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India Today
a day ago
- Health
- India Today
How makeup on babies can trigger allergies and disrupt hormones
Dabbing perfume on a baby, painting their tiny nails with polish containing formaldehyde or dusting blush onto their cheeks for a photoshoot, might sound like innocent acts in the age of social media, but such practices are actually far from kajal applied to eyelids to mehendi drawn on tiny hands, cosmetic use on babies and toddlers is increasingly common. In fact, you type 'child makeup influencers' and you're bound to get dozens of Instagram Reels showcasing young girls doing the multi-step skincare routine or picking up a large eyeshadow kit and applying loads of glitter dust on their eyelids and does science say when it comes to applying cosmetic products? Infant skin is fundamentally different from adult skin, it's thinner, more permeable, and still in development. This makes it more susceptible to irritation, allergic reactions, and long-term health risks, including hormonal disruption. Newborns have the same number of skin layers as adults, but those layers are up to 30% thinner. This means chemicals from cosmetics can more easily pass through the skin and into deeper tissues or the to Adam Taylor, an expert in anatomy at Lancaster University, baby skin also contains more water and less sebum, the natural oil that acts as a protective barrier. This increases vulnerability to dryness and irritation, especially when exposed to products not specifically designed for infant skin, he wrote in The Conversation Delhi-based dermatologist Dr. Deepali Bhardwaj cautioned, 'You cannot use kajal, it needs to be very genuine and authentic. Many over-the-counter products may contain harmful additives or chemicals not suitable for a baby's delicate eyes and skin," advising against casual use of traditional or cosmetic formulations on skincare ingredients are likely to harm health by disrupting hormones or causing allergies. Alkylphenols, triclosan, and BPA can affect hormone activity, while cyclosiloxanes may build up in the body. Ethanolamines can form potentially harmful compounds, and parabens mimic estrogen. Phthalates are linked to reproductive issues, especially in children, and benzophenone in sunscreens may trigger allergic reactions and hormonal to the issue is the increasing presence of children's makeup and body products in the market. These include everything from body glitter and face paint to lipstick, nail polish, hair gel, and perfume.A 2023 study published in Environmental Research and Public Health by Columbia University researchers highlights this growing trend and the accompanying risks. These items are often designed with bright colours and cartoon characters to appeal to children, and marketed through social media platforms that even young users can contain multiple allergens, including fragrance compounds, lanolin (wool alcohol), preservatives, and hair dye chemicals. Even products labelled 'natural' or 'herbal' are not automatically safe. In fact, allergic contact dermatitis is a well-documented reaction to many of these researchers found that most children in the US use makeup and body products that may contain carcinogenic and other toxic chemicals. Many cosmetic products for children contain heavy metals and other toxic chemicals that are linked to cancer, neurodevelopmental harm, and other serious and irreversible health bottom line is that the skin of infants and toddlers is not equipped to handle cosmetic products meant for adults—or even for older children. As the wellness industry continues to push boundaries, experts urge parents to prioritise safety and long-term health over short-term aesthetics or trends.- Ends
CTV News
4 days ago
- CTV News
Northern Ont. anglers fined for violating walleye fishing regulations
A walleye is seen in this April 2008 image. (AP Photo/Eric Engbretson/U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service) Two Ontario anglers have been fined after pleading guilty to exceeding daily walleye catch limits and retaining fish of prohibited sizes. Overfishing leads to penalties Adam Taylor of the Greater Sudbury community of Lively and Robert Krueger of Sudbury were each fined $1,660 and had their fishing rods and reels forfeited to the Crown. The convictions stem from an incident on November 12, 2024, when a conservation officer intercepted the men in the Town of Spanish as they returned from fishing in the North Channel of Lake Huron. MNR truck near water An undated photo of a Ministry of Natural Resources conservation officer vehicle parked near water. (File photo/Supplied/Ministry of Natural Resources) Investigation revealed violations An investigation found that Taylor and Krueger had caught and kept a total of eight walleye or pickerel, five of which were less than the legal-size limit. Under Ontario's sport fishing regulations, the daily catch limit for walleye in the North Channel is two, with none permitted between 41 and 56 centimetres in length. The seized fish and fishing equipment were submitted as evidence. Justice of the Peace Jill Morris presided over the case, which was heard in Elliot Lake on February 19, 2025. Province enforces conservation measures In a recent court bulletin, the Ontario government reiterated its commitment to protecting walleye populations. 'The Ontario government is safeguarding walleye populations by ensuring anglers follow fishing regulations and comply with quotas,' the bulletin read. The province indicated that the fines and forfeitures serve as a reminder to anglers to adhere to conservation rules designed to sustain fish stocks for future generations. To report a natural resource problem or provide information about an unsolved case, call the ministry TIPS line toll-free at 1-877-847-7667 or contact Crime Stoppers anonymously. For more information about unsolved cases, click here.
