Johnson's Baby Powder Cancer Scare Is Spreading To Other Countries
Doctors warn that talcum powder does more harm than good and is generally not needed for personal hygiene or baby care.
Thursday, May 13, 2021 - Johnson & Johnson‘s talcum powder cancer problems may not be limited to North American. Health Canada, our northern neighbor‘s equivalent of the US Food and Drug Administration, has determined that talc can be dangerous when applied to create an inhalable cloud of dust and also when it is used on the perineal region of the body by women. Johnson & Johnson decided to discontinue selling talc-based Baby Powder in North America and refocused their efforts on women of color in India and other nations. India, however, is awakening to the fact that talc may contain asbestos and cause cancer and is warning their billion people plus population. A recent article in The Times of India reported that there is no quantifiable proof that talc causes ovarian cancer, some researchers have found that talc becomes trapped in the ovaries where it could remain for decades causing irritation, inflammation, and infection that leads to cancer. Most international experts agree that given the evidence on hand, one should avoid using talc on their genital area and not apply talcum powder that is packaged in a plastic squeeze bottle. Unfortunately, the author of the article makes the egregious error of concluding that reducing the amount of talc would make it safer. American health experts and others agree that there is no safe level of ingesting asbestos and even one microscopically small particle could cause cancer or mesothelioma. Visit talcum powder cancer lawsuit to learn more.
Health experts in India recognize there is a huge demand for talcum powder by men and women that want to stay drier, smell nicer, and have a lighter skin tone, according to The Hindu. Dermatologists in India think that talcum powder use should be restricted, not because of the cancer scare, but because talc dust harms the skin follicles on which it is placed. Bela Verma, president of the Mumbai chapter of the Indian Academy of Pediatrics told The Hindu, "talcum powder clogs the pores, which are supposed to remain open. This is the main cause of local infections like folliculitis, boils, skin eruptions." Dr. Verma also warns mothers against using talcum powder on their babies. "Newborn babies don‘t need powders. They don‘t even need daily soap baths. Just warm water works fine for their hygiene. Very rarely, I advise parents to use mild glycerin soaps." All health agencies including the American Academy of Pediatrics tell readers to avoid applying talcum powder by squeezing it out onto the skin or a baby‘s skin as it creates an inhalable cloud of talc dust.
Health agencies in the United States are coming around to testing cosmetic, health, and beauty care products made from talc and finding asbestos, a known carcinogen. The FDA‘s tests were conducted over one year and companies were notified of any positive results. Most of the cosmetics products that were contaminated had been marketed towards teenage girls through Claire‘s Stores. Asbestos.com writes, "The U.S. Food and Drug Administration found asbestos-contaminated talc in nine of the 52 cosmetic products tested during its year-long study released this week. The products with asbestos were recalled at various times throughout the past year when individual results were obtained and the public was notified."
