Preventing Breast Cancer- we are in control! Part 1- Skin Care

Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer found in women in the United States.  Women have a 1 in 8 chance of developing it in their lifetime!

During Breast Cancer Awareness Month I talk about the Basics of Breast Cancer Prevention and this week I want to re-emphasize the importance of aiding your body in the prevention.  

We are in control!

Know what you’re putting on your skin!

Our skin is the largest organ in your body.  Everything we put on our skin gets quickly absorbed into our blood stream.

Caring for your skin is caring for your entire body.

It is very important to know what is in the soaps, lotions, and make-up you are putting on your skin!

Dr. Mercola from Dr. Mercola.com suggests to not put anything on your skin that you wouldn’t be willing to eat.

You should be aware and knowledgeable of what you put on your skin.

The Dirty Dozen

Below is a list of chemicals that are in many beauty products.  Check to make sure what you are using doesn’t contain any of these:

• Butyl Acetate: prevents nail polish from chipping

• Butylate Hydroxytoluene: prevents hair color from fading and changing too quickly

• Coal Tar: dissolves dead skin cells and controls itching in shampoo and hair dye

• Cocamide/Lauramide DEA: causes foaming in shampoo and bath products

• Formaldehyde: disinfectant and preservative in deodorant, nail polish, soap, shampoo, shaving cream

• Diazolidinyl Urea: helps the disinfectants (like formaldehyde) work

• Ethyl Acetate: liquid in nail polish, mascara, tooth whitening, perfume

• Parabens: group of chemicals that are preservatives and don’t allow bacteria to grow in your cosmetics

• Petrolateum (Petroleum): makes lipsticks shine, creams smooth, and softens skin

• Treithanolamine: keeps lotions, shaving cream, soaps, shampoos and bath powders from clumping

• Triclosan: prevents bacteria on your hands from growing in your cosmetics, like on bars of soaps or deodorant

• Toluene: liquid part of nail polish and hair dye that makes it stick to your hair and nails and look glossy

• Talc: absorbs moisture and prevents powders like eye shadow, blush, deodorant from clumping in the containers

• Sodium Laureth Sulfate: helps the cosmetics stick to your skin

• Propylene glycol: keeps products from melting when it is too hot or freezing when it is too cold

• Phthalates: keeps color and scents dissolved in the nail polish, perfume, hair spray and others

My favorite brands are PRATIMA 

and TATA Harper.

Both of these lines are made with natural and non toxic ingredients.

Be an informed consumer and check the label on the back of your cosmetics and lotions.  It could save your life.

Be Well,

Tammy Kohlschmidt RDH, CCT, CBP