Frequently Asked Questions

	What is Sodium Laurel Sulfate (SLS) and why is it harmful?
	Should my powder contain talc?
	What is my skin type?
	Simone, why are you making deodorant?
	About Acne

What is Sodium Laurel Sulfate (SLS) and why is it harmful?

SODIUM LAUREL SULFATE (SLS) is a white powder used as a detergent, emulsifier, and surfactant in over a thousand cosmetic products, including shampoos, toothpaste, lotions, and creams.

SLS is a strong degreaser that dries skin and hair. It is a primary irritant in high concentrations. SLS is used in many so-called "natural" cosmetics, but it is not natural. It is produced synthetically via the Ziegler process and not with coconut oil (i.e., sulfur trioxide or chlorosulfuric acid).

SLS has produced skin and hair damage, including cracking of the horny layer of the skin and a severe inflammation of the dermaepidermal tissue ("Denaturation of epidermal keratin by surface active agents, Journal Invest. Dermatology, 32:581, 1959).

The presence of natural ingredients make little difference in the irritating action of these synthetic detergents. Any cosmetic that contains sodium lauryl sulfate can't be termed as natural, although many shampoos labeled as natural contain large amounts. Also, SLS is frequently combined with triethanolamine (TEA) which may be contaminated with nitrosamines, a potent carcinogen. (Natural Organic Hair and Skin Care, Hampton)

Should My Powder Contain Talc?

TALC: Questions and Answers

Q. What is talc?

A. Talc is a mineral, produced by the mining of talc rocks and then processed by crushing, drying and milling. Processing eliminates a number of trace minerals from the talc, but does not separate minute fibers which are very similar to asbestos.

Q. What kinds of consumer products contain talc?

A. Talc is found in a wide variety of consumer products ranging from home and garden pesticides to antacids. However, the products most widely used and that pose the most serious health risks are body powders Talc is the main ingredient in baby powder, medicated powders, perfumed powders and designer perfumed body powders. Because talc is resistant to moisture, it is also used by the pharmaceutical industry to manufacture medications and is a listed ingredient of some antacids. Talc is the principal ingredient home and garden pesticides and flea and tick powders. Talc is used in smaller quantities in deodorants, chalk, crayons, textiles, soap, insulating materials, paints, asphalt filler, paper, and in food processing.

Q. Why is talc harmful?

A. Talc is closely related to the potent carcinogen asbestos. Talc particles have been shown to cause tumors in the ovaries and lungs of cancer victims. For the last 30 years, scientists have closely scrutinized talc particles and found dangerous similarities to asbestos. Responding to this evidence in 1973, the FDA drafted a resolution that would limit the amount of asbestos-like fibers in cosmetic grade talc. However, no ruling has ever been made and today, cosmetic grade talc remains non-regulated by the federal government. This inaction ignores a 1993 National Toxicology Program report which found that cosmetic grade talc, without any asbestos-like fibers, caused tumors in animal subjects.¹ Clearly with or without asbestos-like fibers, cosmetic grade talcum powder is a carcinogen.

Q. What kind of exposure is dangerous?

A. Talc is toxic. Talc particles cause tumors in human ovaries and lungs. Numerous studies have shown a strong link between frequent use of talc in the female genital area and ovarian cancer. Talc particles are able to move through the reproductive system and become imbedded in the lining of the ovary. Researchers have found talc particles in ovarian tumors and have found that women with ovarian cancer have used talcum powder in their genital area more frequently than healthy women.²

Talc poses a health risk when exposed to the lungs. Talc miners have shown higher rates of lung cancer and other respiratory illnesses from exposure to industrial grade talc, which contains dangerous silica and asbestos. The common household hazard posed by talc is inhalation of baby powder by infants. Since the early 1980s, records show that several thousand infants each year have died or become seriously ill following accidental inhalation of baby powder.³

Q. What about infants?

A. Talc is used on babies because it absorbs unpleasant moisture. Clearly, dusting with talcum powder endangers an infant's lungs at the prospect of inhalation. Exposing children to this carcinogen is unnecessary and dangerous.

HERE ARE THREE THINGS THAT YOU CAN DO:

1. Do not buy or use products containing talc. It is especially important that women not apply talc to underwear or sanitary pads.

