28 days later – Independent science proves the power of non-toxic cosmetics

Just the facts

Switching to cosmetics and personal care products that do not contain hormone-disrupting phthalates and parabens normalizes the function of genes related to breast cancer and estrogen metabolism. In this way, the risk for developing breast cancer is reduced significantly. It only takes 28 days for this immense shift to happen.

Hormone disruptors and breast cancer

From a scientific point of view, there is no doubt that exposure to hormone disruptors skyrockets the risk for developing breast cancer - and other hormone-sensitive cancers. Scientists now know that if this exposure happens during sensitive developmental stages (i.e. pregnancy, puberty) and/or is lifelong, then the risk is increased even more. With breast cancer rates, especially hormone-sensitive types, rising, we do need to pay attention. The Endocrine Society has been warning about this since 2009 – that is 16 years. And since we can’t really change our DNA, limiting exposure to hormone disruptors is obviously the way to go.

Hormone disruptors are found in many consumer products. Mainstream cosmetics and personal care products are notoriously loaded with them, since they contain synthetic perfume, which is essentially a cocktail of undisclosed chemicals, thanks to trade secret protection laws. Some of these chemical substances are phthalates, which are major hormone disruptors linked to a number of health problems (fertility problems, developmental and behavioral issues in babies and children, obesity, cancer and more…). The tricky part with chemicals found in toxic cosmetics and personal care products is that they are absorbed through the skin, which is a VERY sneaky way of toxins entering our body and literally reaching the furthest corners of our body in maximum concentration, before basic detoxification happens in the liver. Transdermal absorption of toxins is very different than ingesting them.

Of course, phthalates are just one group of toxic chemicals found in consumer products. Parabens, a family of synthetic preservatives, are widely used in cosmetics and personal care products too. And they are also proven to disrupt hormones – according to scientific evidence – which links them to a whole list of health problems.

A Powerful Step backed by science> Choose beauty and personal care products free of hormone disruptors.

It is not common for pioneering independent studies to provide valuable information that can be applied in our everyday life right away. This pilot study did just that.

The study> Healthy women switched to non-toxic cosmetics (without parabens and phthalates) for 28 days. Functions of genes related to breast cancer and estrogen metabolism were checked before and after the switch.

Study findings> Gene functions changed towards normal within 28 days after switching to personal care products free of hormone-disrupting phthalates and parabens. Estrogen metabolism was normalized. Scientists believe that the cumulative effect of such positive findings can reduce significantly a woman’s risk for developing breast cancer in the course of her life.

Hormone disruptors are dangerous, but (still) legal

Most people think that if something is on the market, it is safe to use. What really happens is that our scientific knowledge and understanding of what is safe changes rapidly because scientific research progresses daily, as is our knowledge of how chemical substances affect our biology. Unfortunately, new scientific data take decades to be recognized and be properly assessed by policy makers and official agencies, so that they enforce laws that make consumer products truly safe. This time-delay is the reason why at any given moment, there will be on the market many products that are toxic and dangerous. Many of you may remember how many decades it took for the cancer-causing effects of tobacco or asbestos to be officially recognized, yet science was clear and scientists were warning for these deadly problems way before they became too obvious to ignore. We take this knowledge for granted today, but it wasn’t like that back in the 50s or 60s… There was a huge time-gap from the moment the toxicity of tobacco and asbestos became obvious to scientists and the moment that the public was properly informed about that by official authorities and effectively protected. And the health of many people was irreversibly harmed during this period.

With hormone disruptors, we are exactly at this same period of time-delay. Despite the immense scientific evidence and scientists’ outrage regarding their toxicity, hundreds of them are legally on the market as ingredients of different consumer products. It will probably take quite some time before official agencies are ready to make brave decisions, in order to protect the public from toxic chemicals and hormone disruptors. Perhaps, in a few decades we will see mainstream cosmetics with warning labels – similar to those in cigarettes today – regarding the toxic effects of their ingredients. Until then, the power to protect our health and our families lies exclusively in our hands.

Choose non-toxic

Here are some basic steps to reduce significantly your exposure to hormone disruptors in your everyday life.

1. Choose cosmetics and personal care products without hormone disruptors. They may be hard to find but it’s worth it a million times. Transdermal absorption of hormone-disrupting toxins is very concerning, especially if you are pregnant, breastfeeding or have a family/personal history of hormone-sensitive cancer. Check our non-toxic cosmetics line.
2. Opt for organic produce whenever possible. Conventional fruit and vegetables are commonly contaminated with significant traces of pesticides, many of which disrupt hormones.
3. Avoid heavily scented house-cleaning products, as they are loaded with synthetic perfume and therefore phthalates – a major class of hormone disruptors.

Author

Eleni Roumeliotou MSc

Human Molecular Geneticis and Environmental Toxins

ATUA LAB CEO & Founder