Baby powder is a common sight in all households, even when no baby is present. Most women swear by the talcbased powder, claiming it makes skin soft and younger looking.
If this is you, you need to stop.
Baby powder like the one sold from Johnson and Johnson is increasing women’s risk of being diagnosed with ovarian cancer by 33%.
Dr. Daniel Cramer, epidemiologist, believes that at least 10,000 women develop ovarian cancer as a direct result from using baby powder on a daily basis.
The Shocking Facts
As early as 1982, studies have shown a link between baby powder and ovarian cancer in women. Findings have shown that women using talc-based powders are 300 times more likely to be diagnosed with cancer.
The research hit mainstream media by the New York Times and forced big corporation Johnson and Johnson to reveal the truth behind their product.
Read and Follow The Labels
If you have a bottle of baby powder in your house, go read the label and warnings (and then throw out the bottle).
Johnson and Johnson caution people to avoid the powder coming in contact with their eyes and to avoid inhalation, however there’s nothing about talc particle’s ability to stay on the skin for years and travel to your ovaries.
Nor does it state anywhere on the bottle that talc causes inflammation and the perfect environment to grow cancer cells.
Yet, the big corporation admitted to being aware of the dangers of their baby powder as outlined in the 1982 study, and decided they didn’t need to warn their loyal customers of the dangerous side effects of using their line of baby powder products.
That’s Not All
Using baby powder on your baby is probably worse than using it on yourself. The American Academy of Pediatrics has warned parents against using baby powder specifically with talc. This mineral easily becomes airborne and can be inhaled by infants, causing their mucous membranes to dry up.
This effects on breathing and can lead to wheezing in babies. Some reported cases of pneumonia in infants have also been traced back to the use of baby powder, but you’d never see that on the warning label.
Why Hide The Facts?
As with any big company, it was all about the money. Would you buy a product that is known to cause cancer? Probably not.
Many recent lawsuits, however, are forcing the company to change their warning label. With a giant “May Cause Cancer” sticker on the side, I think it’s safe to assume this would mean all Johnson and Johnson baby powders would have to be pulled from the shelf.
Safe Alternatives that have no known bad effects;
For babies, the best substitute and alternative is a combination of ½ cup arrowroot powder mixed with 1 tsp of chamomile to help heal a sore bottom. As for adults, it’s safe to use the same alternative to achieve the soft skin results.