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The average American household is a toxic chemical dump. Are you aware that most of the shampoos and personal care products used today have cancer causing agents? The following identifies many of the ingredients commonly found in shampoos and skin care products and their possible side effects.
ISOPROPYL ALCOHOL: Isopropyl alcohol is found in hair color rinses, body rubs, hand lotions, after shave lotions, fragrances and many other cosmetics. This petroleum derived substance is also used in antifreeze. According to a Consumer's Dictionary of Cosmetic Ingredients, inhalation or ingestion of the vapor may cause headaches, flushing, dizziness, mental depression, nausea, vomiting, narcosis and coma.
PROPYLENE GLYCOL (PG): As a "surfactant" or wetting agent and solvent, this ingredient is actually the active component in antifreeze. It is used in industry to break down protein and cellular structure (what the skin is made of) yet is found in most forms of make-up, hair products, lotions, after shave- deodorants, mouthwashes and toothpaste. It is also used in food processing. Because of its ability to quickly penetrate the skin, the EPA requires workers to wear protective gloves, clothing and goggles when working with this toxic substance. The Material Safety Data Sheets warn against skin contact, as PG has systemic consequences such as brain, liver, and kidney abnormalities.
SODIUM LAURYL SULFATE (SLS) & SODIUM LAURETH SULFATE (SLES): Used as detergents and surfactants, these closely related compounds are found in car wash soaps, garage floor cleaners and engine degreasers. Yet both SLS and SLES are used more widely as one of the major ingredients in cosmetics, toothpaste, hair conditioner and about 90% of all shampoos and products that foam. According to the American College of Toxicology states both SLS and SLES can cause malformation in children's eyes. Other research has indicated SLS may be damaging to the immune system, especially within the skin. Skin layers may separate and inflame due to its protein denaturing properties. It is possibly the most dangerous of all ingredients in personal care products. According to the American College of Toxicity report, SLS stays in the body for up to five days. Other studies have indicated that SLS easily penetrates through the skin and enters and maintains residual levels in the heart, the liver, the lungs and the brain. This poses serious questions regarding its potential health threat through its use in shampoos, cleansers and toothpaste.
DEA (diethanolamine) MEA (momoethanolamine) TEA (triethanolamine): DEA and MEA are usually listed on the ingredient label in conjunction with the compound being neutralized. Look for names like Cocamide DEA or MEA, Lauramide DEA, etc. These are hormone disrupting chemicals and are known to form cancer causing nitrates and nitrosamines. These are commonly found in most personal care products that foam, including bubble baths, body washes, shampoos, soaps and facial cleansers. A recent government report shows DEA and MEA are readily absorbed in the skin. Repeated skin applications of DEA-based detergents resulted in a major increase in the incidence of two cancers - liver and kidney cancers.
FD & C COLOR PIGMENTS: Many color pigments cause skin sensitivity and irritation. Absorption of certain colors can cause depletion of oxygen in the body and even death according to a Consumer's Dictionary of Cosmetic Ingredients. Colors that can be used in foods, drugs and cosmetics are made from coal tar. There is a great deal of controversy about their use, because animal studies have shown almost all of them to be carcinogenic.
FRAGRANCE: Fragrance is present in most deodorants, shampoos, sunscreens, skin care, body care, and baby products. Fragrance on a label can indicate the presence of up to 4,000 separate ingredients. Most of all of them are synthetic. Symptoms reported to the FDA have included headaches, dizziness, rashes, skin discoloration, violent coughing and vomiting, and allergic skin irritation. Clinical observation by medical doctors have shown that exposure to fragrances can affect the central nervous system, causing depression, hyperactivity, irritability, inability to cope, and other behavioral changes.
IMIDAZOLIDINYL UREA and DMDM HYDANTOIN: These are just two of the many preservatives that release formaldehyde (formaldehyde-donors). Nearly all brands of skin, body and hair care, antiperspirants and nail polish found in stores contain formaldehyde releasing ingredients. Exposure to formaldehyde may cause joint pain, allergies, depression, headaches, chest pains, ear infections, chronic fatigue, dizziness and loss of sleep. It can also aggravate coughs and colds and trigger asthma. Serious side effects include weakening of the immune system and cancer.
PESTICIDES: are directly released, indoors and outdoors, to get rid of insects, weeds and molds. They are also incorporated into soaps and household cleaning products, paints, and wall papers, and applied to carpets, textiles, and other products prior to sale. Many pesticides are linked to disruption of the hormone and reproductive system as well as being suspected carcinogens. Over 4 billion pounds of toxic chemicals are released by industry into the nation's environment each year, including 72 million pounds of recognized carcinogens.
You could be arrested if you dumped these same chemicals into a river -- that would be a violation of federal law. And yet, you put them into your body every single day, and that's not only legal, it's actually encouraged by media coverage, advertisements, department stores, and retailers. It is perfectly possible, by the way, to live a life free of these toxic products. All you have to do is stop buying the toxic products, throw them out, and start buying products that actually protect your health.
Remember, I'm not a doctor. I just sound like one. Take good care of yourself and live the best life possible!
Glenn Ellis lectures and is an active media contributor nationally and internationally on health related topics, including health education and health promotion particularly relevant to the African-American community. e-mail me at info@glennellis.com For more good health information, visit: www.glennellis.com