Edmonton Journal
22-07-2025
- Politics
- Edmonton Journal
Jamie Sarkonak: Nanaimo, where complaining about feces-drenched drug zones is all you can do
RCMP Constable Adam Taylor explained to the finance committee that the force is held back by federal rules that allow the possession of up to 2.5 grams of illegal drugs, which prevent them from making arrests. (Federal decriminalization efforts have caused similar front-line problems in Sarnia, Ont., to the great frustration of locals). Article content 'Our stance right now is if they are using it in public and it's not grossly over (the federal exemption), it's what we call a 'no case seizure,'' Taylor explained. 'They are arrested, we search them, we seize the drugs, and if it's a small amount, it's just sent with a request to Health Canada to have them destroyed.' Article content To that, Nanaimo Mayor Leonard Krog asked: 'Is it fair to say … (that) it is practically speaking impossible for the police to arrest folks in a meaningful way for drug use in a public place?' Article content Article content The officer's reply? 'Yes.' Article content The centre, as with many others of its type, does help people. It houses the homeless overnight, and, anecdotally, the city reports that it's connected some individuals with addiction treatment. But, to accomplish all this, it's transformed the surrounding area into a free-range homeless zone rooted to a few indoor service providers. Article content As for whether any of this is improving overdose statistics long-term, it's not optimistic: Nanaimo's rate tripled from 500 in 2016 to 1,500 in 2024, according to provincial data. It's true that 2024 was better than 2023, which saw 2,500 deaths, but plenty more progress needs to be made before the city can declare victory. Article content Similar stories of urban devastation crop up across the country. In Sarnia, in Hamilton, Ont. and in Kitchener, Ont., homeless encampments have become court-entrenched features, with judges ruling that insufficient shelter space renders camp-clearing a Charter violation — with no thought for the general public, of course. In Vancouver, the scene is so bad that Crown prosecutors, whose offices are located in the midst of the maelstrom, are begging to move. Article content Article content In Nanaimo, authorities are now considering moving the Hub in light of resident feedback, but the city's social planning manager wasn't optimistic that a new location could be found. Of course, simply closing the thing isn't an option — it never is. Article content That's Canada, 2025: instead of arresting the people whose crime and chaos destroy community for everyone else, or at least isolating them in facilities for people who can't take care of themselves (which the homeless and addicted can't), we shrug. Whether their problems surface before city councils or courts, the well-being of everyday, society-contributing, city residents remains a low priority.
National Post
22-07-2025
- Politics
- National Post
Jamie Sarkonak: Nanaimo, where complaining about feces-drenched drug zones is all you can do
Article content RCMP Constable Adam Taylor explained to the finance committee that the force is held back by federal rules that allow the possession of up to 2.5 grams of illegal drugs, which prevent them from making arrests. (Federal decriminalization efforts have caused similar front-line problems in Sarnia, Ont., to the great frustration of locals). Article content 'Our stance right now is if they are using it in public and it's not grossly over (the federal exemption), it's what we call a 'no case seizure,'' Taylor explained. 'They are arrested, we search them, we seize the drugs, and if it's a small amount, it's just sent with a request to Health Canada to have them destroyed.' Article content To that, Nanaimo Mayor Leonard Krog asked: 'Is it fair to say … (that) it is practically speaking impossible for the police to arrest folks in a meaningful way for drug use in a public place?' Article content The officer's reply? 'Yes.' Article content The centre, as with many others of its type, does help people. It houses the homeless overnight, and, anecdotally, the city reports that it's connected some individuals with addiction treatment. But, to accomplish all this, it's transformed the surrounding area into a free-range homeless zone rooted to a few indoor service providers. Article content Article content As for whether any of this is improving overdose statistics long-term, it's not optimistic: Nanaimo's rate tripled from 500 in 2016 to 1,500 in 2024, according to provincial data. It's true that 2024 was better than 2023, which saw 2,500 deaths, but plenty more progress needs to be made before the city can declare victory. Article content Similar stories of urban devastation crop up across the country. In Sarnia, in Hamilton, Ont. and in Kitchener, Ont., homeless encampments have become court-entrenched features, with judges ruling that insufficient shelter space renders camp-clearing a Charter violation — with no thought for the general public, of course. In Vancouver, the scene is so bad that Crown prosecutors, whose offices are located in the midst of the maelstrom, are begging to move. Article content In Nanaimo, authorities are now considering moving the Hub in light of resident feedback, but the city's social planning manager wasn't optimistic that a new location could be found. Of course, simply closing the thing isn't an option — it never is. Article content That's Canada, 2025: instead of arresting the people whose crime and chaos destroy community for everyone else, or at least isolating them in facilities for people who can't take care of themselves (which the homeless and addicted can't), we shrug. Whether their problems surface before city councils or courts, the well-being of everyday, society-contributing, city residents remains a low priority. Article content
Daily Mail
25-06-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Expert reveals why cold showers on hot days could kill you
