Carcinogens are substances that are known to cause cancer. This happens when the substance damages the DNA of a cell and interrupts it’s normal biological processes. It can cause cells to reproduce themselves uncontrollably, which is how tumors are formed. Carcinogens are all around us and are both created by human activity and also occur naturally.
Rates of cancer around the world have been increasing but the good news is that mortality rates due to cancer have been either staying the same, or in some cases actually going down due to better testing and diagnosis and better treatment. Most of us know from experience though that battling any form of cancer, despite its treat-ability, leaves scars both physical and mental.
So how can we reduce our exposure to carcinogens? First we need to know where they’re hiding and what they’re called. Here are a couple of examples of the most common compounds.
1,4-Dioxane is a foaming agent and carcinogen and can be found in most widely available washes, shampoos and soaps. It was linked to cancer by the state of California in 1988. It forms as a by-product of ethylene oxide during a procedure called ethoxylation, a process used to smooth out harsh ingredients. It’s actually a by-product of another process so you wont find it in the ingredient list, but if you find anything with the letters ”eth” in the name such as sodium laureth sulphate or Polyethylene glycol you can be sure that it’s there.
Parabens are a widely used and low-cost preservative used in everything from toothpaste to makeup, to KY. They have also been found in the tissue of breast cancer tumors. Researchers have concluded that the presence of Parabens in the tumors can only be explained by absorption from a topical cream or body lotion. Remarkably, up to 60% of all breast tumors are found in just one-fifth of the breast - the upper-outer quadrant, nearest the underarm. Given the fact that most underarm antiperspirants contain Parabens, underarm skin is very thin, and deodorants linger on the skin, a link is likely. "I personally feel there is a very strong correlation between the underarm hygiene habits and breast cancer," said immunologist Dr. Kris McGrath, the author of a 2004 study at Northwestern University.
There are many good alternatives to hygiene products that contain carcinogens though and they can sometimes be found on the shelf right next to the bad ones. Johnson and Johnson has just committed to phasing out formaldehyde from its baby shampoos and hundreds of companies are now starting to get the message about suspected carcinogens and make commitments to change. It’s an uphill road though. Large corporations will always put what’s cheapest and most profitable ahead of what’s right. Maybe someday soon they’ll find that what’s right is also what’s profitable, but it will take people voting with their wallets to make that happen.
In the meantime there are some great resources to help in your everyday buying decisions. The Environmental Working Group has a database of almost 70000 products that they have tested which can be found here. It’s as easy as just typing in the name of a product that you want to know all about and hitting GO! In Canada we have the Environmental defense “Just Beautiful” campaign of which Ground Soap is a pledge company. Their website can be found here. They have a “ Toxic Ten” list that goes into detail about the toxins hiding in beauty products and the action that Canadians are taking to remedy the situation. You can also check out their booth at the Green Living show in Toronto this weekend.
Angela Youngs
Angela is the owner of Ground Soap, an organic soap company in
Ontario, Canada.
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