Doctor urges people to stop using everyday beauty products because of ‘irrefutable evidence’ it causes cancer

A top doctor has made a plea to stop using cologne and perfume due to ‘irrefutable evidence’ linking them to cancer and infertility.

Dr. Trisha Pasricha, a professor of medicine at Harvard, said that while a quick spritz may seem harmless, even small amounts of these products can contain harmful “forever chemicals.”

These substances are forever called chemicals because they do not break down in the body and cause untold damage there.

Dr. Pasricha said the most concerning chemical in perfumes is phthalates, which are used to make their scent last longer.

Studies have shown that they imitate the body’s hormones and disrupt the production and response to natural hormones such as estrogen and testosterone.

She pointed to a statement from the Endocrine Society, which said these studies show “irrefutable evidence” that endocrine-disrupting chemicals lead to a variety of health problems, including obesity, diabetes, infertility and several forms of cancer.

The FDA says there is insufficient evidence “that phthalates used in cosmetics pose a safety risk” and that perfume companies are not required to disclose all their ingredients. Some phthalates are banned or strictly regulated in Britain and Europe, but many are not.

As evidence mounts, Dr. Pasricha recommended avoiding perfumes altogether, especially if you have young children or are trying to conceive.

Dr. Trisha Pasricha, a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, warned against using personal care products with phthalates. Phthalates are synthetic chemicals intended to make plastic more durable and give shampoos a more flexible consistency. These can be found in personal care products and even some ultra-processed foods

She told me the WashingtonPost: ‘I recommend avoiding added fragrances altogether – in perfumes, scented lotions and shampoos, even scented laundry detergents and antiperspirants.’” she said in an email interview.

Dr. Pasricha cited a recent study of 200 adolescents JAMA network opened as a cause for concern.

The report found that higher urinary phthalate concentrations in personal care products such as deodorant were associated with a 25 percent increased risk of hyperactivity problems.

And another study from the same group found that increased exposure to these chemicals was linked to poorer performance in math, especially among those under greater stress.

These concerns about children’s exposure led to the banning of certain phthalates in children’s toys and childcare items such as pacifiers and baby bottles.

Although the US still allows at least nine commercially used phthalates to be used in cosmetic products, compared to just one in Europe.

Phthalates are added to plastics to make them supple and soft and are used in thousands of products, from plastic food packaging to vinyl flooring, garden hoses and shower curtains.

They are also estimated to be in about three-quarters of scented personal care products, such as deodorants, nail polish, hair gels, shampoos, soaps and lotions.

The fact that they are so abundant in beauty products may partly explain why women consistently have higher levels in their bodies than men.

Recent research has also found that ethnic minority women in the US have higher exposure during pregnancy than their peers.

The chemicals have been linked to fertility problems in both men and women.

One study in the journal Toxicological SciencesFor example, they found that female mice exposed in the womb to the same phthalate mixtures found in pregnant women were born with fertility problems, which they then passed on to their female offspring.

Additional research has found that higher levels of phthalates in women’s urine can reduce the chance of pregnancy and increase the risk of pregnancy loss before the 20th week of pregnancy.

Meanwhile, a Polish study showed that phthalate exposure in men reduced the quality of their semen and sperm count, reducing the chance of pregnancy.

Phthalates are also considered possible human carcinogens, meaning they may increase the risk of some cancers, especially those related to hormone production, such as thyroid and breast cancer.

A survey in the journal Breast cancer researchFor example, research found that higher levels of phthalates in urine were associated with an up to 32 percent increased risk of breast hormone receptor-positive breast cancer.

To reduce your exposure to phthalates, Dr. Pasricha suggests opting for shampoos listed as “fragrance-free” or “phthalate-free,” as well as limiting canned and ultra-processed foods and avoiding heating plastic.

She wrote, “As a doctor, I know that sometimes we have to choose our health care wisely.

‘But what we are discovering about how exposure to EDCs affects an individual’s sperm or egg cells is very concerning.’

In a 2016 study, 100 teenage girls in California were given fragrance-free personal products for three days.

They saw their levels of several phthalate compounds in the urine drop by as much as half.