What Is It All About Beauty Product Dangers? – Part 1

Are They Pretty Poison Or Harmless Cosmetic?

Chances are you use a product with a long list of ingredients when you cover your blemishes, give yourself a sunless tan, or straighten your hair. Are these ingredients thereby safe? Often based on hype are headlines proclaiming the dangers of beauty products. For those who want to reduce their use of chemicals, we offer some alternatives. 

Concern: Keratin Straighteners

Delivering silky, smooth locks with no frizz are salon-based keratin hair treatments. Finding high concentrations of the chemical in more than half of the samples are these treatments that are often marketed as formaldehyde-free. Causing cancer is long-term exposure to formaldehyde. It will not put you over the exposure limits when you get your hair straightened or smoothed once every few months. Whereas it will be a real risk to your stylist. 

Option: Conditioner and Flat Iron

By neutralising the impact of static electricity, the conditioner helps you fight frizz. A flat iron can get the kinks out of most naturally curly hair while the results will only last until your next shampoo. Your stylist might show you a few good techniques combined with safe hair products to tame a frizzy look as using a blow dryer is less effective than a flat iron for smoothing hair. 

Concern: Permanent Hair Dye

Coming with conflicting results is research connecting hair dye to cancer. If they use permanent hair dyes particularly darker colours, some studies suggest that women are slightly more likely to get leukaemia or lymphoma. Whereas there is no increased risk shown by other studies. Finding no link is most research looking at hair dye and breast cancer. Although some health care providers recommend waiting until the second trimester to be extra cautious, there is also no evidence suggesting hair dye posing a threat during pregnancy. 

Option: Plant-Based Hair Dyes

They can change hair colour without harsh chemicals, as plant-based hair dyes include henna and vegetable dyes. Whereas there come some drawbacks also. The results tend to fade sooner than with permanent dyes as most won’t result in a dramatic colour change. To get highlights at a salon is a second option. So that the chemicals aren’t absorbed by your skin, a special cap or foil hair wrappers prevent the dye on your tresses from touching your scalp. 

Concern: Crazy Contacts

Helping you change your look are coloured or patterned lenses that don’t correct your vision. Often available at salons, costume shops, or online, avoid any lenses that are sold without a prescription. Even for a short wearing, contact lenses require proper fitting, cleaning, and care. You run the risk of eye injuries or infections that can lead to vision loss if you don’t care for them properly. 

Option: Rx Coloured Lenses

Ask licensed eye care professionals about coloured contact lenses if you feel Mother Nature gave you the wrong eye colour. You will still need an eye exam even if you have a sharp vision. Here it is sure that the doctor prescribes for you thereafter showing you how to take care of the lenses properly. From a prescription-only source buy lenses. To avoid injuring your eyes, follow the doctor’s directions. 

Concern: Prescription Eyelash Serum

Giving you long, flirty eyelashes temporarily is Latisse, a prescription drug. Waiting about four months for results, you daub the serum onto your upper lash line every day. It’s important to note a small risk of side effects, some permanent even if you love the lashes. Turning the coloured part of your eyes brown, the drug may darken the skin around your eyes. 

Option: Eyelash Extensions

Giving you that long-lashed look without a prescription drug are false eyelashes or eyelash extensions. Here it doesn’t come risk-free. Causing an allergic reaction, the adhesives can irritate the eyelids. In this context, it is better to beware of permanent eyelash tints thereafter promising thicker-looking lashes. Including blindness, they have been linked to serious injury. For use on the lashes, no permanent dyes are FDA- approved. 

Concern: Hydroquinone

Available by prescription or in a less potent strength over the counter is hydroquinone which is a skin lightener. For reducing age spots or dark patches known as melasma, dermatologists often recommend it. Causing skin discolouration is also the overuse of hydroquinone. Though the risk to humans is unclear animal studies have also linked the chemical to cancer. Currently, scientists are studying the safety of hydroquinone. 

Option: Laser Skin Resurfacing

To remove the top layer of skin, laser skin resurfacing uses a special type of laser. Minimising age spots and even out skin colour without the long-term use of chemical lightener is the procedure that is done by a dermatologist. The expense, pain, the downtime while your skin is healing, and a small risk of scarring or discolouration are the drawbacks included. 

The Continuation

More concerns and options are detailed in the next part. Watch out for more of them.