Latest news with #EnvironmentalScience&TechnologyLetters
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
14-05-2025
- Health
- Business Standard
Cancer-linked chemicals found in widely used skincare, haircare products
Think your shampoo is just cleansing your hair? It might also be exposing you to a cancer-causing chemical. A new study published in Environmental Science & Technology Letters reveals that many personal care products, including lotions, shampoos, and body soaps, contain formaldehyde or chemicals that slowly release it. Formaldehyde is a known human carcinogen—a substance that can cause cancer. Titled 'Formaldehyde and Formaldehyde Releasing Preservatives in Personal Care Products Used by Black Women and Latinas,' the study found that over half the women involved had used at least one product with these harmful ingredients, often daily. What exactly did the study find? The study was conducted with 70 Black and Latina women in South Los Angeles. The participants used a dedicated app to log over 1,100 personal care products they used during a one-week period. Key findings include: Why is formaldehyde in beauty products a concern? Formaldehyde is classified as a known human carcinogen by global health authorities, including the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the International Agency for Research on Cancer. It's associated with cancers of the nasopharynx, sinuses, and certain types of blood cancers. Beyond cancer, exposure can also trigger skin irritation and allergic reactions, with studies suggesting about 8–9 per cent of people may be sensitive to formaldehyde-releasing chemicals. Which types of products are most affected? The study found formaldehyde or FRPs in a wide range of products: Lotions (including many from major brands like Bath & Body Works) Shampoos and hair conditioners Body soaps and gels Leave-in hair products Eyelash glues and cosmetics While previous concerns focused mostly on hair-straightening treatments, this study shows the threat extends to everyday essentials, many of which are applied on large areas of the body or near sensitive areas like the eyes and scalp. How to identify these chemicals Consumers face difficulty in identifying these chemicals, as they often appear under complex names that don't include 'formaldehyde.' Look out for terms like: DMDM hydantoin Diazolidinyl urea Imidazolidinyl urea How can you protect yourself? Here's what you can do: Read ingredient lists carefully, even if those are hard to decipher Prefer brands that transparently disclose all ingredients and avoid known carcinogens The study showed that formaldehyde and its chemical cousins are not just in niche or salon-grade treatments—they are in the everyday personal care items many of us use without a second thought. As consumers, we can start by reading labels and supporting brands committed to safer formulations. But the real change must come from stronger regulations and transparency from manufacturers. Because everyone deserves access to personal care products that are truly safe.
Time of India
11-05-2025
- Health
- Time of India
New study finds cancer-causing chemicals in popular beauty products for women of color
Imagine being exposed to carcinogens while indulging in some personal care products! New research has shed light on cancer-causing chemicals being found in a variety of women's beauty products, particularly in those marketed to women of color. The new study , published recently in Environmental Science & Toxicology Letters, analyzed the personal care products used by Black and Latina women and found that more than half used products that contained formaldehyde-releasing chemicals. What does the research say? A recent study has highlighted that many Black and Latina women frequently use beauty products containing cancer-causing chemicals, extending beyond just hair straightening products. Operation Sindoor Armed forces maintaining strong vigil after Pak ceasefire breach: MEA Pakistan violates ceasefire: Loud explosions, sirens haunt J&K- what we know so far Behind the scenes of ceasefire: Calls from Pakistan, Washington The study involved surveys from 70 Black and Latina women in Los Angeles, who submitted pictures of the ingredient labels of personal care products they used via a dedicated app. Alarmingly, the study found that 53% of participants utilized at least one product that listed formaldehyde releasers. Many reported using these products daily or several times per week. The carcinogen was identified in 58% of the haircare products surveyed, but it was also found in various shampoos, lotions, body soaps, and eyelash glues. What are the findings? The findings, published in the peer-reviewed journal Environmental Science & Technology Letters, indicate that several lotions, cleansers, and other beauty items marketed to these demographics contain formaldehyde and formaldehyde-releasing preservatives, substances that are recognized as carcinogens. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) previously indicated that formaldehyde poses an "unreasonable risk of injury to human health." Prior studies have already documented this carcinogen's presence in hair straightening products, especially affecting Black women and women of color disproportionately. This latest research is significant as it expands the known range of products containing formaldehyde. The experts' take: According to Dr. Robin Dodson, the lead author of the study, the implications are serious: 'These chemicals are in products we use all the time, all over our bodies. Repeated exposures like these can add up and cause serious harm.' She emphasizes the challenge for consumers in identifying which products contain formaldehyde, as many preservatives have complex names and do not explicitly state "formaldehyde" on labels. One preservative to be cautious of is DMDM hydantoin. While the European Union and ten U.S. states have enacted or proposed bans on formaldehyde, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) suggested a national ban in 2023, but no action has been finalized. Dr. Dodson argues for an even more comprehensive approach: 'Ideally, companies shouldn't be putting these chemicals in products in the first place.' Study finds cancer-causing chemicals in Delhi bread Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Mother's Day wishes , messages , and quotes !
