I lost a relative to breast cancer a couple of years ago and I still haven’t managed to come to terms with it. There are days where I think about her and wonder, “why her?” “What did she do to go through so much suffering? I then had to remind myself that heartaches, pain and sorrow are a part and parcel of life. Ten years ago, breast cancer wasn’t spoken about much. It existed, but a handful experienced it. Today, things have changed. The number of Breast Cancer patients have globally risen. Every year, over a million women in India, get breast cancer. One way to identify this type of cancer is to check your breasts and try to see if you have any lumps, redness, and scaliness around the nipples or on the breast. If not a lump, then, do you experience nipple pain? Notice nipple retraction? Or notice a change in size and shape? If so, you must make an appointment with an Oncologists at the earliest.
A recent discovery made was that there is a link between cosmetic products and cancer. Certain ingredients in your cult beauty products could give you breast cancer if aren’t careful enough. The unfortunate part is that they aren’t banned yet and almost every second beauty product today contains them. Here are some cancer-causing beauty ingredients to keep an eye out for.
1. Parabens
Believe it or not, but one of the most commonly used preservatives in the beauty products is parabens. They’re found is shampoos, conditioners, lotions and facial scrubs. They exist because they increase the shelf life of a product and prevent mold, parasites and fungus from forming. Applying any of these products directly to your skin can cause cancer and interfere with a woman’s pregnancy as they instantly get absorbed into the skin, bloodstream and organs. If paraben isn’t mentioned on the bottle look out for other names such as – ethylparaben, isobutylparaben, methylparaben and propylparaben.
2. Phthalates
This ingredient is found in anything that’s labeled as a fragrance. Most shampoos body washes lotions and nail polishes contain this ingredient. It not only causes breast cancer but also can cause reproductive defects. If you can’t spot phthalates on the label keep an eye out for these strange abbreviations – DBP (dibutyl phthalate), dep (diethyl phthalate), bzbp (benzyl butyl phthalate), DEHP (di 2 Ethylhexyl phthalate), and dmp (dimethyl phthalate).
3. Triclosan
Have you read the term ‘antibacterial’ on a product label anywhere? Well, that’s triclosan. It’s actually a pesticide and does a great job at killing bacteria. However, if too much of that ingredient gets clogged into your pores then, you could be more susceptible to breast cancer or develop thyroid. Sometimes, to wash your face or hair, it’s okay to use plain soap and water.
4. Resorcinol
You know why I stopped using bleach? Because it would make my skin itchy and I’d get rashes. The reason behind the itchiness had to do with the resorcinol present in it. Prolong usage of resorcinol is bound to lead to breast cancer and thyroid.
5. Petroleum
Where do you think your motor oil comes from? Bingo! Petroleum. It’s unbelievable how many products you’ll find that have petroleum stamped at the back. Be careful because they hide behind these names – mineral oil, petrolatum, xylene and liquid paraffin. If you have these products lying around at home, please toss them.
6. Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons
PAHs are a group of chemicals naturally found in crude oil, gasoline and coal. Naphthalene is another hydrocarbon found in shampoos and cosmetics. If either of the products is applied directly to the skin, scalp or hair, it could get absorbed into the bloodstream and later lead to breast cancer.
7. Oxybenzone
Oxybenzone is one of the most common ingredients in sunscreen. It has been linked to skin cancer. An ingredient called homosalate that’s found in sunscreen too may cause cancer. You know what’s even worse? Wearing sunscreen and taking a dip into the ocean. The sunscreen product has a negative impact on the sea and all the aquatic creatures. Save yourself and save the environment too!
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