On average, women use twice as many personal care products as men, applying an average of 168 chemicals to their bodies every day
Between cosmetics, perfumes, personal care products and feminine hygiene products, women in the US apply an average of 168 chemicals to their faces and bodies every day, according to new research by the nonprofit Environmental Working Group.
Some of these chemicals are completely harmless, but others are endocrine disruptors, carcinogens and neurotoxins, most of which have not been independently reviewed for safety before hitting store shelves. And there is growing concern that the combined chemical burden from these products may be directly related to increased rates of reproductive issues and cancer among women.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists wrote in a 2013 report that there is “robust” evidence linking “toxic environmental agents” to “adverse reproductive and developmental health outcomes”.
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