Since more people of the lurking toxic chemicals become aware of In everyday objects-out of Skin care products To drinking waterThey take steps to reduce their exposure. New research results show that even skin and hair products for children contain harmful chemicals that may be at risk of health and development, according to a study in September 2024 that was published in Environmental health perspectives.
Researchers at George Mason University gathered medical data from 630 children aged 4 to 8 years of 10 different locations in the USA in order to measure the exposure of children into hormone-stemning phthalates and phthalate replacement connections from personal care products.
They asked parents and legal guardians for demographic information and a list of cosmetic products, including lotions, soaps, shampoos, oils and Sunscreenwhich were applied to the child’s skin in the last 24 hours before their examination. Then they collected urine samples from the children.
They found that the use of such product-especially several products with higher phthalate levels in the urine of children was associated with the highest values at Phthalaten and Phthalater set in the urine of non-Hispanic black children.
“This is the first study that indicates that various skin care products used by small children can increase the exposure to endocrine disturbing phthalates and phthalater replacement in small children.” said Main author and professor at the Department of Global and Community Health at George Mason University, Michael Bloom.
What are phthalate?
Phthalates and phthalate replacement compounds are endocrine chemical chemicals, which means that they can affect the body’s hormones. Some are often used – diethylhexyl -phthalate or DEHP – to make plastic more flexible in toys or packaging, while others – like Diethylphthalat (DEP) – are used as fragrances in products such as lotions, shampoos and conditioners.
Bloom found that the levels found in the children’s urine were different from the combination of the products used. For example, children who were reported that they used lotions and oils had more of the fragrance-associated phthalates (DEP), while those who used a combination of shampoo, conditioner and other products had higher values of the phthalates used in the plastic containers (DEHP) in their urine. This means that children are not only exposed to the phthalates that are used as ingredients in personal care products, but also hike the chemicals from the plastic packaging in the products and create another degree of lighting.
“If you look at every product yourself, this is not necessarily realistic because you don’t just use one product at the same time – you use several,” says Bloom Assets.
Should parents be concerned about Phthalate?
While Bloom’s study did not directly examine the health effects, previous studies have associated Phthalate with neurological development problems such as ADHDProblems with Reproduction hormones and infertility– especially in men – and Metabolic disease. For this reason, Bloom recommends to the parents to fulfill themselves on the side of caution and avoid products that are produced with phthalates, especially since children are particularly susceptible to potential harmful development effects.
Apart from this, the parents should know that the phthalate exposure may not only come from personal care products, but can also come from other plastic containers, as for food and drinks.
“We really believe that this requires a pension approach. We don’t wait 20 years – let yourself be stopped and find out whether this is really a dangerous health effect and how to reduce it,” he says. “If the developmental damage is caused, this may not be repaired retrospectively.”
How to avoid phthalates in cosmetic products
Bloom says that they are not sure which products were associated with higher phthalate levels because the study did not analyze brands – but that’s their next step. According to Bloom, there are general guidelines for the time being that parents can use in order to restrict the exposure of their children with phthalates and phthalate responsibility:
- Avoid products that list phthalates as ingredients such as Diethylphthalat.
- Avoid additional fragrances – Companies can list “fragrance” as an ingredient for your products that can hide phthalate.
- Choose for products that are derived in non-plastic packaging such as aluminum, cardboard, glass or bioplasty from biodegradable substances.
- If you have no access to fully phthalate-free alternatives, you limit how often children use cosmetic products and how many products they use-only observed that the highest phthalate levels consisted of using a combination of products. Only use them if necessary.
- Check serious databases such as for safer products: SkinsafePresent EWGS Skindenep Database and Information database for consumer products.
Bloom points out that the demographic differences in the exposure of phthalat disadvantages certain groups when reducing their exposure.
For this reason, Bloom realizes that a large part of the change to reduce the exposure of children compared to Phthalates must result in political changes.
“These changes must be made at the political level in order to take the burden on the parent. Anyone who juggles a lot to determine whether the product you want to use or not, you consider it safe,” he says.
Further information on public health:
- This small company Tested common toxic metals. Here is what it found
- After years of warnings Brown rice still contains this toxic metal. Why it is there – and how harmful it is
- Chewing gum is Delivered microplastics in their saliva, the study finds the study
This story was originally on Fortune.com