2. Contact your pediatrician and/or local hospital and find out if they have a policy regarding talc use and infants.

3. Write to the FDA and express your concern that a proven carcinogen has remained unregulated while millions of people is unknowingly exposed.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Cancer Prevention Coalition c/o School of Public Health
University of Illinois Medical Center
2121 West Taylor Street
Chicago, IL 60612
Tel: (312) 996-2297, Fax: (312) 996-1374
Email: epstein@uic.edu

References:

1.National Toxicology Program."Toxicology and carcinogenesis studies of talc (GAS N⁰14807-96-6) in F344/N rats and B6C3F, mice (Inhalation studies)." Technical Report Series No. 421. September 1993.

2. Harlow BL, Cramer DW, Bell DA, Welch WR. "Perineal exposure to talc and ovarian cancer risk." Obstetrics & Gynecology, 80: 19-26, 1992.

3. Hollinger MA "Pulmonary toxicity of inhaled and intravenous talc" Toxicology letters, 52: 121~127, 1990.

What is my skin type?

To know how to take care of your skin, you need to determine if it's normal, oily, dry, or a combination. Keep in mind that your skin type can change throughout your life, so you will need to monitor it and fine-tune your regimen. For instance, your skin tends to produce less oil as you get older, and it will probably behave differently in each season. And if you're stressed or sick, your skin may be oilier than usual.

The blot test:

Start one morning by washing your face around 7:00 a.m. with your gentle, natural cleanser. Don't apply toner, moisturizer, or makeup.

At 10:00 a.m., gently place a facial tissue over your face, press lightly. (Be sure you're not sweating, this can skew your results.)

Gently remove the tissue and hold it up to the light.

If your cheeks produce an oil mark, you have oily skin.

If your cheeks don't show oil but your forehead does, you have combination skin.

If you don't find any oil, test again at noon.

If your cheeks show oil for the first time then, your skin is a normal type.

Check for the final time at 5:00 p.m. If your tissue is still oil-free, your skin is dry

Go to Skin Care Page

Simone, Why are you making deodorant?

I've always been amazed and baffled that commercial deodorants for women always include antiperspirant (which includes aluminum). Don't know why, and it has always bugged me. You cannot get a plain deodorant for women. Years ago I would buy the men's deodorant which is available without the antiperspirant. Then I found some natural deodorants for women without antiperspirant, good. But they didn't work. So I've continued my quest and have finally developed a recipe that works. I'm thrilled with it.

What I've learned is that deodorants mask the smell of body odor, which is actually bacteria. Anti-perspirants block the pores of the skin to stop you from perspiring, but the problem here is that, especially with your underarms, this stops your glands from excreting toxins from your system (you have lymph glands in this area). Apart from the nasty amounts of aluminum these products contain (and the relationship to Altzheimer's disease), there is also a growing amount of evidence to support the theory that anti-perspirants could cause a build up of toxins in your system that can aggravate and possibly cause breast cancer and other serious problems.

Antiperspirants contain aluminum chlorohydrate or aluminum zirconium, both of which are highly soluble and readily absorbed into the skin. Once in the body, the aluminum passes freely across cell membranes and is absorbed by the liver, kidney, brain, cartilage and bone marrow. It is this concentration of aluminum that has been the source for concern in the medical community and has prompted extensive research into aluminum-based blood poisoning and other conditions

ABOUT ACNE

MENSTRUAL ACNE & ACNE AFTER AGE 30

Studies have shown that acne has an underlying hormonal basis and that nearly half of all women experience premenstrual flares of acne. “The Effect of the Menstrual Cycle on Acne,” published in the December 2001 issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology confirms that many women do have a premenstrual flare of their acne. While the study found that severity of acne, ethnecity and oral contraceptive use did not affect the premenstrual flare up rates, age did play a factor. The study found that 50% of women over age 33 experienced a higher rate of premenstrual acne than women under age 20, who experienced 30%.

HORMONAL ACNE is most often influenced by androgens (male hormones) which stimulate the sebaceous glands and hair follicles. Previous studies have shown that the oil duct opening on the skin is smallest in days 15-20 of a 28-day cycle and increased on day 22 of the average cycle, usually resulting in this day equating the worst flare-up. Unfortunately, acne that worsens during a monthly cycle is not something that women will normally grow out of as they get older.

Recommended product for hormonal acne: Melissa Hydrosol

HOW DOES ACNE HAPPEN?

