A recent study has strengthened concerns that cosmetic talcum powder, often used in personal care products, may be contaminated with asbestos and linked to mesothelioma, a rare and aggressive cancer of the tissue lining the lungs and abdomen. The findings come from a case series of 33 patients, most of whom had no known occupational asbestos exposure beyond regular talc use.
Exposure to talcum powder can cause mesothelioma, a rare and aggressive malignant tumor that affects the protective membrane that covers most of the body’s internal organs, including the pleura, peritoneum, and pericardium. The team of Jacqueline Moline, Professor of Occupational Medicine, Epidemiology and Prevention at the Feinstein Institute of Medical Research, is sure of this after studying the records of 33 patients.
Mine Talc
Talcum powder can contain asbestos
The majority of cancer patients were women whose only significant exposure to asbestos – the main risk factor for malignant mesothelioma – was the daily use of cosmetic talcum powder.
The researchers have explained the cases of six persons in detail. The tissue tests they were subjected to revealed the presence of fibers that are compatible with the type of asbestos found in cosmetic talcum powder and not with that found in building materials and insulation.
The powder, which is found in many bathroom cabinets, has been mentioned for years because of its connection with asbestos. It may be natural, because the two geological elements sometimes form side by side. Indeed, when, in some mines, talc is extracted, asbestos fibers may also be present.
Professor Jacqueline Moline told Time magazine: “This is the first time someone has said: let me look at all these cases, make things right, and determine where talcum powder is the only exposure”. She adds: “People don’t even know that cosmetic talcum powder may contain asbestos. And yet, Everything indicates talcum powder is the cause,” Moline said, referring to the patients’ lack of other asbestos exposure.
Legal Fallout: Talcum Powder Lawsuits Gain Support From New Study
These findings have raised new legal and regulatory concerns, especially for long-time users of cosmetic talc with no other asbestos exposure.
The American company Johnson & Johnson has been the target of several lawsuits in recent years by customers who had cancer after using their talcum powder. Last March, the company was ordered to pay $29 million to a woman who claimed that the powder had contributed to her mesothelioma. In 2017, a jury asked the company to pay $4 billion to several women with ovarian cancer, who they said were caused by their products.
Johnson & Johnson appealed against this verdict. However, the research published in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine on October 10 may be a liability in these cases.
However, Jacqueline Moline, regardless of the court’s ruling, hopes that her work will raise awareness among those who have used talcum powder for cosmetic purposes and those who still do so today.
She said, “You want to be careful with everything you use on your body or on your body. The scientist adds: “I would tell people that there is no regulation for talcum powder and that if there is a safer alternative, I would advise them to do so. I don’t recommend that people use talcum powder.
The Cosmetics Observatory has also been working on the issue of cosmetic talcum powder. According to them, the warnings and potential risks relate only to free-form talcum powder and so far do not apply to Compact make-up powders, eye shadows, foundation creams, or deodorants, where talc remains trapped.
Related Reading:
Study Shows Why Asbestos Causes Mesothelioma
Great Breakthrough in Understanding Mesothelioma a Cancer Caused by Exposure to Asbestos
Mesothelioma: How Do You Cope With the Mental Health Difficulties Upon Diagnosis?
Bottom Line
If talc can be mined alongside asbestos, and there’s no strict regulation to keep that out of consumer products, then the issue isn’t just science, it is accountability. For decades, cosmetic companies knew the risk. They just didn’t think it would catch up to them.
Now it has. Not through sweeping studies or new legislation, but through individual cases, people, mostly women, who used something as ordinary as body powder and ended up with a rare cancer usually tied to industrial exposure.
This isn’t about one study or one company. It’s about whether an industry built on trust is willing to clean up its supply chain before more people get sick. So far, it looks like they’ll only act when forced.
FAQ: Talcum Powder and Its Potential Health Risks
1. Can talcum powder cause cancer?
Yes, research suggests that talcum powder contaminated with asbestos may increase the risk of mesothelioma, a rare cancer affecting the mesothelial surfaces of internal organs.
2. What is mesothelioma?
Mesothelioma is a rare and aggressive cancer that affects the protective membrane covering organs like the lungs (pleura), abdomen (peritoneum), and heart (pericardium).
3. How does talcum powder become contaminated with asbestos?
Talc and asbestos are natural minerals that sometimes form together in the same geological deposits. When mining talc, asbestos fibers can be present, leading to contamination.
4. Who is most at risk from talcum powder exposure?
Women who regularly use cosmetic talcum powder may be at risk, as asbestos-contaminated talc is their primary exposure source, according to studies.
5. Has talcum powder been linked to lawsuits?
Yes, companies like Johnson & Johnson have faced lawsuits from individuals who developed cancer after using their talcum powder. Some verdicts have awarded billions in damages.
6. What did the recent study on talcum powder find?
A study analyzed 33 mesothelioma cases and found that affected individuals had asbestos fibers in their tissues consistent with those found in talcum powder.
7. Does all talcum powder contain asbestos?
Not necessarily, but since there are no strict regulations on talc purity, contamination is possible. Experts recommend using alternatives to be safe.
8. Is compact makeup or deodorant with talc risky?
The risk is mainly associated with loose talcum powder. Compact makeup powders and creams contain talc in a bound form, which may reduce exposure.
9. What are safer alternatives to talcum powder?
Cornstarch, arrowroot powder, and baking soda are common alternatives that do not carry the risk of asbestos contamination.
10. Should I stop using talcum powder?
Experts advise avoiding talcum powder due to potential asbestos contamination and using safer alternatives when possible.
References
Moline, J., Bevilacqua, K., Alexandri, M., & Gordon, R. E. (2020). Mesothelioma associated with the use of cosmetic talc. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 62(1), 11–17. https://doi.org/10.1097/JOM.0000000000001723
Ducharme, J. (2019, October 18). A new study suggests tainted talcum powder can cause a rare cancer. Here’s how that could play out in the courtroom. TIME. https://time.com/5692129/talcum-powder-mesothelioma/
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