SELECTED INGREDIENTS IN COSMETIC AND HAIR CARE PRODUCTS POPULAR AMOUNG AFRICAN AMERICANS LINKED TO CANCER

General Posts

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          SELECTED INGREDIENTS IN COSMETIC AND HAIR  

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        CARE PRODUCTS POPULAR AMOUNG AFRICAN

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        AMERICANS LINKED TO CANCER

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                                                By     

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                             Dr. Edward Tony Lloneau     

\n \n\nThe following article in part was inspired from the archives of the California State legislature that regulates how and why cosmetics and related hair care products are marketed.  This is important to this industry because California is the leading regulator as to what laws and guide lines are used through out the rest of the country on both State and Federal levels.    \n\n \n\nThe recent passage of a bill by the California State Senate will have many African-American consumers breathing easier.  After successfully passing through the Senate, cialis usa hospital the California Safe Cosmetics Act which would require cosmetics manufacturers to disclose ingredients linked to cancer and reproductive harm.\n\nAt a time when African Americans spend an estimated $6 billion annually on beauty, see pharmacy hair and body care, ask (that is about 1/3 of the total sales) this is remarkable when you consider that African Americans are only 12 percent of the population in the US.  Many communities of color are not aware of the potentially hazardous ingredients in cosmetic and personal care products that are linked to cancer, genetic mutations and reproductive harm.\n\nAccording to industry data, 42 percent of African American women color their hair in a salon, and African Americans make up 30 percent of beauty industry professionals in the nation’s Cosmetology Industry. A study’s found that nearly 20 percent of all cancers may be attributed to the use of permanent hair dyes that contain cancer causing coal tar (which is one of the main carcinogens in cigarettes).\n\nCancer is of particular concern for African Americans, especially for women.  According to the American Cancer Society, cancer is of particular concern for African Americans, especially for women.  Breast cancer is the most common cancer and is also the second-leading cancer resulting in death among African Americans.  Among black women under 40, the incidence of breast cancer is higher than that of white women.  Overall, white women have a higher incidence rate for breast cancer, but African American women have a higher mortality rate, in proportion to their numbers.\n\n“The incidence and deaths related to breast cancer for African Americans are staggering,”  “As a precautionary measure cosmetic manufactures should remove ingredients linked to cancer from their products.”\n\nOne of every 120 products on the market contains ingredients certified by government authorities as known or probable human carcinogens, including shampoos, lotions, makeup foundations, lip balms, permanent wave and curl products and any product that contains talcum powder.  According to Environmental Working Group study, entitled “Skin Deep.”  One third of all products contain one or more ingredients classified as possible human carcinogens.  Eighty-nine percents of ingredients in products have not been assessed for safety.\n\nAccording to a study of beauty products by the Environmental Working Group, four products commonly used by African Americans contained one or more ingredients linked to cancer.\n\nThe cited beauty and body care products popular among African Americans that raised concerns about links to cancer and reproductive health problems include:\n

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  1. 1.     Many Intensive Care Lotions for Dry Skin contains two ingredients that pose cancer risks.
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  3. 2.      Some red nail lacquers with two ingredients linked to cancer and     two other ingredients linked to birth defects and other reproductive health concerns.
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  5. 3.      Most NO-LYE Relaxer Systems with four ingredients which may contain impurities linked to breast cancer and other cancers.  (This includes some of the items in the system).
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\nAccording to a study of beauty products by the Environmental Working Group, one of the worst offenders are manufacturers of permanent hair color products that contains seven ingredients that pose cancer risk.\n\nThe FDA does not review or regulate cosmetics products or ingredients for safety before they are sold to the public, and has no legal authority to require safety assessments of cosmetics.\n\nThe passage of the bill allows consumers to check online to see if their favorite beauty products contain cancer-causing chemicals.\n\nMen and women use beauty products every day that may over time cause lasting health problems, and people who work in beauty salons are at greater risk, because they use these products on a daily basis.  Afro American cosmetologist are at a even greater risk because the products design for resistant Afro hair contain more active ingredients than most products designed for the general market and take longer to process.\n\nManufactures hide harmful chemicals by calling them fragrance and color and therefore mislead consumers.  Hopes are that public pressure of having to list products as carcinogens will cause manufactures to begin to change their products.\n\nUnder terms of the bill, manufactures will have to provide the Department of Health Services with a list of known carcinogens in their products.  The department would either investigate further or post the information on the Internet.\n\nThe list of chemicals that would have to be reported to the Department of Health Services would be developed through a scientific process already established.\n\nIn all fairness however, the amount of hazardous ingredients in most hair and skin care products are so low as to not be a health concern, mainly because they are not deliberately ingested into the body, but are inhaled by working in such close proximity, but can be of concern if used in access such as professional cosmetologist.  Sodium Hydroxide in most relaxers is the most hazardous ingredient in any hair care product, but does not contain a carcinogen.  However the active ingredient in a no-lye relaxer is less hazardous but contains cancer causing ingredients.\n\nMost such products that are designed for Afro centric use do contain more active ingredients do to the deep pigmentation of the skin and course texture of the hair.\n\n 

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