A Brief Guide to Natural Bath, Body, and Personal Products
- Dr. Christine Adamo
- 21 hours ago
- 3 min read
Choosing bath, body, and personal products that contain natural ingredients is crucial, especially for those with a diagnosis of cancer. Conventional cancer treatments like chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and radiation can cause skin sensitivity, making it prone to irritation.
Natural ingredients are typically gentler and less likely to cause adverse reactions. Many conventional body products contain potentially harmful chemicals like parabens, phthalates, and synthetic fragrances that can increase one’s chemical burden and disrupt the balance of hormones in the body. By using natural products, you can reduce exposure to chemicals, support your immune system, and allow your body to focus on healing.
In addition, natural body products can nourish, soothe, hydrate, and heal the skin, which is especially important for skin that has been damaged by treatment. When choosing cosmetics, shampoos, conditioners, soaps, lotions, sunscreen, and toothpaste, here’s the list of ingredients to avoid.
Most common toxic ingredients found in cosmetics, shampoos, conditioners, body washes, and moisturizers:
Parabens - May be listed as methylparaben, polyparaben, isoparaben, or butylparaben. These can be directly absorbed through skin and induce estrogen-like activity on the body.
Phthalates - Also listed as butyl benzyl phthalate (BBP), Di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP), Di-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP), and Diethyl phthalate (DEP). These are hormone disrupting chemicals that may be linked to breast and prostate cancers, as well as many other diseases. It’s important to note that many perfumes use phthalates, but often times it is not listed on the label. If you choose to go phthalate-free, avoid wearing perfume and/or choose essential oils instead.
Triclosan - This ingredient is commonly found in antibacterial soap. Triclosan has been shown to suppress NK cell activity. NK cells are natural killer cells that help our body constantly fight against infection, as well as cancer.
Toxic chemicals most commonly found in deodorant:
Aluminum and aluminum zirconium- Both can have an estrogen-like activity in the body. This is extremely important to consider when choosing deodorant, as most conventional deodorants contain aluminum.
Toxic chemicals most commonly found in toothpaste:
Triclosan- An organic compound with antibacterial properties that can disrupt thyroid function and antibiotic resistance. It's also been linked to gum recessions and a variety of cancers.
Sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) - A detergent and cosmetic ingredient that can irritate the gums and cause canker sores, gum recessions, and allergic reactions.
Fluoride - Can be toxic if ingested in large amounts, causing nausea, vomiting, and headaches.
Titanium dioxide - The Environmental Working Group classifies this ingredient as a possible carcinogen.
Microbeads - Made from insoluble plastics that can't be digested and can end up in waterways, where they can absorb toxic chemicals and harm marine life.
MEA, DEA, and TEA - Methylating compounds that can weaken the liver and kidneys and lead to cancer.
Propylene glycol- A synthetic chemical compound that can irritate the skin, eyes, lungs, and mucous membranes. It's also a strong carcinogen.
Saccharin - An artificial sweetener that can cause coughing, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Saccharin has also been linked to many different kinds of cancers.
Diethanolamine (DEA) - A chemical used as a foaming agent that can cause organ-system toxicity. A 1998 study linked topical application of DEA to cancer in animals.
Aspartame - Consumption of aspartame could potentially lead to illnesses such as Alzheimer's, diabetes, and multiple sclerosis. Aspartame is also linked to various kinds of cancers.
There are a number of online and mobile resources that can help you determine the cleanliness and safety of the bath, body, and personal products you use. Here's my recommended list:
Online Resource:
Mobile Apps:
Skin Deep (EWG's app)
Yuka
Think Dirty
All of the mobile apps have scanners, which makes it easy to learn about product ingredients while you're shopping. I hope this informaton is helpful and I plan to share much more about this topic in future blogs!
