|
|
|
|
|
Choose Life, Choose Health, Choose Organics!
|
Achieve Health
Natural and Organic
If Looks Could Kill
Dangerous Ingredients in
Body Care Products
Sourced from ONE Group
By Alex Fulton
People these days are becoming increasingly concerned
about the things they put into their bodies. Most every
major grocery store chain now features a "natural" or
"health" foods section, and organic foods are becoming
more and more recognized and regulated. But what about
the things people put on their bodies? What's really in
these products we use every day? And why should we care?
|
|
The skin was once believed to be an impermeable barrier,
meaning that nothing placed on the body could get
through the skin to interfere with or affect things
inside the body. We now know this to be false; nicotine
patches, heart medication, pain-relief creams, and, more
recently, birth control patches all rely on a
transdermal (through the skin) method of delivery to the
bloodstream.
What most people don't realize is that the skin's
permeability is not selective, and the same science that
makes transdermal medications so effective also applies
to body care products.
|
|
|
According to Ruth Winter, M.S., author of A
Consumer's Dictionary of Cosmetic Ingredients, “It
has now been determined that all chemicals penetrate the
skin to some extent, and many do so in significant
amounts.” This means the products we use on our bodies
are definitely being absorbed through the skin and
entering the bloodstream.
The Food and Drug Administration established regulations
for body care products, termed “cosmetics,” over 60
years ago, before skin absorption was known to be a
factor. In fact, the FDA defines cosmetics as “articles
which are intended to be rubbed, poured, sprinkled or
sprayed or introduced to, or otherwise applied to, the
human body for cleaning, beautifying, promoting
attractiveness or altering the appearance without
affecting the body's structure or function.” Because of
this outdated definition, cosmetic regulations are far
less stringent than they should be; the effects they may
have on the body are not taken into consideration at
all, even though the potential occurrence of these
effects is now certain. Winter explains, “Good tests are
available for skin penetration, yet they are rarely used
for cosmetics …What degree of absorption is there when a
cosmetic is left on the face (as a makeup base might be
for 12 hours) or spread over the entire body (as suntan
lotion may be)? What is the exposure to ingredients that
may be used over a number of years? … What of systemic
absorption, toxicity and chronic effects?”
The relatively lax regulations on cosmetics allow
companies to use any number of different chemicals in
their products, as long as they list the product's
ingredients on the package. Cosmetic companies
generally use chemicals in their products because
they're very inexpensive and can drastically extend a
product's shelf life. Unfortunately, while the use
of these ingredients may benefit cosmetic companies, it
can be quite detrimental to consumers. Since FDA
regulations are based on the incorrect idea that
cosmetics do not permeate the skin, ingredients that
would not be allowed in a product that’s meant for
internal use are accepted for cosmetic use by the FDA.
This means that, although chemicals with the potential
to damage the body are prominent in many products, they
are not acknowledged as dangerous.
Realizing how dangerous your body care products may be
is frightening, but there are many things you can do to
stay safe. First, make sure you read the list of
ingredients on a product before you buy it. Many
books, such as Winter’s A Consumer’s Dictionary of
Cosmetic Ingredients, are available to help you
inform yourself about what ingredients are and how they
may affect you. Keep in mind that use of the word
“natural” on a product label does not guarantee
anything; many supposedly natural products are rife with
chemicals, which is why reading the ingredient list is
important no matter what. Now that you know what to
watch out for and why, consider replacing your current
body care products with more natural ones today ... your
body will thank you for it.
Return to Top |
|
|
|
|
 |
Get
our FREE
6 Part eCourse -
'Dare
To Live a Healthy Lifestyle!'
when you subscribe to our
‘Better Health’ Newsletter.
Your
information is
NEVER
shared.
|
|
|
|
 |
|
Click Here |
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
