Natural Ingredients That May Not Help Your Skin

So, you’ve switched from skincare products that have a load of chemicals to using natural and organic ones.  But, then you notice that they aren’t working or your skin condition (dry, acne, oily, irritated, eczema, psorias, etc.) is worse.  What’s happening?

Because the body works as an integrated unit, there could be several causes, for instance diet plays a large role in what is happening with the skin.  However, today we are going to look at a couple of ingredients that are in natural skincare products that may not help your skin.

Glycerin (Glycerol)

• About

• Glycerin is a component of fat and oil. It’s found in animals and plants. The name comes from the Greek word “glykys” that mean sweet.  It’s a refined and distilled syrup. Glycerin is a by-product of soap and candle making as well as biodiesel.   Coconuts are the most often plant based source.  However, glycerin is also synthetically made from petroleum.  Back in the day it was used to make glue, cork, and dynamite.  Now it’s used in thousands of products from cosmetics, to pharmaceuticals, to cigarettes; it is used to make cellophane; added to foods, inks, perfumes and the list goes on. Glycerin in your skincare products could be from an animal, petroleum, or plant source.  Companies using plant-based glycerin usually state that it’s plant based on the label.  
• Concern
• Glycerin draws moisture to itself.  This is one of the reason it was added to body products–to draw moisture to the skin.  New research, however, shows that glycerin in products can actually dry out the skin, especially if the humidity in the air is below 65 percent.  What happens is that the glycerin on the skin that is supposed to attract moisture will actually extract moisture from deeper skin tissues, leaving the skin over-all drier.  In other words, it dries the skin from the inside out.

Wheat Protein

• About
• Other names for wheat protein on labels are: hydrolysate, proteins, wheat, glutens, enzyme-modified, wheat gluten, enzyme-modified, and hydrolyzed wheat protein.   Wheat protein is made from hydrolyzed gluten, its used as an emulsifier, stabilizer, hair and skin conditioner, and anti-static agent.
• Concern
• There are several studies showing people having allergic reaction to wheat protein.  Also, if you have an allergy or are gluten intolerant you don’t want to use products containing this ingredient.

Lanolin

• About
  
  • Lanolin and lanolin derived substances, lanolin alcohol, acetylated lanolin, acetylated lanolin alcohol, are other natural ingredients that could also irritate or cause allergic in some people.  Lanolin is a waxy substance secreted from the wool of animals, mostly from sheep.  Most people think it’s an oil, but it’s not.
  • Concern
    • Many people are allergic to lanolin and develop bumps or rash as a result.  The thing is that you could have a mild sensitivity or mild allergy to lanolin ingredients and not readily notice it.  For example, you may have a skin condition such as keratosis pilaris (small bumps on upper arms and legs) products with lanolin ingredients may make it worse.  At the other end, you may think you have keratosis pilaris, but it’s actually a reaction to lanolin ingredients. 
      Lanolin also blocks pores.  Lanolin in a sheep’s coat is what makes it able to cast off water.  So, lanolin wouldn’t be good for acne or backne skin conditions. 
      Another concern is that lanolin most likely contains pesticide residuals. Sheep are dipped in pesticide treatments to control parasitic infestation. Also, chemicals are used to remove the lanolin from the wool in a process call scouring. Chemical residual in lanolin is well documented. The FDA permits 40 part per million (ppm) in lanolin products that are not used for open wounds.  But here is the other problem with this: There really isn’t any oversight by federal agencies to ensure those levels are being adhered to.  Considering that China exports lanolin, a country we have seen that doesn’t not have great oversight in the products they ship, you should at minimum know where the lanolin is coming from if you use it.

Reference:

“Glycerin,” Sakamoto Yakuhin Kogyco Co LT. Online: http://www.sykogyo.co.jp/english/sei/1_gly.html

Olaiwan A, Pecquet C, Mathelier-Fusade P, Francès C., “Contact urticaria induced by hydrolyzed wheat proteins in cosmetics,” PubMed.gov.  Online: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20417361

If Formaldehyde Were Money…

This has been in the news a lot recently; we dug a little deeper and found it’s not just the hair salon where you should be concerned.  Read on….

Some salons are issuing gas masks to their clients and to hairdressers to protect them from hair smoothing and straightening products.  This gives a whole new dimension to Il faut souffrir pour etre belle; ahh…who better understands the suffering of beauty than French women??  The handing out of gas masks is in light of OSHA’s (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) warning on the harmful effects of formaldehyde in these products.

Can’t See But My Hair Looks Great

Formaldehyde gets released into the air and possibly comes in contact with the skin during smoothing and straightening hair processes.  Formaldehyde is very yucky (yes, yucky is a technical term…).  According to OSHA formaldehyde is a “sensitizer.” that can cause irritations in the eyes, nose, lungs, (coughing and wheezing), and on the skin.  It can also cause blindness if it gets in the eyes and can cause nose or lung cancer.  Reactions from formaldehyde can happen whether it is in the air or in a product that gets on your skin.

