One Out of Five Cosmetics May be Contaminated With Cancer-Causing Impurity

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http://www.mercola.com/2007/mar/1/one-out-of-five-cosmetics-may-be-contaminated-with-cancer-causing-impurity.htm

One Out of

Five Cosmetics May be Contaminated With Cancer-Causing Impurity

Although companies are required by law to list all

chemical ingredients in a personal care product, a loophole allows them to

list " fragrance " as a general category instead of a specific one.

" Fragrance "

can actually include complex mixtures of hundreds of chemicals -- some of

which have been linked to allergies, skin reactions, endocrine and hormone

disruption, and possibly even birth defects.

Companies

are not required to test cosmetics for safety before they are sold, and the

FDA does not systematically review the safety of fragrances. Instead, the

fragrance industry regulates itself, a practice that has led to widespread

use of chemicals that can cause health problems, including:

Phthalates:

These plasticizing ingredients have been linked to birth defects in the

reproductive system of boys and lower sperm-motility in adult men, among

other problems. Phthalates were present in nearly three-quarters of 72

products tested by the Environmental Working Group, although the word

" phthalate " never appeared on any label.

Musks:

Artificial musks accumulate in the body, and have been linked to skin

irritation, hormone disruption, and cancer in laboratory studies.

Allergic reactions:

Fragrances are among the top five known allergens, and can cause asthma

and trigger asthma attacks.

Environmental

Working Group

Dr. Mercola's Comment:

This past Valentine's Day you might have

expressed your loving thoughts with gifts such as scented perfumes,

colognes or toiletries. But because loopholes in federal law allow cosmetic

manufacturers to hide potentially dangerous chemicals, most of these

products are actually very unsafe.

Protected under the umbrella of federal law, companies

can hide health-harming combinations of chemicals in their cosmetics

that may harm, among others, your unborn baby -- and you'd never know it, even after

carefully reviewing product labels.

Just a reminder, only a miniscule portion of

cosmetics and toiletries have ever had all of their ingredients tested for safety, and the

toothless FDA doesn't review the safety of fragrances either.

And one of those primary ingredients hidden in

fragrances -- phthalates -- is among the more common poisons you're

exposed to every day. In experiments on rats, phthalates have

demonstrably blocked the action of fetal androgens, which affects gender

development in male offspring, with results including undescended testes at

birth, low sperm counts, and testicular tumors later in life.

On Vital Votes, Lifestyle Coach Josh Rubin from San Marcos,

California

says:

" In my opinion, this is one of the top causes of women's

hormonal imbalances, besides plastics and the pill. A great book to buy is

the Consumers' Guide to Cosmetics by Ruth Winter. You can look up any

ingredient and its effects on the body.

" You would be amazed!

" Some other

alternatives I recommend to clients are other high quality organic make up

(you can find them usually in your local organic health food store, [and]

they can recommend other companies) and Young Living Essential Oils. These

are great because they can be used as perfumes, as well as for other

ailments or for just an uplifting experience. "

Related Articles:

Make-Up Holds

Hidden Danger of Cancer

The

Toxic Parabens Hiding in Your Bathroom Products

Chemicals in

Many Cosmetics Detrimental to Your Unborn Son