The first big heat wave of the summer has sent millions in the US looking for a way to cool down, but one expert says taking a cold shower could be a fatal mistake. A massive heat dome has trapped hot and humid air over more than half the US for days, sending June temperatures into triple-digits for the first time in decades for several major cities. Professor Adam Taylor from Lancaster University explained how trying to cool your body down by jumping into very cold water actually has the opposite effect. Instead of getting your body to release excess heat, suddenly shocking the body with a cold shower tricks the human body into thinking it should keep the heat trapped inside. According to Taylor, this can be deadly for people with high blood pressure and heart conditions. Moreover, there's a risk of organ damage when the body stays too hot for too long. While these events tend to be rare, there's an extremely common problem that washing in cold water can exacerbate - body odor and unclean skin. So, while a plunge into cold water may feel like relief in a heat wave, it might actually not be helping the human body at all. Our body's optimal temperature is around 98.6°F. This temperatures ensures our body systems can function properly. When the core gets too hot, the temperature regulating center of the brain starts sending nervous signals out to the blood vessels and muscles in or near the skin – telling them to start activating their cooling mechanisms. If our core stays at high temperature for too long (around 102.2-104°F), this can lead to organ damage. So to ensure our temperature stays optimal, the body uses multiple techniques to cool itself down. For instance, the body radiates heat into the surrounding environment by electromagnetic (thermal) radiation. Approximately 60 percent of our body heat is lost this way. Sweating is another mechanism the body uses. Around 22 percent of our body heat is lost this way. When the air temperature around us exceeds our body temperature, sweating becomes the dominant mechanism for reducing core temperature. Any remaining body heat is then lost through a mixture of convection into the air or liquid the body may be in contact with and conduction into solid objects that the body may be in contact with. To support these mechanisms, our blood vessels change diameter. The ones closest to the skin dilate (widen) to allow more blood into them so they can get close to the relatively cooler surface of the skin. The body then works to circulate the blood so that heat from inside the body can be moved to the periphery to cool off. Similarly on our skin, the hairs remain flat to allow air next to the body to cool and be replaced, helping to dissipate heat. Cold shower? Of course, when the weather gets really hot outside, these biological mechanisms just don't feel like they cut it. Although diving into a cold bath or shower straight after being out in the heat might feel nice on your skin, it isn't doing what is needed to reduce the core temperature of the body. It might also be risky for some people. When exposed to cold, the blood vessels near to the skin constrict – reducing the blood flow into these areas. So, in the context of cooling the body down, jumping into a cold shower does the opposite of what needs to happen, as less blood is now flowing to the surface of the skin. This will hold the heat in and around your organs instead of getting rid of it. Basically, you're tricking your body that it doesn't need to cool down, but actually needs to conserve heat. Depending on how cold your water is, sudden exposure could even trigger dangerous consequences for some people. Exposure to cold water that is around 59°F can trigger the cold shock response. This causes the blood vessels in the skin (those in contact with the cold water) to constrict rapidly. The shock increases blood pressure as the heart is now pumping against increased resistance. This response can be particularly dangerous in people with underlying heart conditions, such as coronary artery disease. The cold shock response can also lead to an irregular heartbeat and even death when going from very hot to cold. Thankfully, these events are rare – and probably won't happen if you're just taking a cold shower or bath in your home. However, you might want to skip the cold plunge or avoid taking an ice bath on a hot day for this reason. Hot showers are also a bad idea on a warm day. Although it's sometimes said that a hot shower helps the body cool down faster, this unfortunately isn't true. Water that is warmer than the body is going to transfer energy in the form of heat into the body. This again prevents the body getting rid of heat – potentially increasing its core temperature. On a hot day, a tepid or lukewarm bath or shower is the way to go, evidence suggests 78.8-80.6°F is most effective. This helps bring blood to the surface to cool, without being cold enough to cause the body to think it needs to conserve its heat. Another reason to skip a cold shower on a hot day is that it might not help you get clean. When we get hot, we sweat – and this sweat mixes with sebum, another skin product and the bacteria on our skin, which produces body odor. Cold water has been shown to be less effective at removing and breaking down sebum and other debris on the skin, compared to warmer water, which means bad body odor will persist. Cold water also causes the skin to tighten. This might potentially trap sebum and dirt within the pores, leading to blackheads, whiteheads, and acne. However, warm or lukewarm water can help dissolve and loosen material in the pores. As you plan your escape and recovery from the heat this week, a lukewarm or cool shower or bath, rather than a cold shower, is a safer and more effective choice. This will allow your body to dissipate heat away from your core without harm. Equally, if you do feel the need to go cooler, do it gradually so you aren't shocking the body's automatic temperature regulation system into action. Turning the temperature down gradually if you want to go cold, or slowly placing an arm or leg in at a time can help with this process. This article is adapted from The Conversation, a nonprofit news organization dedicated to sharing the knowledge of experts. It was written by Adam Taylor, a professor of anatomy at Lancaster University.
