Baby powder is an astringent powder used for preventing diaper rash and for cosmetic uses. It may be composed of talc (in which case it is also called talcum powder), corn starch or potato starch.[1] It may contain additional ingredients such as fragrances. Baby powder can also be used as a dry shampoo, cleaning agent (to remove grease stains), and air freshener.[2][3]
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Health risks
editTalcum powder, if inhaled, may cause aspiration pneumonia and granuloma.[4] Severe cases may lead to chronic respiratory problems and death.[5][6] The particles in corn starch powder are larger and less likely to be inhaled.[7]
Some studies have found a statistical relationship between talcum powder applied to the perineal area by female babies and the incidence of ovarian cancer, but there is not a consensus about causality.[8][9] In 2016, more than 1,000 women in the United States sued Johnson & Johnson for covering up the possible cancer risk associated with its baby powder.[10][11] In 1975, an official at the US federal Food and Drug Administration stated that "No mother was going to powder her baby with 1% of a known carcinogen irregardless [sic] of the large safety factor" as a comment on the testing methodology that J&J backed.[12] The company stopped selling talc-based baby powder in the United States and Canada in 2020[13] and has said it will stop all talc sales worldwide by 2023, switching to a corn starch-based formula. However, Johnson & Johnson says that its talc-based baby powder does not contain asbestos and is safe to use.[14]
See also
edit- Talcum powder – Hydrated magnesium phyllosilicate mineral
- Corn starch – Starch derived from corn (maize) grain
References
edit- ^ "Aldri mer sår babyhud". HOFF Potetmel (in Norwegian Bokmål). Retrieved 2024-03-09.
- ^ "20 Brilliant Uses for Baby Powder You've Never Considered". DIY & Crafts. 2014-07-14. Retrieved 15 August 2014.
- ^ Peter, Richard. "Talcum Powder". Retrieved 25 June 2023.
- ^ Harper, John; Arnold Oranje; Neil Prose (2000). Textbook of Pediatric Dermatology. Blackwell Science. p. 156. ISBN 978-0-86542-939-0.
- ^ Pairaudeau, P. W.; Wilson, R. G.; Hall, M. A.; Milne, M. (18 May 1991). "Inhalation of baby powder: an unappreciated hazard". BMJ. 302 (6786): 1200–1201. doi:10.1136/bmj.302.6786.1200. PMC 1669894. PMID 2043820.
- ^ Mofenson, H. C.; Greensher, J.; DiTomasso, A.; Okun, S. (August 1981). "Baby Powder—A Hazard!". Pediatrics. 68 (2): 265–6. doi:10.1542/peds.68.2.265. PMID 7267235. S2CID 39006289.
- ^ Weil, Andrew (8 October 2012). "How Bad Is Baby Powder?". DrWeil.com. Retrieved 22 May 2020.
- ^ Mohan, Melissa; Whysner, John (2000). "Perineal application of talc and cornstarch powders: Evaluation of ovarian cancer risk". American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology. 182 (3): 720–724. doi:10.1067/mob.2000.104259. PMID 10739536.
- ^ Mills, Paul; Riordan, Deborah; Cress, Rosemary; Young, Heather (2004). "Perineal talc exposure and epithelial ovarian cancer risk in the Central Valley of California". International Journal of Cancer. 112 (3): 458–464. doi:10.1002/ijc.20434. PMID 15382072. S2CID 2464631.
- ^ "Talcum Powder Lawsuit". MesoWatch. 24 November 2022.
- ^ Johnson & Johnson Has a Baby Powder Problem Bloomberg, Retrieved April 20, 2017.
- ^ "J&J knew for decades that asbestos lurked in its Baby Powder". Reuters.
"No mother was going to powder her baby with 1% of a known carcinogen irregardless of the large safety factor." - An FDA official commenting in 1975 on the talc testing method J&J backed
- ^ Hsu, Tiffany; Rabin, Roni Caryn (May 19, 2020). "Johnson & Johnson to End Talc-Based Baby Powder Sales in North America". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved May 20, 2020.
- ^ Hoskins, Peter (12 August 2022). "Johnson & Johnson to replace talc-based powder with cornstarch". BBC News. Retrieved 19 August 2022.
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