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Personal Care and Cosmetic Products May be Carcinogenic
18
Cosmetic Myths
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What is Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS)?
Sodium Lauryl
Sulfate
(SLS)
is
a harsh (caustic) detergent. Also known as a surfactant, which
breaks down the surface tension of water. "It can actually damage
the outer layer of the skin, the stratum corneum, causing dryness,
roughness, scaliness, fissuring, loss of flexibility and reduction of
the barrier functions of normal healthy skin. The lipid dissolving
action of some detergents, including SLS cause damage to the moisture
retaining ability of the cellular level resulting in water loss and loss
of water-binding ability" (Cosmetic Science, C. Prottey, 1978)
Sodium lauryl sulfate, a surface active agent and a
common surfactant used in shampoos, was found to increase the absorption
of certain chemicals. Simply put, SLS in your shampoo could be
increasing the rate of skin absorption of other chemicals in your
shampoo and conditioner which may include preservatives, fragrances and
color additives. (Cosmetic and the Skin, F.V. Wells, Reinhold
Publishing Corporation, New York, 1964)
Sodium Lauryl sulfate (SLS)
is used in concrete
floor cleaners, engine degreasers, car wash detergents. Along with
hundreds of personal care products including probably every major brand
of toothpaste you can find.
Cosmetics and personal
care products containing Sodium Lauryl Sulfate:
-
could
keep children's eyes from developing properly. Children
under six are especially vulnerable to improper eye development;
-
can
cause cataracts in adults and delay healing of wounds on the cornea;
-
can
build up and cause major problems in the heart, liver, lungs and
brain;
-
can
cause roughness and flaking of the skin;
-
is
a caustic cleanser that could corrode the hair;
-
is
routinely used in clinical studies to deliberately irritate the skin
so the effects of other substances can be tested.
A report from the Journal of the American
College of Toxicology; Vol. 2, No. 7, 1983 states,
-
SLS is routinely
used in clinical studies to irritate skin tissue.
-
SLS corrodes hair
follicle and impairs ability to grow hair.
-
Carcinogenic Nitrates can form when
SLS
interacts with other nitrogen bearing ingredients.
-
SLS enters and
maintains residual levels in the heart, liver, lungs and brain from skin contact. (Shampoos?)
-
SLS denatures
protein, impairs proper structural formation of young eyes - damage
permanent.
-
SLS can damage the
immune system; cause separation of skin layers and cause inflammation to the skin.
Many
medications are now administered through patches on the skin or by
placing drops under the tongue. Do you feel that it would be
healthy to have chemicals such as Propylene Glycol and Sodium Lauryl
Sulfate making contact with your body multiple times a day?
Studies are
ongoing in this area. SLS is cheap and available and cost is definitely
a factor when manufacturers are deciding on their formulations.
The irony is that we as consumers rarely see any of this saving and pay
high prices for products that contain the same cheap ingredients as a
lower priced product that doesn't have the benefit of a well known name
and a huge advertising budget. There are safer products on the
market. There are safer alternatives to SLS but they can cost up
to ten times more than SLS. One manufacturer said "I know it's not
a good ingredient, but everyone uses it."
It has been shown in
most cases to be extremely dangerous to your health. In most cases the cap on the bottle costs more
than the ingredients inside.
2002 Dr. Sam Epstein's Explanation to the Hazards of SLS - Sodium Laurel
Sulfate
Following is Dr. Epstein's answer regarding the degree of SLS toxicity.
Regarding Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, there is no evidence that SLS is
carcinogenic.
However, contrary, SLS is a harsh ionic detergent which is a strong
irritant to skin, depending on concentration and the duration of
exposure. The Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) 2000 Compendium, of the
Cosmetic, Toiletry and Fragrance Association, admits that SLS "causes
severe epidermal changes--of the skin of mice--(indicating) a need for
tumor-enhancing activity assays," (1). The Compendium also admits that
SLS containing products are "designed for brief discontinued use,
following which they are thoroughly rinsed from the surface of the
skin."
Furthermore, as reported in model studies, published by the Danish
Institute of Public Health, a single 24-hour exposure of SLS to human
skin damages skin protein and causes prolonged disruption of "the skin
barrier integrity of the skin," to allow the penetration of carcinogens
such as nickel and chromate (2,3). Thus, skin absorption of the multiple
carcinogenic ingredients commonly found in mainstream industry cosmetics
and toiletry products (4), including shampoos, could be greatly
increased by SLS type detergents.
Clearly, the American Cancer Society is unaware of this information,
besides the fact that mainstream industry cosmetics and toiletries
contain a wide range of carcinogenic ingredients, precursors, and
contaminants, besides ingredients that break down to release carcinogens
such as formaldehyde.
Furthermore, laureths, besides other ethoxylated alcohols, are generally
contaminated by the volatile carcinogen 1,4-dioxane, as admitted by the
CIR Compendium (1), and also the carcinogen ethylene oxide.
Samuel S. Epstein, M.D.
1.
CTFA.
Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Compendium 2002.
2. Nielsen, G.D. et al. Effects of Industrial Detergents on the
Barrier Function of Human Skin. Int. J. Occup. Med. 6(2):138-142, 2000.
3. Nielsen, G.D. Effects of Four Detergents on the In-Vitro
Barrier Function of Human Skin. Int. J. Occup. Med. 6(2):143-147, 2000.
4. Epstein, S.S. and Steinman, D.
The Safe Shopper's
Bible.
Macmillan/Hungry Minds, Inc., New York, 1995.
5. Unreasonable Risk, Avoidable Risks of Cancer, 2002.
6. Unreasonable Risk, 2nd edition, 2005
7. Cancer Gate- How to win the Losing Cancer War
Like soap, SLS can sting if it gets into your eyes and that, at higher
concentrations than you'll find in any shampoo, SLS can irritate the
skin.
Although the study didn't even address the question of whether
DEA can cause cancer in humans, the FDA announced that it would evaluate
the data to determine the risk, if any, to consumers. They have seen the
peer reviewed studies on the carcinogenicity of DEA, but say they still
need more proof that it causes cancer. Meanwhile, all they will do is
require a "warning label" on products containing DEA, Mineral Oil, etc.
SLS has a long history of use in shampoos and other personal care
products without proper testing or controls.
I don't think you need to worry about it. If you'd rather not take any
chances, you should have no trouble finding alternative products that do
not contain it.
GOOD NEWS!
What can we do to protect ourselves and still be clean?
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manufactured for over 20 years, safe, effective personal care
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These statements
have not been evaluated by the food and drug administration. The
products mentioned are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent
any disease. Always see your licensed health care professional for
proper diagnosis and treatment.
Copyright © 1999 - 2009 Anti-Aging Choices all rights reserved.
Revised:
March 10, 2010.
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