It sounds like a bad science fiction movie: as you slowly open your compact and powder your nose, you realize that the infection is spreading. To your horror, you realize that you have just powdered your nose with a deadly disease. Fade to black...
In reality, things are not nearly that simple, but it is a fact that you could be at risk from many of the cosmetic and personal hygiene products that you use each day.
While the Federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does attempt to regulate according to national health guidelines what kinds of things you put on your face as well as the items that you put in your mouth, there are many undercover allergens and toxins that sneak in under the radar due either to lax supervision, legal loopholes or deliberate manufacturer coverup.
Some of these toxins lead to inflammations of the skin, but others are linked to serious health issues like cancer and Alzheimer's disease.
History
Throughout history, women and men have made sacrifices with their health in order to look beautiful. As early as 4000 B.C., women were blanching their faces with lead-based powders that often led to serious disfigurement.
As the centuries passed, corsets and other vanity items altered women's shapes--and their backbones and ribs--in the name of physical beauty.
In modern times most people are aware of the dangers posed by many historical cosmetic items and opt to use safer substances in their beauty routines.
However, there may be ingredients in your makeup right now that could lead to serious health problems if you do not limit your exposure to them.
Misconceptions
Many people tend to laugh at this kind of "paranoia," pointing out that there are hundreds of different watchdog organizations and federally funded programs to protect us from this type of unsuspecting poisoning.
Unfortunately, while organizations like the FDA can demand that ingredients be listed and, depending on the compound in question, warnings be posted on the products, there is little that can be done to prevent consumers from using the products if they do not fully understand the risks. In fact, in many cases the FDA cannot even force manufacturers to include these warning labels should they elect not to do so.
Types
There is one major compound linked to Alzheimer's disease that is also commonly found in cosmetics and personal hygiene products. This compound is aluminum chlorohydrate, which is a common ingredient in deodorant and eye liner. It has not only been linked to Alzheimer's, but also to organ malfunctions and learning disabilities.
Some scientists even go so far as to classify it as a neurotoxin.
Other ingredients that are less conclusively linked to Alzheimer's disease, but that can still cause serious health problems are parabens, which are known to be carcinogenic in some forms, and sodium lauryl sulphate, which is not too bad on its own but is thought to combine with other nontoxic chemicals to create a large number of health problems.
Significance
The issue at stake is clear. You should take every measure to avoid Alzheimer's disease that you can. This debilitating mental illness literally eats away at your memory and your neural pathways over time, making cognizant reasoning, recall and even coherent thought increasingly difficult and then impossible.
Not only can it rob you of your golden years, but it can break the hearts of those closest to you as your memory become cloudier and cloudier and are unable to place familiar, beloved faces and names.
However, it can be difficult to determine exactly what is a risk, particularly since compounds like aluminum chorohydrate are not outlawed in many places. If you are concerned about your health or the way that you cosmetics may be interacting with other health and beauty products, ask a specialist or consult your doctor immediately.
Prevention/Solution
The best way to avoid exposing yourself to potentially harmful substances that are legally included in many cosmetics is to simply avoid wearing cosmetics made by companies that use these products.
Buying "green" or organic makeup is a good way to make sure that unnatural substances are not used in your cosmetics. You can also check out third party websites before buying a product to make sure that the product does not contain a risky ingredient that is not on the label or that is hidden in cryptic fine print.
Expert Insight
Researchers have stated repeatedly that although aluminum is one of the most common elements occurring in nature, it does not have any biological function. This means that your body cannot use it for anything at all.
However, it must be noted that this is not sufficient to link it conclusively to Alzheimer's disease. However, a growing body of current research indicates that at the very least aluminum can be blamed for "inflammatory events" within the body that lead to tissue damage in all areas of the body, so it is certainly not beyond the realm of possibility that extended exposure to aluminum in a particular form could eventually impact your memory and your health.
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