Harmful Effects of Cosmetics
There are More Health and Environmental Risks of Using Cosmetics than there are Benefits
The original use of many substances in hair, skin, body, and beauty can be dated centuries back. Over the years, in order to enhance their effects and produce better quality products some chemicals are added. These additives include preservatives, stabilizers, minerals, bleaches, and shine. When we purchase these beauty and hair products, we expect them to be safe. However, research has found that this is not always the case. There are more health and environmental risks of using cosmetics than there are benefits. This is because the cosmetics industry is under-regulated not only in the United States but in many parts of the world. There is no solid system that has been in place to check whether personal care products are made safely. Studies suggest that even if a product contains harmful chemicals in it, it is possible that one might never hear about it. Between the years 2004 and 2016, only five thousand one hundred and forty-four complaints have been reported concerning cosmetics to the Food and Drug Administration. This study made by a dermatologist in Chicago should raise a lot of concern and this paper will explain why.
Harmful effects of cosmetics on our health.
We live in a world where we are judged by how great we look on social media, therefore, it is important for most to look their very best all the time. Wanting to look great, however, comes at a huge price. This mostly applies to women as they are the biggest client base for beauty products. For years the cosmetic industry has been convincing ladies the power of makeup where a small amount of foundation or a little mascara can enhance your look. While I don’t argue with this fact, using makeup on a daily basis can have many side effects on your skin and overall health (Malkan, 2007). These side effects include:
- Acne, skin discoloration, and allergies
Acne happens to be the most common of all the side effects that women experience. When one covers their skin with makeup all the time, they end up clogging the pores. Your skin, being the largest organ in the body needs to breathe and grow. Some types of cosmetics that we use on our skin clog up the pores and if not cleaned properly it could lead to acne, discoloration, and allergies.
- Eye infections
The eyes and skin around them should be given extra care since they are very sensitive. If makeup goes into the eyes through the corners it can cause a lot of discomfort and irritation. Research has also shown that using excess mascara and eyeliner inhibits that growth of lashes and could lead to infections as they are breeding grounds for bacteria.
- Hair loss
Hair products contain several harmful substances that destroy your hair follicles and strands if used for a long time. Hair products with harmful substances cause a number of problems such as thin hair, dandruff and sometimes redness of the scalp. People are, therefore, advised to use natural hair products to avoid such problems.
- Infertility and Hormonal imbalance
Skincare products such as creams and deodorant are directly absorbed into your skin so all the chemical substances in the product get into your body. The Research conducted found that a substance called butyl paraben significantly affects the production of testosterone in men. Prolonged use also affects the female reproductive system (Zeliger, 2011). It is important to note that this substance is used widely in the beauty industry and even natural products could contain it. Cosmetics that contain these harmful substances can affect the endocrine system resulting in the abnormal functioning of the thyroid gland. This means that regular use can cause hormonal imbalance.
Many of the beauty products available to us contain toxic ingredients that could result in cancer. Since there is no confirmation that the long-term use of the chemical- based products causes cancer, individuals are advised to avoid products containing lead, arsenic, ethylene oxide, benzene, and coal tar just to mention a few (Epstein, 2010).
Harmful effects of cosmetics on our environment
In addition to having negative effects on our health, cosmetics have a giant impact on the environment. Beauty products are laced with harmful products that cause pollution. Skincare products such as facial scrubs and toothpaste contain small plastic balls called micro-beads. These balls are made of polyethylene which does not decompose. They may seem too small to cause any harm but once you rinse them off ad they are washed down the drain, they end up in rivers or other water bodies such as Lake Erie (Bogut, 2016). Micro-plastics threaten marine life and the general health of the water bodies.
The beauty industry uses animals for the safety assessment of cosmetic ingredients. These substances are forced down their throats or put on to their bare skin. This is the ugly truth of the cosmetics industry which is very inhumane. Statistics show more than two hundred thousand animals are subjected to this brutality annually. The animals used are mostly rodents such as rabbits and hamsters. They are mostly subjected to skin and eye irritation tests for months. Pain relief is not provided for the small defenseless creatures and at the end of the tests, they killed. Some countries like China have laws that require beauty products to be animal-tested before they are imported into their country. This is very upsetting because there exist non-animal testing methods which are just as effective (Adler, 2011).
The public has become more enlightened on the health and environmental risks, therefore, the government has stepped in to help regulate the standards at which cosmetics are produced. Most, if not all beauty products, contain harmful ingredients. We use these products directly on our skins daily and that is why there is a need for safety measures to be taken immediately. It is also important that we do our research on products before we purchase them. There are some trustworthy companies that sell products with natural biodegradable ingredients such as Ives, and Burt’s Bees. However, there are big brands that still use plastic so that is why it is crucial to be cautious. When it comes to testing companies are advised to use ingredients that are tested and safe instead of having to go back to the lab to torture more animals. Most countries have banned this act but there is still more to be done to ensure it does not happen anymore.
Adler, S. (2011). Alternative (non-animal) methods for cosmetic testing: current status and future prospects-2010. Archiveof Toxicoloy, 367-485.