New York Post
09-05-2025
- Health
- New York Post
Alarming number of women's shampoos, lotions and body soap found to have this cancer-causing chemical
A new study has found that an alarming number of personal care products contain a known carcinogen. Formaldehyde has been linked to cancer — but the chemical, and preservatives that release it, are often added to personal care products to extend their shelf life. And new research found this chemical lurking in items like shampoo, lotions, body soap, and eyelash glue. 3 In recent years, the conversation about formaldehyde exposure has largely focused on hair relaxers. Prostock-studio – In recent years, the conversation about formaldehyde exposure has largely focused on hair relaxers. Boston University researchers found that postmenopausal Black women who used relaxers most often had a greater than 50% increased risk of uterine cancer compared to those who never or seldom used them. This new study shows that the problem extends even further. 'We found that this isn't just about hair straighteners,' says lead author Dr. Robin Dodson, an exposure scientist at Silent Spring Institute. 'These chemicals are in products we use all the time, all over our bodies. Repeated exposures like these can add up and cause serious harm.' The study, published in Environmental Science & Technology Letters, had Black and Latina women log their product use for about a week, sharing photos of the ingredient labels. The team team analyzed over 1,100 product ingredient lists looking for formaldehyde and formaldehyde-releasing preservatives. Fifty-three percent of participants reported using at least one personal care product that listed formaldehyde releasers on its label. What's more troubling is that study participants applied many of these products daily or multiple times per week. 3 While many women have learned to avoid beauty products with formaldehyde on the label, many are uninformed about formaldehyde releasers. – Researchers found DMDM hydantoin to be the most common formaldehyde-releasing preservative, with roughly 47% of skincare products and 58% of hair products with formaldehyde-releasing preservatives containing DMDM hydantoin. However, as Dodson notes, this list is not definitive. 'Those are just the ones we knew to look for. There could be more that we're not aware of,' she said. This research was part of the larger Taking Stock Study, a collaboration between Occidental College, Black Women for Wellness, Silent Spring, and Columbia University that investigates how exposures to chemicals in beauty products contribute to health inequities for Black women and Latinas in California. While many women have learned to avoid beauty products with formaldehyde on the label, many are uninformed about formaldehyde releasers. 3 Dodson and her research team encourage consumers to advocate for better, safer legislation. F8 \ Suport Ukraine – 'We're trying to do the right thing. But there needs to be more government oversight. We shouldn't have to be chemists to figure out what kinds of products will make us sick,' said Janette Robinson Flint, executive director of Black Women for Wellness told Dodson agrees that it is challenging for consumers to identify formaldehyde-releasing preservatives, as 'They have long, weird, funny names, and they typically don't have the word formaldehyde in them.' Silent Spring's website contains tips on how to avoid formaldehyde releasers and an app called Detox Me that is designed to help consumers choose safer alternatives. To reduce exposure, Dodson believes companies should be required, as they are in Europe, to add warning labels to products that contain formaldehyde-releasing preservatives. Better than a warning, says Dodson, would be an outright ban. 'Ideally, companies shouldn't be putting these chemicals in products in the first place.' Dodson and her research team encourage consumers to advocate for better, safer legislation. In kind, the European Union and at least 10 U.S. states have banned or proposed to ban formaldehyde and formaldehyde releasers in personal care products. In 2023, the Food and Drug Administration proposed a national ban on formaldehyde and formaldehyde releasers in hair straighteners, but it has yet to be enacted.
Euronews
04-04-2025
- Health
- Euronews
Scientists claim this simple action could remove harmful microplastics from drinking water
ADVERTISEMENT Microplastics have been found deep inside our organs and tissue , entering the body through the food and drink we consume and the air we breathe. However, a simple method could help to stop humans from ingesting the potentially harmful nanoparticles. Boiling water could decrease the concentration of microplastics in drinking water, a new study has found. Researchers from China tested waters with a different hardness to which they added nanoplastics and microplastics and then boiled them for five minutes. Related Microplastics are making their way into the human brain at higher levels than previously recorded The process managed to reduce the concentration of nanoplastics from 25 per cent for soft water to 90 per cent for very hard water which contains more minerals, according to the results published last year in the journal Environmental Science & Technology Letters . "This simple boiling water strategy can 'decontaminate' NMPs [nano and microplastics] from household tap water and has the potential for harmlessly alleviating human intake of NMPs through water consumption," Zimin Yu, a biomedical engineer from Guangzhou Medical University and one of the study authors, said in a statement. "Drinking boiled water apparently is a viable long-term strategy for reducing global exposure to NMPs," the authors said in their paper, warning that the efficacy may vary from region to region depending on the water quality. "Drinking boiled water is an ancient tradition in some Asian countries such as China, Vietnam, and Indonesia," the team added. Related Scientists find most microplastics in drinking water are smaller than EU detection limits How does boiling help? The calcium carbonate, one of the minerals contained in high quantities in hard water, is thought to trap the small plastics in a crust as it forms limescale when the temperature rises. Researchers from Guangzhou Medical University and Jinan University advised the use of non-plastic kettles and stainless steel filters in order to retain the limescale containing the microplastics. Microplastics are increasingly recognised as a potential threat to human health, with a growing amount of research linking them to various possible health issues. Last year, a study linked microplastics present in arteries to a higher risk of heart attack or stroke. Related Microplastics may make bacteria more resistant to antibiotics, researchers say Another study showed that individuals with dementia showed a higher concentration of microplastics in their brain . However, those studies were observational - comparing data from one group to another - and a causal effect hasn't been established by researchers. The Chinese research team believes further study is required to establish if boiling water can keep other artificial materials out of our bodies. "Our results have ratified a highly feasible strategy to reduce human NMP exposure and established the foundation for further investigations with a much larger number of samples," the authors said.