No Charge For The Nosebleed

After OSHA received reports from workers in salons having adverse reactions while using these products, they investigated and found high levels of formaldehyde in the air in these salons.  Both stylists and customers have reported nosebleeds, trouble breathing, and eye irritations.  OSHA has specifically singled out the Brazilian Blowout products whose labels read “formaldehyde free.”

A Rose By Any Other Name

OSHA also found that many hair products claiming to be “formaldehyde free” gave off formaldehyde.  The ingredients that should be avoided are formaldehyde, methylene glycol, formalin, methylene oxide, paraform, formic aldehyde, methanal, oxomethane, oxymethylene or Chemical Abstract Service Number 50-00-0.  According to the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, formaldehyde can also go by these names: merthaldehyde, methyl aldehyde, aldehyd mravenci (Czech), Aldehyde Formique (French), Aldeide Fromica (Italian) and BFV.  All a mouth full to say the least.

Beware Of The Fine Print

While some companies are now claiming that their products are not giving off formaldehyde, OSHA warns that it doesn’t mean the products don’t contain other hazardous ingredients.  Also, just like the “formaldehyde free” claims- hazard ingredients can be hidden by other names.

If Formaldehyde Were Money….

We would all be rich because it’s everywhere!  Our body produces a small amount naturally that isn’t harmful.  Formaldehyde is in the air and is a major part of the smog we breathe.  In the home, you can find formaldehyde in fabric softeners,  some clothing, drapes, some medicines, and is even used as preservative in some foods, such as certain types of Italian cheese.  You can find formaldehyde in vaccines (even ones given to babies), antiseptics, dish-washing liquid, most common wood products; such as particle board and cabinetry.  It’s found in adhesives, paper, carpet cleaners, fungicides, germicides, disinfectant, cigarettes, cosmetics (preservative and nail hardener), and the list goes on.

Yeah Not So Good For Us, But…

Most U.S. regulatory agencies and scientist recognize that formaldehyde is a “probable carcinogen.”  The FDA has not banned it in cosmetics, but does regulate the amount that can be added.  Note that ingredient lists do not have to say it contains formaldehyde.  According to Environmental Working Group, even baby shampoos, soaps, and washes may contain formaldehyde.  They often use FRP (formaldehyde releasing preservative) as a way to mask it.

Both Japan and Sweden ban formaldehyde in cosmetics.  And the European Union along with Canada regulates the use of formaldehyde and formaldehyde-release ingredients in cosmetics with labeling that states “contains formaldehyde.”

When do we think the FDA will catch on?

 Resources: OSHA www.osha.gov; EPA www.epa.gov;  FDA www.fda.gov; Campaign for Safe Cosmetics www.safecosmetics.org

               

          

Caution: Use of Tanning Beds for Skin Rashes Could Be Deadly

This is yucky stuff, but someone has got to talk about it!

Using tanning beds to self-treat undiagnosed skin eruptions or rashes can cause harm or even be deadly.  Researchers at the Indiana University School of Medicine Dermatology report on a growing trend: People believe that the radiation (UV rays) from tanning beds can reduce or eliminate skin rashes.  However, a study done by IUSM showed that if the rash is unknown and/or caused by medication or drugs, a person could do more harm by using a tanning bed.

The study reported on a person who had a mild skin reaction to Ibuprofen and used a tanning bed to reduce the symptoms.  After the tanning session, the person’s blood pressure dropped, the skin blistered and the rash spread.  She was diagnosed with toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) a life threatening disease.  TEN attacks skin cells and other tissues in the body, which can cause hemorrhaging, respiratory failure, and other life-threatening symptoms.

Bottom line is do not self-treat an unknown skin condition with a trip to the tanning salon; seek the advice of a physician.  For detailed information, click on the link below.

Story Source: Science Daily, Mar. 2, 2011. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/03/110301151207.htm

Can we get away-from BPA?

Yet another reason we should be watching what we not only put IN our bodies but what is also put ON our bodies!

A new study by French scientist now confirms that BPA (Bisphenol A) which is typically found in many plastics on the market, can now breach through our skin, especially when we handle thermal receipts.  Thermal receipts are carriers of very high levels of BPA.   

Scientists tested the levels of how much BPA can be absorbed into one’s skin.   By using pig ears, which they obtained within two hours of the animal being killed,  they found that more than half of the BPA rubbed onto the top level of the skin was absorbed.

To then further their research they tested several different levels of BPA when applied to dry human skin (they received small samples from women who were avg. age of 40 and had undergone abdominal surgery).

From both the pig and human skin, more than half of the BPA passed through the surface of the skin and into the growth tissue.  More studies are being conducted as to the full spectrum of effects BPA has on our estrogen levels.

For the full article:

http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/64972/title/Skin_is_no_barrier_to_BPA,_study_shows