I recently read that in early 2016 a study came out of UC Berkeley regarding chemicals and cosmetics in teenage girls. They began by measuring the girls’ urine levels while using their normal cosmetic products. They then switched them to non-toxic products and measured the same chemical levels. After only 3 days there was on average a 44% decrease in parabens, a 35% decrease in triclosan, and a 27% decrease in phthalates excreted in their urine. In case you are not familiar with these chemicals, they are known hormone/ endocrine disrupting chemicals. It is very concerning to think of these chemicals in young women’s bodies during such a crucial time of growth and development. It is not just teenage girls who should be concerned but EVERYONE! In case you have never given it a thought or more than a thought, the chemicals that we put onto our largest organ – our Skin, go into our body and travel everywhere! This is why pharmaceutical companies make the nicotine patch, estrogen cream, steroids and the list really goes on. It only takes a very small amount to make a big mess in your body and compound that mess by the known thousands of chemicals that we are exposed to which interact in our bodies in absolutely unknown and un-reasearchable ways.
I am seeing more and more endocrine imbalances in my patients than ever before. Some examples include menstrual irregularities, infertility, thyroid imbalances of all sorts, adrenal fatigue and breast cancer. (Also teenage girls often go on the birth control pill at this time in their life which can really throw a wrench into the workings of their endocrine system which can be difficult to undo later when they no longer want to be on the pill and want to get pregnant.)
I am not trying to scare you (too much), however I want you to be concerned enough to do something about your lifestyle and what you put onto your body. I almost forgot to mention that several years ago a study came out in which they on autopsy, analyzed brain tissue for hair dye. They were actually able to tell which product people used to colour “treat” their hair with. When you understand anatomy, this is a no-brainer. J There are veins in your scalp that drain directly into your brain. Your brain does not have the same detoxification methods as the rest of your body so please consider carefully what you put on your head. Also, hair dyes are soooo much more toxic than any other products that you may use daily and their effect lasts and lasts and lasts long after your colour fades. These chemicals and dyes are why hairdressers have a statistically significant increase in cancer compared to the average person. I have read in the past that it is 4x the average rates! So it’s not just your deodorant, makeup, body lotion, but ALL your hair care products and in particular dyes.
Fortunately, there are more and more places where you can find safe cosmetics like Goodness Me! and Whole Foods, and others on line like www.organicsbysappo.com, www.dalishcosmetics.com, www.iliabeauty.com, www.elatecosmetics.com, www.hyntbeauty.com, www.pureanada.ca
Dr. Melissa Howe, ND.