Bogut, M. (2016, March 12). Beauty Product & Their Impact on Health and Environment. Retrieved from Green Spirit: www.greenspirit.com/beauty-environment/
Epstein, S. (2010). Hhealthy Beauty: your guide to ingredients to avoid and products you can trust . Dallas: Accessible Publishing Systems .
Malkan, S. (2007). Not just a pretty face: the ugly side of the beauty industry. Philadelphia: Gazzelle Drake Academic.
Zeliger, H. (2011). Human Toxicology of Chemical Mixtures. Burlington: Elsevier Science.
Matokeo mabaya ya Vipodozi Kuna hatari nyingi za afya na mazingira za kutumia vipodozi kuliko faida zake Matumizi ya awali ya vitu vingi katika nywele, ngozi, mwili, na urembo yanaweza tarehe karne nyingi nyuma. Kwa miaka mingi, ili kuongeza athari zao na kutokeza bidhaa zenye ubora bora kemikali fulani huongezwa. Viongezeo hivyo vinatia ndani vihifadhi, vitu vinavyodumisha hali, madini, dawa za kupaka rangi, na rangi nyangavu. Tunapopiga bidhaa za urembo na nywele, tunatarajia kuwa salama. Hata hivyo, utafiti umeonyesha kwamba si mara zote hali hiyo hutokea. Kuna hatari nyingi za kiafya na za mazingira za kutumia vipodozi kuliko faida. Hii ni kwa sababu sekta ya vipodozi ni chini ya udhibiti si tu katika Marekani lakini katika sehemu nyingi za dunia. Hakuna mfumo thabiti ambao umewekwa ili kuangalia kama bidhaa za huduma ya kibinafsi zinatengenezwa kwa usalama. Utafiti unaonyesha kwamba hata ikiwa bidhaa ina kemikali zenye madhara, inawezekana kwamba mtu hawezi kamwe kusikia juu yake. Kati ya mwaka 2004 na 2016, malalamiko 5,144 tu yameripotiwa kuhusu vipodozi kwa Utawala wa Chakula na Dawa. Utafiti uliofanywa na daktari wa ngozi huko Chicago unapaswa kuamsha wasiwasi mwingi na karatasi hii itaelezea kwa nini. Madhara ya vipodozi kwa afya yako Tunaishi katika ulimwengu ambapo tunahukumiwa kwa jinsi tunavyoonekana kwenye mitandao ya kijamii, kwa hivyo ni muhimu kwa wengi kuangalia bora wakati wote. Hata hivyo, kutaka kuonekana kuwa mzuri kunagharimu pesa nyingi. Hii inatumika hasa kwa wanawake kama wao ni msingi mkubwa wa wateja kwa ajili ya bidhaa za uzuri. Kwa miaka mingi, sekta ya vipodozi imekuwa kuwahakikishia wanawake nguvu ya makeup ambapo kiasi kidogo cha msingi au mascara kidogo inaweza kuboresha kuangalia yako. Ingawa mimi si kubishana na ukweli huu, kutumia makeup kila siku inaweza kuwa na athari nyingi upande juu ya ngozi yako na afya ya jumla (Malkan, 2007). Madhara haya ni pamoja na: - Acne, rangi ya ngozi, na mzio Acne hutokea kuwa ya kawaida ya athari zote za upande ambazo wanawake hupata. Mtu anapofunika ngozi yake kwa vipodozi wakati wote, mwishowe huficha nywele zake. Ngozi ni kiungo kikubwa zaidi katika mwili wetu, na inahitaji kupumua na kukua. Vipodozi vya ngozi vinaweza kufunika ngozi yako na ikiwa haisafishwi vizuri, inaweza kusababisha kukohoa, rangi na mzio. - Maambukizo ya macho Macho na ngozi inayozunguka yanapaswa kupewa uangalifu wa ziada kwa kuwa ni nyeti sana. Kama makeup inakwenda ndani ya macho kupitia pembe inaweza kusababisha mengi ya usumbufu na kuchochea. Utafiti pia umeonyesha kwamba kutumia mascara na eyeliner kupita kiasi huzuia ukuaji wa nywele na inaweza kusababisha maambukizi kama wao ni breeding grounds kwa bakteria. - Kupoteza nywele Bidhaa za nywele zina vitu kadhaa vyenye madhara ambavyo huharibu follicles na nyuzi za nywele zako ikiwa hutumiwa kwa muda mrefu. Bidhaa za nywele zenye vitu vyenye madhara husababisha matatizo kadhaa kama vile nywele nyembamba, manyoya na wakati mwingine nyekundu ya ngozi ya kichwa. Kwa hiyo, watu wanashauriwa kutumia bidhaa za nywele za asili ili kuepuka matatizo hayo. Kwa sababu ya hali ya kinga ya mwili, bidhaa za utunzaji wa ngozi kama vile deodorant na cream huingizwa moja kwa moja kwenye ngozi yako, hivyo kemikali zote katika bidhaa hiyo huingia mwilini mwako. Utafiti huo uligundua kuwa dutu inayoitwa