Would you bathe or clean with
Formaldehyde? You may be doing just that!
by Dr Desai
Dr. Desai is dedicated to educating consumers about
the dangers that we may bring into our homes or use on our bodies every day. Dr. Desai has been trying to inform his
clients of the dangers of some ingredients used in soaps, shampoos and other
products that we trust and use daily. These may be products that we have used
for years, that we may assume to be safe because they are on a store shelf and
legally available for purchase by the public. Some of these products contain DMDM Hydantoin which
is a widely used preservative in many of our personal hygiene products,
household cleaners and more. DMDM
Hydantoin releases Formaldehyde[1]. Formaldehyde is never listed on the
ingredients because it is the use of a precursor such as DMDM Hydantoin that
releases formaldehyde. There are not
many individuals that would knowingly apply formaldehyde to their skin
regardless of its effectiveness as an antimicrobial. Formaldahyde is known to cause dermatitis and
eczema. DMDM Hydantoin is an
antimicrobial formaldehyde releaser preservative with the trade name Glydant. It is a Chemical compound belonging to a class
of compounds known as hydantoins. It is
used in the cosmetics industry as a preservative because the formaldehyde makes
the environment less favorable to the microorganisms. There are more dangers to using a product on
your skin that releases formaldehyde, including the danger of cancer. Formaldehyde has recently been declared a
carcinogen and listed in the 12th Report on Carcinogens[2],
compiled by the National Toxicology Program(NTP)under the Department of Health
& Human Services (HHS). This may be
a step in the right direction, but this does not mean the DMDM Hydantoin will
no longer be found in your soaps, shampoos, or hair gel. This just means that the listing of
formaldehyde potential carcinogenic will be available to the public. There has
been no ban on the use of formaldehyde releasing preservatives or formaldehyde
itself, at least not yet.
We may not be able to do anything about the
formaldehyde that’s in the wood that our houses may have been built with, but
we can take control of the choices that we make when it comes to the products
that we use. We can also join The
Campaign for Safe Cosmetics which recently announced the introduction of the Safe
Cosmetics Act of 2011 (H.R.2359), which would give the Food and Drug
Administration authority to ensure that all personal care products, from
shampoo to lipstick, are free of harmful ingredients and that all ingredients
in the product are disclosed. Existing
law, which has not been updated since 1938, has loopholes that allow chemicals
linked to cancer, birth defects, learning disabilities and other illnesses in
products we use on our bodies every day. If you haven't yet, please ask your
Representative to co-sponsor this important bill!
It takes a minute to log onto the web site for the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics
at http://org2.democracyinaction.org/o/5500/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=7022 and forward your request for their support of
this bill. This bill will help to
protect the average consumer from hidden dangers and may force the reform of
the cosmetic industry to stop using harmful ingredients. You can visit the Household Product Safety website
at http://householdproducts.nlm.nih.gov/cgi-bin/household/brands?tbl=chem&id=2211&query=+hydantoin&searchas=TblChemicals
for a list of products that contain DMDM Hydantoin. Not all products that contain DMDM Hydantoin are
guaranteed to be listed, so always check the ingredient label on your personal
care products in addition to doing your own research. If you do not understand the ingredients used
in your favorite personal care products, feel free to post your questions on
DrDesaiSoap.com via “Ask Dr. Desai” at http://www.drdesaisoap.com/pages/Ask-Dr.-Desai.html.