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Dr. Joseph Mercola: Beware of Cancer-Causing Baby Products!
Parents are very protective of their babies and make sure they receive only the best baby products that will promote their well-being. But beware because some baby products actually contain hazardous, cancer-causing ingredients. One recent example is the famous Johnson & Johnson’s baby shampoo, which contains two potentially carcinogenic chemicals: quarternium-15 and 1,4-dioxane.
Don’t Expose Your Baby to These Chemicals
Dr. Joseph Mercola says that toxins in personal care products and baby products are absorbed by your skin and directly go to your bloodstream, allowing them to inflict more damage on your or your child’s system.
Quaternium-15, one of the dangerous chemicals reported to be in Johnson & Johnson’s baby shampoo, releases formaldehyde. Aside from causing eye, skin, and respiratory irritation, formaldehyde exposure has also been linked to leukemia.
SafeCosmetics.org reports:
“The North American Contact Dermatitis Group considers quaternium-15 to be among the most clinically significant contact allergens in children.” (link)
Meanwhile, 1.4-dioxane is also classified by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as “probably carcinogenic to humans,” and is toxic to your kidneys, central nervous system, and liver. It is found in Johnson and Johnson’s:
- Baby Shampoo
- Oatmeal Baby Wash
- Moisture Care Baby Wash
- Aveeno Baby Soothing Relief Creamy Wash
How is Johnson & Johnson Handling this Issue?
For the past two years, many health and environmental groups have been urging Johnson & Johnson to remove these dangerous chemicals from their products. The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics sent Johnson & Johnson a letter, which contained the signature of 25 medical and environmental groups and demanded the company remove the chemicals from all of its products by November 15. They also advise consumers to boycott Johnson & Johnson until they take action.
Here’s part of Johnson & Johnson’s official statement:
“We have been phasing out the use of preservatives that release tiny amounts of formaldehyde to guard against bacterial contamination. These preservative technologies, which are used widely in our industry are all safe and approved in the countries where they are sold… Over the past couple of years, we already have reduced the number of formulations globally with these “formaldehyde releaser” preservatives by 33% and in the U.S. by over 60%.
We are completing this reformulation as quickly as we can safely and responsibly do so.
As part of the manufacturing process, we have extensive monitoring to ensure that the amount of a trace byproduct known as “1,4 dioxane” in any of our products is well below the level that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and regulatory agencies around the world consider safe.
… We have introduced new product formulations for consumers who prefer natural products, such as JOHNSON’S® NATURAL®, a line that is 98% natural, and contains no formaldehyde releasing preservatives or traces of 1,4 dioxane.” (link)
However, Dr. Mercola points out two problems with Johnson and Johnson’s action plan. First is that countries like Japan, Norway, South Africa, and Sweden are already receiving a carcinogen-free version of their baby shampoo – this means no complicated reformulation is necessary. Second, the “Naturals” brand costs about twice as much as their regular baby shampoo. This means that they already have two carcinogen-free formulas available.
How to Avoid Carcinogens in Baby Products
Dr. Mercola advises you to read the label when shopping for personal hygiene products for yourself and your family. Unfortunately, formaldehyde-releasing ingredients and 1,4-dioxane are usually not listed. However, you can avoid them if you know the ingredients that produce them.
Common ingredients that are likely to release formaldehyde include:
- Diazolidinyl urea
- DMDM hydantoin
- Quaternium-15
- Imidazolidinyl urea
Meanwhile, these ingredients produce 1,4-dioxane as a byproduct:
- Ceteareth-20
- PEG-100 stearate
- Polyethylene
- Sodium laureth sulfate
- Sodium myreth sulfate
Dr. Mercola also urges you to avoid products with:
- Any chemical that include the clauses “xynol,” “ceteareth,” and “oleth.”
- Diethanolamine (DEA) – This potentially cancer-causing agent readily reacts with nitrite preservatives and contaminants and creates nitrosodiethanolamine (NDEA), which is a potent carcinogen. DEA also blocks absorption of choline, a nutrient vital to brain development.
- Propylene Glycol – This is a strong skin irritant that may also cause kidney damage and liver abnormalities.
- Parabens (methylparaben, ethylparaben, propylparaben, butylparaben, isobutylparaben or E216) – According to studies, they can affect your body much like estrogens, which cause diminished extra fat storage, muscle mass, and male gynecomastia (breast growth). Traces of parabens are also found in every sample of tissue from 20 different breast tumors. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has also linked methylparabens to metabolic, developmental, neurological, and hormonal disorders, as well as various cancers.
Tips in Choosing Safe Baby Products
Dr. Mercola says you should switch to organic toiletry brands, especially when it comes to children’s personal care products. However, some product marked “organic” or “natural” may still contain harmful chemicals.
Here are some useful tips from Dr. Mercola:
- Look for the genuine USDA Organic Seal.
- Choose products that are fragrance-free because artificial fragrances can contain hundreds or thousands of chemicals.
- Observe the order in which the ingredients are listed. The first few ingredients are the most prominent.
- Buy products that come in glass bottles rather than plastic. Chemicals like bisphenol A (BPA) can leach out of plastics and into the contents.
- Look for products that are made by Earth-friendly and animal-friendly companies, which are committed to organic and sustainable business practices.
You should also check out the EWG’s Skin Deep database, so you can evaluate the products you buy and ensure you’re choosing safe varieties.
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Tags: baby products, Dr. Joseph Mercola, Dr. Mercola, johnson & Johnson, johnson & johnson baby shampoo, Joseph Mercola, Mercola
