Friday, October 10, 2008 Peña: Now it's cosmetics By Rox Peña E-ssue
AFTER testing milk products for melamine, the Bureau of Food and Drugs (BFAD) might check cosmetics soon for toxic substances. This after three solons, including our very own Rep. Dong Gonzales, filed House resolution 760 asking congress to conduct a probe on toxic substances from beauty products.
I believe this will not be an easy task for BFAD. I checked their website and found a 53-page document of banned substances and another 29-page list of those regulated according to application and concentration. That's like finding a needle in a haystack. Which substance will they check first?
Well, they can start with the substances identified by the three lawmakers. Most of the chemicals mentioned are in the article I found in the Internet entitled "Dirty Dozen SSC: The Dirty Dozen Ingredients In Personal Care Products" written by Diane di Costanzo. (http://www.thegreenguide.com/doc/100/10uglies).
Here's the write -up:
ANTIBACTERIALS: Found in cleansers, deodorants and other cosmetic products, antibacterial agents such as Triclosan encourage the rise of drug-resistant bacteria, according to a studies in the April 1999 Journal of Biological Chemistry and the July 13 2000 Nature.
COAL-TAR COLORS: So-called coal-tar chemicals are found in many "FD&C" or "D&C" colors used in makeup and hair dye. FD&C Blue 1 and FD &C Green 3 are carcinogenic, and impurities in other colors -- D&C Red 33, FD&C Yellow 5 and FD&C Yellow 6 -- have been shown to cause cancer when applied to the skin.
DIETHANOLAMINE (DEA): Widely used in shampoos, DEA is a suspected carcinogen, and its compounds and derivatives include triethanolamine (TEA), which can be contaminated with nitrosamines -- compounds shown to cause cancer in laboratory animals. Contamination is more likely if the product also contains Bronopol
FORMALDEHYDE: Found in eye shadows, mascaras and other cosmetics, formaldehyde is "reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen," according to the National Toxicology Program's "Ninth Report on Carcinogens" (January 2001). The EPA classifies it as a probable human carcinogen.
GLYCOL ETHERS: Widely-used industrial solvents found in nail polish, deodorant, perfumes and other cosmetics, some glycol ethers are hazardous to the reproductive system. Other effects of overexposure include anemia and irritation of the skin, eyes, nose and throat. Avoid those listed on labels as EGPE, EGME, EGEE, DEGBE, PGME, DPGME and those with "methyl" in their names.
HEAVY METALS: LEAD AND MERCURY: A brain-and nervous-system toxin as well as a known carcinogen and hormone disruptor, lead accumulates in the bones. It is found in lead acetate in hair dyes and makeup.
MERCURY: A tiny amount of this potent nervous-system toxin, which accumulates in the body, is allowed as a preservative in eye-area cosmetics.
PARABENS: Used in underarm deodorants, parabens have recently been found in tissue samples from human breast tumors according to a study published in the Jan/Feb 2004 Journal of Applied Toxicology.
The estrogenic activity of parabens may be linked to the development of breast cancer, since estrogen is "a major aetiological factor in the growth of human breast cancer" according to an editorial accompanying the study. Parabens of many types, including methyl-, ethyl-, propyl-, butyl-, isobutyl- and others, have shown hormonal activity. This study did not show how the parabens entered the breast.
PETROLATUM (vaseline, petroleum jelly): Commonly- used in cold creams, lipsticks, lip protection, baby creams, eye shadows. Petrolatum can cause allergic reactions in sensitive individuals. Furthermore, since it is a petroleum product, its use depletes a non-renewable resource.
PHENYLENEDIAMINE (PPD): Found in many hairdyes, PPD is linked with skin irritations, and respiratory disorders. PPD is mutagenic and reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen, and has been banned in Europe. Also called oxidation dyes, amino dyes para dyes,or peroxide dyes.
PHTHALATES: Used widely in fragrances, deodorants, nail polishes, hair products and lotions, the oily texture of phthalates acts like a moisturizer and helps lotions penetrate skin. Various members of this family of chemical plasticizers have been found to produce cancer of the liver and birth defects in lab animals. Since phthalates often "hide" behind the term "fragrance", choose products labeled "fragrance-free" or that are scented exclusively with pure botanical or essential oils.
SODIUM LAURYL SULFATE (SLS): The Cosmetics Ingredient Review (CIR), a panel of cosmetics-industry experts established to safety-test ingredients (cir-safety.org), reported that SLS also causes "severe epidermal changes" to mouse skin, a finding that "indicates a need for tumor-enhancing activity assays." This year, after review of over 250 existing SLS studies, the CIR concluded that SLS is not cancer-causing. However, Samuel Epstein, M.D., says he is not convinced and recommends avoiding SLS.
TOLUENE: This solvent found in nail products can cause liver damage and is irritating to the skin and respiratory tract.
