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The Irish Sun

The 56 toxic chemicals in your makeup and shampoo that risk breast cancer, revealed by top UK charity

MILLIONS of women could be unknowingly increasing their risk of breast cancer by using everyday toiletries, a charity has warned. Shampoos, face creams and make-up may be harmless on their own, but when layered on the skin they could create harmful chemical combinations. Advertisement 1 Mixing beauty products together could potentially raise the risk of breast cancer Credit: Getty This can contribute to the development of breast cancer, which kills around 11,500 people a year in the UK. A new YouGov poll for the charity found that over a quarter of UK women - around 8.5million - use at least six personal care products daily, exposing themselves to an estimated 168 different chemicals every day. 'Looking at chemicals in isolation can lead to a dangerous underestimation of their risk to public health," Gareth Lloyd-Johnson head of public affairs and policy at Breast Cancer UK said. Advertisement Read more on breast cancer "Regulations must be re-evaluated to better reflect our real-life exposure – no product can be viewed inside a vacuum.' With breast cancer deaths in the UK set to soar by more than 40 per cent by 2050, the charity is calling on women to ditch their "While scientific evidence is mounting, the extent of the threat posed by chemical cocktails is still being uncovered," Dr Hannah Moody, the charity's director of research, said. As part of its Ditch The Junk campaign, Breast Cancer UK has published a list of 'no-go' ingredients - harmful chemicals commonly found in everyday toiletries Advertisement Most read in Health The list also highlights which products are most likely to contain them, to help women make safer choices. Make-up and nail varnish are believed to contain the highest number hormone disrupting chemicals which mimic the hormone Breast cancer symptoms you should NEVER ignore, with Dr Philippa Kaye According to the charity, many of these products include at least two of the top three EDCs to avoid: Phthalates, often used to strengthen plastics, are found in nail varnish, shampoos and hairsprays. Advertisement When applied to the skin, they can be absorbed into the body and disrupt normal hormonal function — raising the risk of breast cancer. These substances are often listed on ingredients labels as 'parfum' or 'fragrance', as they are commonly added to make scents last longer. Another category to be wary of are face creams and moisturisers, which are likely to contain a high number of parabens. These can penetrate the skin and boost oestrogen production, linked to higher breast cancer risk. Advertisement Who is more likely to get breast cancer? ANYONE can get breast cancer and it's not always clear what causes it. But the NHS says you might be more likely to get it if you: are over 50 have dense breast tissue – you may be told this after a breast screening (mammogram) have other people in your family who've had breast or ovarian cancer – you may have inherited a faulty gene, such as a faulty BRCA gene have certain breast conditions, such as benign breast disease, ductal carcinoma in situ or lobular carcinoma in situ You may also be more likely to get breast cancer if you have higher levels of the hormones oestrogen, progesterone or testosterone. This may be more likely if you: started your periods before you were 12, or went through the menopause after you turned 55 have not given birth, or gave birth for the first time after 30 did not breastfeed your children have used the contraceptive pill in the last 10 years, or take hormone replacement therapy (HRT) – these only slightly increase your risk and for many people the benefits of taking them outweigh the risks Many breast cancers are also linked to lifestyle, such as smoking. While many parabens have been banned due to their hormone-disrupting effects, other endocrine disruptors still lurk in everyday beauty products, warns the charity. Breast Cancer UK also warns against synthetic fragrances, which commonly contain musk ketone, benzyl salicylate, and diethyl phthalate - chemicals known to harm the female reproductive system and increase breast cancer risk. To reduce exposure, the charity urges women to simplify their beauty routines and choose fragrance-free products whenever possible. Check your breasts Breast cancer is the most common cancer in the UK, making up a sixth of all cases. Advertisement Three in four women survive at least 10 years after diagnosis - a rate that has doubled over the past 50 years thanks to Women are urged to check their breasts regularly for signs such as lumps or swelling in the breast, chest or armpit, changes in skin texture, size or shape, nipple discharge (especially with blood), nipple changes, or ongoing pain. These symptoms aren't always cancer, but anyone noticing them should see their GP to be safe. Full list of 56 'no-go' ingredients found in beauty producs that if mixed together could increase risk of cancer Make-up and nail varnish: Methylparaben Ethylparaben Propylparaben Butylparaben Cyclohexasiloxane Cyclopentasiloxane Cyclotetrasiloxane Sodium hydroxymethylglycinate 2-bromo-2 nitropropane-1, 3-diol 5-bromo-5-nitro-1, 3 dioxane Benzylhemiformal Diazolidinyl urea Cyclopentasiloxane DMDM hydantoin Imidazolidinyl urea Methenamine BHA BHT Fragrance Parfum Glyoxal Lipstick: BHT Creams and moisturisers: Benzophenone-3 Benzophenone-4 Ethylhexyl dimethyl PABA Ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate 4-methylbenzylidene camphor Homosalate Octocrylene Methylparaben Ethylparaben Propylparaben Butylparaben Cyclohexasiloxane Cyclopentasiloxane Cyclotetrasiloxane Hair spray and dye: Parfum Fragrance Fragrance Acetyl hexamethyl tetralin (AHTN or tonalide) Benzyl salicylate Fragrance Musk ketone Musk xylene Diethyl phthalate Parfum Perfume Hexamethylindanopyran (galaxolide) Soap and body wash: Triclosan Triclocarbon Fragrance Parfum Shampoo and conditioner: Triclosan Triclocarbon Fragrance Parfum Source: