We hear terms like "clean", "green", and "eco-friendly" thrown around a lot regarding personal care products. Thankfully, there's a trend towards choosing ingredients for products that are safer for humans, animals, and the planet. But with so much information out there, it can be overwhelming when it comes time to choose a product. Will it give me cancer? Will I have an allergic reaction to it? Will it adversely affect one or more of my organ systems? Will it kill the sperm of wild salmon? Or will it be made from beeswax where they're destroying the bee hives? And of course, will the product deliver the results I want? There's a lot to unpack.
There has been a lot of research lately on personal care and household products to try to determine the safety of the ingredients. It would be impossible to keep up with all the info and avoid every single ingredient that is deemed "potentially harmful". However enough is known about what I will call "the big 6" ingredients to avoid, that it makes sense to read labels and do your best to choose safer personal care products. You may wonder, is it really that important if I'm not consuming these but rather applying them to my skin??
Yes, it matters. The reason being that our skin is the largest organ in the body, and as such, was designed to be highly efficient at allowing some molecules to be absorbed through the skin and then enter the bloodstream. Because of this efficiency, pharmaceutical companies have taken advantage of this quality, and have made medications that can be given via the "transdermal" route, i.e. using creams, gels, and patches. Examples would include hormone creams, pain rubs, pain patches, nicotine patches, etc. In anesthesiology, we sometimes give medications intranasally (in the nose) for babies when they need sedation but do not yet have intravenous access. Our skin and our mucous membranes (nose, mouth, anus, vagina, area around the eyes) absorb medications very easily if there is a lipid soluble component. Likewise, our skin and mucous membranes can easily absorb chemicals in our personal care products. And since we use a personal care product anywhere from 5 to 30 times per day, this can really add up over time. Aside from watching out for our own personal health and safety, it makes sense to look out for the environment. After all, we rely on the environment to provide us with safe food, water, raw materials for our infrastructure, etc. Maintaining a balanced and healthy ecosystem benefits us, and all the creatures in it. We need biodiversity to continue to thrive. End Soapbox, let's talk ingredients : )
"The Big 6": What to avoid
Parabens (Methyl-, Propyl-, Isobutyl-) : These preservatives are used to keep bacteria from growing in products. There is a concern that they may be endocrine disruptors. This means they could disrupt the hormone system in various ways, increasing or decreasing the production of certain hormones, resulting in health problems. A developing fetus, babies, and children are more at risk since they are still growing.
Phthalates: these are chemicals commonly used as fragrance in products and may show up on the ingredients list as "parfum" or simply "fragrance". Once again the main concern with these substances is endocrine disruption. Opting for fragrance-free products may help you to avoid some of these offenders.
Formaldehyde: this has been used in hair color products and hair-straightening products. It can cause respiratory irritation, as well as hypersensitivity reactions, contact dermatitis, and possibly may be a carcinogen (lead to cancer). Some of the newer hair care formulas are made without formaldehyde, but be sure to ask your stylist and read labels if doing home treatments.
Triclosan: this has been added to personal care products for its antimicrobial properties. It's a pesticide that is known to be an environmental toxin and a thyroid toxin, and may persist in our bodies and the environment for a long time (persistence & bioaccumulation). Best to avoid it! Check the labels of hand sanitizers, as it has been a popular ingredient in these products.
Oxybenzone: I could group with this chemical with many of the other so called "chemical UV filters" or chemical sunscreens. It has long been an ingredient in sunscreens, but again due to concerns that it may affect the hormone system, it is not the best choice. Stick with your mineral-based sunscreens which research shows are probably the safest ones to use. See my post on safer sunscreens: https://www.theantiagingmd.com/post/fyi-on-your-spf
Talc: this is an ingredient in cosmetics, face powders, and body powders. The reason this made the list is that there is concern that talc products may be contaminated with asbestos. Asbestos has been associated with cancers like mesothelioma (a type of lung cancer). There are plenty of useful alternatives to talc that work great in cosmetics, and carry less potential risk.
Lastly, I personally try to avoid ingredients that are animal-derived. Things like Emu oil, Equine oil, and Mink oil. As an animal lover, I worry about animal welfare when these products are being used as ingredients.
Remember that you get to vote with how you spend your money, so make sure you're voting for cleaner, greener ingredients!
All the best,
Dr. B
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