Personal care products such as hair care, skin care products, shower gels, makeup products, etc., are daily consumer products widely used in today’s world. Nowadays, people are a lot more conscious of how they look and want to know how to cleanse or improve the appearance of their bodies.
Cosmetic Products Can Cause Serious Harm To Pregnant Women’s Health
Medical professionals are baffled as to why so many teenage girls have grown pubic hair or breasts. The explanation for this may be that since every child and adult has hormones in their bodies, exposing them to toxins that simulate hormones is unhealthy.
Children, teenagers, and pregnant women use skincare and hair care products. As a result, their effects on hormones are of great concern.
A recent study concluded that all those products might be causing serious harm to the human body in the most severe ways, which can often lead to cancer or infertility. Numerous toxins have been detected in cosmetic and personal care products, including formaldehyde, phthalates, lead, Benzophenone, Mercury, Triclosan, and Asbestos.
The study, conducted by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and the National Institutes of Health, looked at the link amongst personal care product use and amount of estrogen and progesterone and also a thyroid-stimulating hormone, in women who were pregnant.
It was also proven amounts of toxic elements required to have damaging effects vary by species and chemicals used.
What’s even worse is that the Companies aren’t obligated to use safe ingredients, list all the individual elements, evaluate their goods, or follow a quality production system to avoid bacterial growth, all under the Cosmetic Act of 1938.
This encourages companies to not declare every ingredient used and as a result of this loophole, skincare and hair care products contain dozens of new toxins with no medical data.
“Harmful chemicals are frequently detected in the lipsticks women wear on a daily basis, the hair oil we apply on our scalp, or the soap we very often use to clean ourselves,” said one of the researchers.
These toxins enter into our body when we breathe or swallow food and can even mix up with the skin cells when applied on our face and body and may have a long-term effect.”
For the purpose of this study, the researchers contacted over a thousand women aged 18 to 40, who were requested to donate blood samples to be tested for thyroid and steroid hormones. They were also requested to complete a questionnaire in which they had to name the cosmetics they are using at present.
It was revealed that changes in estrogen levels, particularly during pregnancy, will have far repercussions further than the baby’s health. This has the potential to affect baby health, adolescence shifts and may also lead to breast, uterine, and ovarian cancers in pregnant women.
The report also stated that the usage of cosmetics depends upon the income level of the individuals. For example, women earning more will be able to spend more on personal care products.
Many American consumers are under threat because of products such as shampoos, cosmetics such as nail polish, lipsticks, perfumes, moisturizers, and other hair products, because they contain hormone-rich chemicals.
It is highly recommended to avoid using fragrances or perfumes since they not only affect the person wearing that perfume but also the people surrounding them.
Harmful effects of the chemicals used in these skincare and hair care products can be avoided if consumers can have transparency among them and the producers of the product state all the ingredients used while its production. Consulting a dermatologist before using a cosmetic will also be considered a rational decision.
