Terminology

BPA

BPA is a known xenoestrogen and a chemical found in hard polycarbonate plastic. Bisphenol A, often referred to as BPA, is found in the epoxy resin coatings inside canned goods and beverages as well as dental fillings, dental sealants, water bottles, baby bottles, store receipts and many other products. BPA can behave in a similar way to estrogen and other hormones in the human body. It imitates your body's own hormones in a way that can be hazardous to your health. Babies and young children are said to be especially sensitive to the effects of BPA.

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BPS & BPF

Bisphenol S (BPS) and bisphenol F (BPF) are similar to bisphenol A (BPA) in their estrogenic effect and are the new replacement for BPA in thermal paper, plastic bottles, tin can linings and white composite dental fillings. BPS and BPF are more stable than BPA and persist longer in your body than BPA. Bisphenol A has an approximate half life of 5 hours, which means it takes close to 10 hours for your body to detoxify it. BPS and BPF have a half life closer to 48 hours, so it can take up to 4 days for your body to remove these xenoestrogens and their endocrine disrupting effects. Although various studies have shown the half life of bisphenol analogues to be significantly longer.

The manufacturing industry replaced the use of BPA with BPS and BPF and neglected to inform consumers several years ago. The easiest way to avoid plastic bottles that contain any of the bisphenols is to stay away from plastics that have a #7 recycle triangle symbol on the bottom of containers.

Cocamide DEA

Cocamide diethanolamine (Cocamide DEA) is a surfactant used to increase foam in products. It's coconut oil that has been chemically modified with diethanolamine and is a possible human carcinogen. Cocamide DEA and its related chemical counterparts react with nitrites to form highly potent carcinogenic nitrosamines. Nitrosamines have been shown to rapidly penetrate the skin and regular use of DEA containing products has been linked to an increase in the incidence of liver cancers in test animals.

Dimethicone

Simply put, dimethicone (polydimethylsiloxane) is silicon oil and is similar to the caulking used to make your shower water proof. Dimethicone is manufactured in a laboratory for use in personal care products as a skin protectant and an anti-foaming agent. Instead of sinking into your skin and nourishing it, like healthy ingredients do, dimethicone forms a plastic-like barrier on the outside of your skin. It's the main ingredient in the endocrine disruptor known as siloxane, a synthetic silicone-oxygen hybrid used in lotions and body creams.

Dimethicone not only moisturizes your skin, it covers and traps in bacteria, oil, and sebum. People who are prone to acne are likely to see an increase in blackheads and breakouts when using products containing a silicone based ingredient.

Various methylsiloxanes are suspected environmental toxins because they're not easily biodegradable, can bioaccumulate and have been found in fish. You'll find dimethicone and its various organosiloxane forms hiding in your lotions, hair care products, soaps and water proof sunscreens.

DMDM Hydantoin (Formaldehyde Releaser)

DMDM hydantoin is an antimicrobial which is a known formaldehyde releaser that's used as a preservative in an array of products. Formaldehyde, is a chemical that is used to preserve the frogs you dissected in grade 8 biology class. In Canada, formaldehyde is a restricted ingredient in beauty products. However, there is no restriction on the low-levels of formaldehyde released by DMDM hydantoin. This is also true of other formaldehyde releasing chemicals used in your personal care products like diazolidinyl urea, imidazolidinyl urea, methenamine, quarternium-15 and sodium hydroxymethylglycinate.

Endocrine Disruptor

An endocrine disruptor is a substance/chemical which interferes with the production, secretion, transportation, action, function and/or elimination of natural hormones. Other terms include xenoestrogens, hormone disruptors, hormone disrupting chemicals, endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDC), xenobiotics, and estrogen mimics to name a few.

Oxybenzone

Oxybenzone is an estrogen mimicking chemical used in sunscreens with a high Sun Protection Factor (SPF). Oxybenzone’s function is to ‘filter’ ultra violet light and convert it from light rays to heat waves. When light is converted to heat in the basal (lower) layers of the skin, damage to new growing cells occurs due to the high amount of free radicals generated.

Studies consider oxybenzone an emerging human toxin, environmental pollutant and drinking water contaminant that should be avoided. Hawaii recently banned the use of sunscreen products that contain oxybenzone because of its deleterious impact on marine ecosystems, particularly coral reefs.

Parabens

For many years, parabens were considered safe preservatives with low systemic toxicity but recent studies question the safety of parabens because of their estrogenic effects. Due to their broad spectrum antimicrobial activity they are used in many cosmetic, food and pharmaceutical products. Parabens are alkyl hydroxy benzoate preservatives (namely methyl-paraben, ethyl-paraben, propyl-paraben, and butyl-paraben). Parabens are permitted as preservatives in food up to 0.1%. In cosmetics they are permitted in concentrations of up to 1%.

Currently, there is evidence of the endocrine disrupting effects of these preservatives because they are estrogen mimics (xenoestrogens) which bind to your cells estrogen receptor sites. Parabens are easily absorbed through your skin and can be stored in your body's fat (adipose) tissue. When parabens enter your body they affect your hormonal system by mimicking estrogen and promoting cellular growth in breast tissue. Subsequently parabens have been linked to breast cancer tumors.

Phthalates

Phthalates are chemicals which are known endocrine disruptors that are linked to birth defects and reproductive problems, lower sperm count as well as lung, kidney and liver cancers. Phthalates are plasticizers used to soften vinyl plastics and help make fragrances last longer. Any ingredient labeled “fragrance” may contain up to 20% phthalates. Manufacturers use phthalates in hair conditioners to coat the shaft of each hair which allows your hair to retain a "soft" feel. Another hidden source of phthalates are enteric coated vitamins and pharmaceutical pills.

In 1998, the Canadian Government placed a voluntary ban on the use of 6 phthalates in soft vinyl children’s toys based on studies that suggest phthalates are hazardous to the reproductive and developmental health of children. However, they did not place a ban on the use of these same phthalates in personal care products. Studies also link phthalates to liver and kidney failure in young children.

Terminology

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Terminology