Using personal care products might be detrimental to your health, studies show.
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Our skins are like a sponge; they are quite effective at absorbing the chemicals we use on our body, making some personal care products containing dangerous chemicals potentially harmful to our bodies. Studies show that more than 90% of the chemicals used in personal care products have never been tested for safety and while they’re effective at eradicating germs, they’ve also been known to cause cancer and other skin complications.
While there have been plenty of studies that have failed to prove that these products are directly responsible for cancer, some studies have proven a correlation between various types of cancers and other diseases, and the use of specific personal care products. Here are 8 personal care products that might be harmful to your body:
1. Soaps
Triclosan, which is the main ingredient in antibacterial soap has been linked to thyroid problems and even cancer, while surfactants like sodium lauryl have been known to irritate the skin and cause allergies. There’s a healthy alternative, of course. Check out Health Ranger Store for more natural soaps.
2. Deodorant
Parabens and other petroleum byproducts that are common substances used in deodorant can harm the body’s endocrine system. Antiperspirants are especially harmful because they restrict the sweat glands, which blocks the release of toxins from your body. Look for chemical-free deodorants that target the bacteria responsible for the smell, instead of antiperspirants, which block the natural processes in your body.
3. Lipstick
The average woman will inadvertently eat seven pounds of lipstick over the course of her life. That wouldn’t be so bad if most brands didn’t contain tar, formaldehyde and lead.
4. Mascara
Most brands of mascara contain aluminum, retinyl acetate, petrolatum and other substances that have been known to affect the body’s hormonal balance.
5. Toothpaste
Toothpaste contains plenty of synthetic dyes, saccharin (which is actually a neurotoxin) and sodium lauryl sulfate, which has been linked to various forms of cancers.
6. Sunscreen
Most sunscreen products currently on the market are chemical-based, which makes them quite dangerous, as they’re loaded with plenty of hormone-disrupting chemicals that mess with the body’s metabolism and reproductive system. Environmental Working Group has warned people not to use cheap chemical-based sunscreens because they contain oxybenzone, octinoxate, homosalate, octisalate, octocrylene and avobenzone – substances that have been known to cause various health problems.
7. Acne treatment products
Benzoyl peroxide, which is the main ingredient in skin care products, has been closely linked to skin cancer.
8. Hairspray
Hairspray has been known to cause lung damage if inhaled, with symptoms like blurred vision, burning eyes and difficult breathing, while the chemicals used in hairspray products have been closely linked with various types of cancer.