Can Lipstick cause Cancer?

Jojy Cheriyan MD;MPH-May02,2013

Lipstick is an integral part of modern woman's beauty. Cosmetic industries are booming as more and more men and women are becoming beauty conscious instead of health conscious.

All cosmetics have chemicals natural or artificial, and over 5000 different ingredients have been identified, which are used as preservatives and fragrances.

A cosmetic maker can sell products without FDA(Federal Drug Administration) approval. FDA does not review or approve cosmetics, or their ingredients, before they are sold to the public.

But FDA urges cosmetic makers to do whatever tests are needed to prove their products are safe. But this warning only remains on paper and not enforced effectively to check all products available in the market are safe.

A recent study by the researchers at the University of California Berkley, School of Public Health, has opened a new debate on the safety of lipsticks.

They tested 8 lipsticks and 24 lip glosses commonly sold in major drug stores and department stores. Prices ranged from $5.59 to $24.00 and specific brand names were not disclosed.

Their preliminary analysis detected lead, cadmium, chromium, aluminum and five other metals.

The team then estimated health risks based on the concentration of the metals in each product, a consumer's potential daily intake of those metals, and existing health guidelines. Some of those metals were above safe limits.

The results showed that average use of some of the lipsticks and glosses could cause excessive intake of chromium, a carcinogen that has been linked to stomach tumors. Chronic exposure to cadmium can cause serious kidney problems.

Continuous use of some of the lipsticks could lead to overexposure to aluminum, cadmium and manganese. Lead was also found in the majority of the lip products, but generally at concentrations that are considered acceptable.

The researchers say, despite these findings, they're not recommending you throw away your lipstick or lip gloss, but they are calling for more oversight by health regulators.

Next time when you use lipsticks just keep this fact in mind until more research is done in this area.

Role of Federal Drug Administration(FDA) in controlling cosmetics is limited. According to FDA guidelines Cosmetics Makers must put a warning statement on the front labels of products that have not been safety testing, which reads, "WARNING—The safety of this product has not been determined."

FDA does require safety testing for color additives used in cosmetics. Cosmetics may only contain approved and certified colors. You'll find FD&C, D&C, or external D&C listed on cosmetic labels.

• FD&C -means, color that can be used only in foods, drugs, and cosmetics

• D&C -means, color that can be used only in drugs and cosmetics

• External D&C -means, color that can be used only in drugs applied to the surface of the skin and cosmetics

A cosmetic maker also does not have to report product injuries. FDA collects this information on a voluntary basis only. Cosmetic makers that want to be a part of this program send reports to the FDA.

Product recalls are voluntary actions taken by cosmetic makers too. FDA cannot require cosmetics recalls. But FDA does monitor cosmetic makers that do a recall. FDA must first prove in court that a cosmetic product is a danger or somehow breaks the law before it can be taken off the market.

Sources: National Institute of health ; US Department of health and human services-Office on women's health.

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