By Julia Angelotti, Rachael Clinton and Kylie Siebert, Executive Editors
The Contorno family has a long history of cancer in their family, so they take extra precautions when it comes to choosing products they use on their bodies.
“There are a lot of bad chemicals in products out there these days, and I do think it’s important to make sure you are using ones you can trust, with safe ingredients,” sophomore Hayley Contorno said.
Contorno’s fears aren’t unfounded, according to a new report from the Environmental Working Group, a non-profit group of science and policy experts, focused on health and environmental hazards.
EWG warns in their report, Skin Deep, that many of the products Americans use every day—from deodorant to shampoo to toothpaste—contain chemicals that can seep into the body and cause a wide range of health concerns.
Product Danger
What are some of the possible hazards?
Deodorant is something most people apply daily and rarely think twice about, but the EWG studies suggest that perhaps they should. One of the ingredients in most deodorants is aluminum, which is an antiperspirant, but it’s also a metal—and a recent study from the American Cancer Society suggests that it can also cause breast cancer. Since deodorants do not fully wash off, the harmful chemicals can collect in the armpit and upper breast area and then get absorbed into the body.
Some health issues caused by everyday products are life-threatening, like cancers, while others are less serious but just as real.
Toothpaste is another product that just about all Americans use, but EWG suggests may not be as safe as it appears.
Why? For years, toothpaste companies have been adding fluoride, a mineral, to toothpaste because it prevents tooth decay. Fluoride’s also added to tap water to prevent tooth decay.
But Health Effect Network’s findings suggest that fluoride is slightly more toxic than lead. In the long run, constant exposure to fluoride can actually produce a condition called Fluorosis, which is a reaction to the body from the toxin. Fluorosis can cause streaks to develop on teeth enamel and even discoloration and brown markings, which can be permanent and darken over time.
“I was always under the impression toothpaste is harmless, it definitely comes as a surprise to me that there can actually be repercussions,” junior Lyndi Scholl said.
Mouthwashes, such as Listerine, may be more frightening.
According to EWG, Listerine is potentially dangerous because the alcohol in it “dries and changes the pH of the mouth and throat and long-term use of alcohol containing mouthwashes increases the risk of mouth and throat cancers,” the EWG study, which was published in the London Independent, reported.
Mouthwash also contains mild detergent, which can be poisonous if swallowed. The artificial sweetener used to make it taste good—saccharine—has been shown to cause bladder cancer in lab rats. This is precisely why Congress has required diet sodas that contain it to have a warning label on them and why many soda manufacturers have switched to other artificial sweeteners, such as aspartame.
“It’s scary to know that something I use everyday could be so harmful,” junior Jessie Kolzow said.
FDA Involvement
Most consumers assume that anything sold on store shelves has been tested for safety and they don’t need to worry about it, but that’s not necessarily true.
Food products are tightly regulated by the Food and Drug Administration, but ordinary cosmetic products like shampoo are not as tightly regulated.
“I question why the FDA has not prevented toxic or harmful products from being released, considering that is their job,” senior Zach Brown said.
The FDA has no authority in forcing cosmetic companies to test products for safety. The FDA doesn’t review or approve a large majority of the ingredients used in products for skin safety before going on the market.
“The problem is that the government regulates tests for certain products because there is not enough money to test every product and make sure it’s FDA approved, so they are going to keep selling them,” science teacher Breanne Kahl said.
There are no sunscreen safety regulations in the U.S., according to EWG, even though many sunscreens contain ingredients like retinyl palmitate that could accelerate skin damage and increase skin cancer risk when applied to skin that is exposed to sunlight. Why not?
“FDA does not consider serious toxicity the concerns such as hormone disruption when approving new sun filters,” EWG reports.
Protect Yourself
Jenny Contorno, the mother of Hayley, said that all this evidence is part of why she is very careful about which products she buys for her family.
“It’s reassuring to know I’m not buying products that have pesticides that are not easily washed off. I know the dangers of the chemicals many common products have and would not want those in my system,” Jenny Contorno said.
There are many products available that are made with natural ingredients that can easily be substituted for harmful products. Sephora, Trader Joe’s, Shaklee, EOS, Tom’s of Maine and Burt’s Bee products are all brands that can be trusted.
EWG provides a cosmetic database which allows you to search a product and shows any health concerns associated with it including ratings of; how hazardous, cancer causing potentials and toxicities.
How risky is it?
These daily products are some of the most dangerous according to Environmental Working Group. The hazard score, a 0-10 scale from low to high hazard, reflects known and suspectedhealth risks.
Secret Platinum Antiperspirant Deodorant
Hazard Level: 6
Concerns: This deodorant can be poisonous to nerve tissue and cause toxic substances to collect in the environment.
Neutrogena Body Clear Body Wash
Hazard Level: 8
Concerns: This body wash can be poisonous to nerve tissue, cause toxic substances to collect in the environment and cause irritation of the skin, eyes or lungs.
Redken Extreme Shampoo
Hazard Level: 9
Concerns: This shampoo can disrupt hormones, cause irritation of the eyes, skin or lungs and cause toxic substances to collect in the environment.
Carmex Lip Moisturizer with Sunscreen
Hazard Level: 9
Concerns: This chapstick can collect toxic substances, disrupt hormones, cause toxic substances to collect in the environment, cause toxicity in the organs and cause cellular-level changes.
Clearasil Ultra Acne Clearing Scrub
Hazard Level: 9
Concerns: This scrub can disrupt hormones, cause toxic substances to collect in the environment, cause toxicity in the organs and cause irritation of the skin, eyes or lungs.
Aussie Instant Freeze Hairspray Aerosol Extreme Hold
Hazard Level: 9
Concerns: This hairspray can disrupt hormones, cause toxicity in the organs, cause irritation of the skin, eyes or lungs and cause cellular-level changes.