Reduce the number of products you use

America’s teenage girls may be at risk from hormone-altering and/or toxic chemicals present in the cosmetics and body care products they use, according to a new study on a small group of teenagers released recently by the Environmental Working Group (EWG).

EWG is a watchdog group with a special concern on hazards found in consumer products. The EWG says its study is the first-of-its-kind in examining the chemical composition of cosmetic products for young people.

The study covers an evaluation of blood and urine samples from 20 teenage girls (aged 14-19) coming from 8 different states and the District of Columbia. The teens represent different ethnic and cultural backgrounds. On the average, they used about 17 cosmetic products each day, all of which had 174 unique ingredients.

The analysis shows the presence of 16 toxic chemicals in the blood and urine samples. These include various preservatives, fragrance and antimicrobial compounds. The researchers said that in previous researches conducted on laboratory animals, many of these ingredients have caused serious health risks even when given at low dosage.

The ingredients are classified under four categories. Triclosan has effects on the thyroid. Three others work like hormones, affecting the still-developing bodies of teens: parabens, synthetic musks, and phthalates. In lab studies all of these four types of chemicals have been associated with cancer.

The big concern is the hormone-like action of these ingredients. The chemicals could interfere with the functioning of the hormone system in the teenage girls because their bodies have not yet matured and have a few more years of development to go.

Teenage girls also tend to use personal care and cosmetic products in more quantities. The group used 17 products a day. In contrast, the average number used by adult women is only 12 products a day.

Federal laws do not impose testing requirements for safety on cosmetic products or ingredients before these go to market. Federal agencies, like the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), therefore do not assess cosmetic and personal care products for safety. There is also no federally-established set of uniform safety standards for these products.

The study calls on government to establish minimum safety standards for cosmetics ingredients.

The Personal Care Products Council, an industry group, says manufacturers subject products to careful testing before selling them.

Safety Tips:

* Reduce the number of products you use.
* Select simpler products.
* Examine the warning labels closely. These can alert you to presence of hazardous chemicals.
* Check the EWG guide at www.cosmeticsdatabase.com for information on toxic ingredients.