Acne occurs when hair follicles become clogged by skin cells that block the opening
of pores. Simplified, if the blocked pore is not visible, it forms a whitehead or pustule; if the pore is open and visible, it forms a blackhead. The most common form of acne, acne vulgaris, is a combination of whiteheads, blackhead, papules and pustules.

Very difficult cases of acne may require prescription antibiotics, both topical and oral. Unfortunately, strains of acne-associated bacteria have grown resistant to many of the antibiotics which have been used to treat acne.

How do you lessen flare-ups?

Be meticulous about keeping your skin clean, keep your hands off your face, do not pick at your skin, drink plenty of water and exfoliate, exfoliate, exfoliate to get rid of the dead skin cells that clog your pores!!!!!!!! Be sure to keep notes on which products you try and which ones help or make it worse.

Recommended Flutterbye products for acne prone skin: Dead Sea Mud soap, Peppermint Stars Scrub/Mask, Blemish Blaster, Healing Face Soap, Honey Cleanser, Splash!, Light Moisturizer, Calendula Renewal Clay, Essential Minerals Clay Mask, Rose Clay Mask, Melissa Hydrosol, Neroli Hydrosol, Oregano Hydrosol, Rose Hydrosol, Tea Tree Hydrosol, Essential Facial Oil.

Stress may worsen acne in adults. Reduce your stress levels, which is easier said than done, but here are some tips that may help:

Exercise - this helps your body get more energized and also helps your mind work and think more clearly.

Eat healthy.

Get plenty of sleep - keep a normal sleep pattern, with plenty of hours of sleep if possible. Your bedtime and wakening time should be the same, weekdays and weekends.

Organize your day - if you keep an organized life, then you won't have as much to worry about.

TEENAGE ACNE

Tips for dealing with it:

	Wash your face twice a day with a gentle soap, Healing Face Soap alternated with either Milk & Honey or Nature's Kiss is a good idea. Change your washcloth every day (bacteria can grow on damp cloth). Wash as soon as possible after you exercise. (Remember that our handmade soaps are not like commercial soaps which are basically detergent. Our handmade soaps are all natural and contain healing herbs and essential oils as well as nurturing vegetable oils.)
	After washing, be sure to rinse your face well with cool or lukewarm water. Use a non-scented moisturizer like Light Moisturizer. If your skin is dry, it will produce more oil, and the oil is more likely to become trapped in your pores.
	Avoid make-up except for special occasions. There may be times when you want to look your best, but wearing make-up every day is just more stuff for your skin to deal with. (When you do wear make-up, I recommend you try mineral make-up. Take a look at Youngblood: www.ybskin.com. Mineral make up does not clog pores, it's made from earth mineral clay which is excellent for the skin.)
	Wash your hands frequently and avoid putting your fingers and hands on your face unnecessarily. Don't squeeze, pick, scratch, or rub your skin. Don't rest your face on your hands while you read, study, or watch TV.
	Shampoo your hair at least twice a week. Pull your hair away from your face when you sleep and style it away from your face during the day.
	Eat healthy foods. Keep a record of the foods you eat; try to determine if any foods make your acne worse. Dermatologists usually advise you to avoid foods high in fat like chocolate, nuts, peanut butter, cheeses, and potato chips if they seem to make your acne worse, but there is some question about the validity of this today; we're all different and what may make my skin worse might not bother yours at all.
	Avoid working in hot kitchens where greasy foods are cooked.
	Avoid getting sunburned.
	Avoid extreme stress if possible. Practice stress reduction strategies such as exercise, meditation, and counseling if stress is extreme.
	Regular exercise helps energize your body and also helps your mind work and think more clearly.
	Keep a journal of what you've tried and how it has worked. But remember to be patient, healing and new habits take time to produce results.
	Get plenty of sleep - keep a normal sleep pattern, with plenty of hours of sleep if possible. Your bedtime and wake time should be the same, weekdays and weekends.
	Organize your day - if you keep an organized life, then you won't have as much to worry about.

NUTRITION AND ACNE

There is no proven scientific link between what you eat and acne. However, some believe that what you eat actually does affect your acne because eating a healthy diet keeps your body running right. That means that it will be easier to fight off the bacteria that causes acne.

Some recommended supplements are: retinol, zinc, selenium, vitamin C, evening primrose oil, B vitamins, vitamin E, Chromium and Echinacea (use occassionally, not daily).

For more information on nutrition you may want to check with your library or a nutritional counselor. Books are a great source of health and nutrition information.