A new study in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives reveals that a number of widely-used skin care products, such as lotions and sunscreens, contain dangerous industrial chemicals known as phthalates. When these phthalates enter the human body, they have been linked to serious health issues such as asthma, allergies and cancers. That's because phthalates disrupt the endocrine system, causing problems with neurodevelopment, pulmonary and immune function, and more.
"The study looked at the breakdown products of different types of phthalates in children’s urine in association with using skin care products," corresponding author Dr. Michael S. Bloom from George Mason University told Salon. Because different products use different types of phthalates, the scientists wanted to distinguish between the health hazards associated with low molecular weight phthalates (such as those in skin care products) as opposed to those with high molecular weight (such as those in plastic packaging.)
"Based on the different types of phthalate breakdown products we found," Bloom explained, "we were able to estimate if the presence of phthalates in children’s urine was more likely to be related to the skin care products themselves or to their packaging. We also studied if these patterns were different based on race, ethnicity, and gender."
The authors learned that there are higher urinary concentrations of phthalates among children ages 4 to 8 if they frequently use products like lotions, oils, sunscreens and others. Similarly, the scientists discovered that "distinct patterns of using multiple skin care products were predictive of higher urinary concentrations of phthalate and phthalate replacement chemicals that are typically used as plasticizers in packaging." They also learned that there are "different relationships between use of skin care products and urinary phthalates and phthalate replacement chemicals in children with different racial and ethnic identities and different sex assigned birth."
Consumers can check product labels to identify potentially dangerous ingredients like phthalates. Yet unfortunately, there is only so much consumers can do just with their pocketbooks.
"The widespread use of these chemicals, lenient labeling requirements, and the possibility for these chemicals to migrate from plastic packaging into product suggest that regulation may be the most effective strategy to limit children’s exposure to potentially harmful chemicals in skin care products," Bloom said.
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