butyl paraben huathiri sana uzalishaji wa testosterone kwa wanaume. Matumizi ya muda mrefu pia huathiri mfumo wa uzazi wa wanawake (Zeliger, 2011). Ni muhimu kutambua kwamba dawa hii ni kutumika sana katika sekta ya urembo na hata bidhaa za asili inaweza kuwa na. Vipodozi vinavyotia ndani vitu hivyo vyenye madhara vinaweza kuathiri mfumo wa mfumo wa ndani wa damu na kusababisha utendaji usio wa kawaida wa tezi-kibofu. Hilo lamaanisha kwamba matumizi ya kawaida yaweza kusababisha kutofautiana kwa homoni. Vifaa vingi vya urembo vinaweza kusababisha saratani. Kwa kuwa hakuna uthibitisho kwamba matumizi ya muda mrefu ya bidhaa za kemikali husababisha kansa, watu hushauriwa kuepuka bidhaa zenye risasi, arseniki, ethylene oxide, benzene, na tar ya makaa ya mawe, kwa kutaja chache tu. Kwa sababu ya athari mbaya za vipodozi kwa mazingira, ni muhimu kuzingatia kwamba, pamoja na athari mbaya kwa afya, vipodozi pia vina athari kubwa kwa mazingira. Bidhaa za urembo zimejaa vitu vyenye kudhuru vinavyosababisha uchafuzi. Bidhaa za kutunza ngozi kama vile scrubs za uso na dawa ya meno zina mipira midogo ya plastiki inayoitwa micro-beads. Mipira hii imetengenezwa kwa polyethylene ambayo haivunjiki. "Hizi zinaweza kuonekana kuwa ndogo sana kusababisha madhara yoyote, lakini mara tu unapozifua, zinafyonzwa chini ya mfereji, na kuishia katika mito au miili mingine ya maji kama vile Ziwa Erie. """ Micro-plastics kutishia maisha ya baharini na afya ya jumla ya miili ya maji. Viwanda vya urembo hutumia wanyama ili kutathmini usalama wa viungo vya vipodozi. Vitu hivyo huingizwa kwenye koo lao au huvaliwa ngozi yao. Hii ni ukweli mbaya wa sekta ya vipodozi ambayo ni ya kibinadamu sana. Takwimu zinaonyesha kwamba wanyama zaidi ya mia mbili elfu hutendewa kwa ukatili huo kila mwaka. Wanyama wanaotumiwa ni hasa panya kama vile sungura na hamster. Wao hasa huwekwa chini ya vipimo vya kuchochea ngozi na macho kwa miezi kadhaa. Msaada wa maumivu haukupewa viumbe wadogo wasio na ulinzi na mwishoni mwa majaribio, waliuawa. Nchi kama China zina sheria zinazohitaji bidhaa za urembo zipitiwe kwa wanyama kabla ya kuingizwa nchini mwao. Hii ni ya kushangaza sana kwa sababu kuna njia za majaribio yasiyo ya wanyama ambayo ni sawa na ufanisi (Adler, 2011). Kwa kuwa watu wengi wanafahamu hatari za dawa za kulevya kwa afya na mazingira, serikali imechukua hatua ya kusaidia kudhibiti viwango vya uzalishaji wa dawa za kulevya. Bidhaa nyingi za urembo, ikiwa si zote, zina viungo vyenye kudhuru. Sisi kutumia bidhaa hizi moja kwa moja juu ya ngozi yetu kila siku na kwamba ni kwa nini kuna haja ya hatua za usalama kuchukuliwa mara moja. Ni muhimu pia kufanya utafiti kuhusu bidhaa kabla ya kuzinunua. Kuna baadhi ya makampuni ya kuaminika ambayo kuuza bidhaa na viungo asili biodegradable kama vile Ives, na Burt's Bees. Hata hivyo, kuna bidhaa kubwa ambazo bado hutumia plastiki kwa hiyo ni muhimu kuwa mwangalifu. "Kama inakuja kwa majaribio, makampuni yanashauriwa kutumia viungo vilivyojaribiwa na salama badala ya kurudi kwenye maabara kutesa wanyama zaidi. """ Nchi nyingi zimepiga marufuku kitendo hiki lakini bado kuna mengi ya kufanywa ili kuhakikisha haitatokea tena. Adler, S. (2011). Njia mbadala (bila wanyama) kwa ajili ya majaribio ya vipodozi: hali ya sasa na matarajio ya baadaye-2010. Toxicology Archive, 367-485 Bogut, M. (2016, Machi 12). Uzuri wa Bidhaa na Athari Zake kwa Afya na Mazingira. "Kama ilivyoelezwa katika makala ya ""Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Green Uzuri wa Afya: Mwongozo wako wa viungo vya kuepuka na bidhaa unazoweza kuamini. Dallas: Mifumo ya Uchapishaji Inayopatikana. Malkan, S. (2007). Si uso mzuri tu: upande mbaya wa sekta ya urembo. Philadelphia: Gazzelle Drake Chuo Kikuu. Zeliger, H. (2011). Toxicology ya Binadamu ya Mchanganyiko wa Kemikali. Burlington: Elsevier Sayansi.