study, using data from Harvard University’s Nurses’ Health Study, finds no overall risk of ovarian cancer from talc use and only a modest increase in one type of the disease – invasive serous ovarian cancer."
"Dr. Gertig and her colleagues used data on talc use prior to development of ovarian cancer, studying almost 80,000 women who responded to questions on talcum powder use in 1982 and were followed through 1996. The women were participants in the Nurses’ Health Study, a large, long-term study of 121,700 registered nurses in the US. The Australian researchers published their results in a recent issue of the
Journal of the National Cancer Institute (Vol. 92, No. 3).
"We compared the incidence of ovarian cancer among women who had reported talc use and those who did not report talc use," Dr. Gertig said. "We also had information on other potential risk factors for ovarian cancer, such as never having had children, and we considered these factors in the analysis. One of the strengths of our study was that we asked women about use oftalcum powder prior to development of ovarian cancer. In previous studies, women were asked about talc use after they developed ovarian cancer, and there was some concern that this may have biased the results."
Overall, the researchers found use of perineal talc was not associated with risk of ovarian cancer. This was true even for daily users of talcum powder. "However, we did find a modest increase in risk (about 40 percent) of a subtype of ovarian cancer," said Dr. Gertig. "Thus, there is a small possibility that using talcum powder in the genital area may increase the risk of a particular type of ovarian cancer."
Carmen Rodriguez, MD, MPH, senior epidemiologist at the American Cancer Society (ACS), calls the study "very well done," although it has limitations. "The researchers don’t know for how long and when the women usedtalcum powder," she said. "But one of this study’s strengths is the information on types of ovarian cancer. You would expect to find an increase in the serous type.""
Dr. Rodriguez said the study’s conclusions are not enough to either prove or disprove the theory that talc use increases ovarian cancer risk. "It’s one more piece of evidence," she said.
Dr. Gertig also says it is premature to make recommendations regarding talc use. "Overall, our results are reassuring, as we did not see any increase in risk when we looked at all ovarian cancers combined," she said. "This refutes the findings of some earlier studies. The possibility of a small increase in risk for certain subtypes of ovarian cancer should be interpreted cautiously. Further study of specific subtypes is needed as well as biologic research on how talc might affect the ovaries."
Since 1973, the US government has required that all home-use talcum products be asbestos-free. These products include baby powders, body powders and facial powders."
Source:
ACS :: Talc Use Linked to One Type of Ovarian Cancer
Like all powders, don't breathe it in. It will irritate the lungs with or without the asbestos contaminents.
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So cosmetics companies sell dreams and fear. The dream of looking like the airbrushed model and the fear of aging, the fear of poison. There are good chemicals and bad chemicals. There are good natural products and bad natural products. Pseudo-science and fear mongering aren't helping their credibility here. Cheers!
Oopsie! Forgot my aluminum does not cause breast cancer link:
ACS :: Antiperspirants and Breast Cancer Risk
Ugly face of your beauty regimen
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