Meanwhile, in the US, the FDA continues to allow for safe use of TiO2 as a food additive as long as manufacturers provide evidence that it is safe at its intended level of use. If a tampon shortage in the USA wasnt enough, theres now a terrifying TikTok about the effects of titanium dioxide in tampons with an emotional story that hits home for menstruators. Epidemiological Full disclosure: our ingredient list is simple and does not contain titanium dioxide or any other chemicals or fragrances. According to the company, TiO2 represents less than 0.1% of all the ingredients they use to manufacture their tampons. Rayon is processed with many other chemicals to be broken down into cellulose, which according to Tampax helps absorb and retain fluid. Before I dive into the horrible and unnecessary ingredients in both pads & tampons, I want to talk about why a menstrual period is such an important cycle that happens within the human body. A few weeks ago, Dr. Jennifer Lincoln started receiving messages on social media from people worried about titanium dioxide How Bad Is It Really to Wear a Tampon for Longer Than 8 Hours? In a previous blog post, Jayesh debunked the myth that non-organic pads can cause cancer since study after study has not proven this. Everything You Need to Know About Maintaining Your Vaginal pH Balance: Normal Levels Retrieved May 11, 2021, from https://www.healthline.com/health/womens-health/vaginal-ph-balance, My name is Sara and I love anything to do with natural health, nutrition & fitness! Environmental and reproductive health experts have mixed views on how safe titanium dioxide in menstrual products is, but there's no evidence the tampons cause reproductive health problems like ovarian cysts or cancer. Regarding risk of cancer, there is an oft-cited study that shows that chronic high-level exposure of inhaled TiO2 could be linked to lung cancer in rats. When Aunt Flo makes her monthly visit, some people prefer pads, while other swear by menstrual cups or tampons. #notokay. A period is a way for the body to cleanse itself, reproduce necessary hormones and shed off the lining of the uterus. This may sound great for fashion and clothing, but it does not belong in our bodies! And as of March 2022, the FDA maintains its position that titanium dioxide may be safely used as a food coloring. We disclose every ingredient we use in our products to inform and educate so you can make the best decision for your body. There is no published research available currently that has examined the impacts of vaginal or vulvar exposure to titanium dioxide. Aimee Eyvazzadeh, MD. "Titanium dioxide doesnt dissolve in water, meaning the nanoparticles arent going to dissolve from the tampon string and get into the blood that might be pooling in the vagina and then get absorbed by the body." Passionate about periods? 1800 I Street NW In 1980, 812 cases of TSS associated with menstruation were reported, but over the course of the following decade, cases dropped significantly due to companies making less absorbent tampons and increased public awareness of TSS, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And it functions the same in tampons: Titanium dioxide serves as a coloring agent to make your period products appear whiter, Dr. Gohar says. Titanium dioxide, or TiO2, is a naturally occurring mineral comprised of titanium and oxygen. L. brand tampons use titanium dioxide as pigment in the thread that attaches the string to the absorbent part of the tampon. According to the company, TiO2 represents less than 0.1% of all the ingredients they use to manufacture their tampons. No added chemicals. However, rayon is processed with many chemicals such as carbon disulphide, sulphuric acid, ammonia, acetone and others. A few weeks ago, Dr. Jennifer Lincoln started receiving messages on social media from people worried about titanium dioxide in tampons. "So, if titanium dioxide is giving you anxiety that you just can't shake," there are plenty of period care products and trustworthy tampon brands you can try without the chemical, Dr. Gohar says. It also appears insunscreen and cosmetics, two categories in which the ingredient is also generally considered safe. International Agency for Research on Cancer, posted a response to the controversy on Instagram. Read our Privacy Policy and Terms and Conditions. Lincoln said this led some to believe that the substance has been proven to be cancerous. Because lets face it- we should not be putting toxic chemicals inside of our bodies on a regular basis. But there is also no published research on vaginal The agency could not rule out potential damage to DNA,but this is much different than the agency stating there was an identified cause and effect. With 8 million views, this instance shows the impact of a TikTokdespite the actual evidence to the contrary. But there's not much research to tell us what the potential effects are of TiO2 in certain other formats, like if you eat a little bit of it in food, or regularly insert small amounts of it in your body via a tampon for a few days each month. Reach out! Although the FDA considers titanium dioxide safe, the World Health Organizations International Agency for Research on Cancer classifies it as "possibly carcinogenic to humans." Tampons require the FDAs premarket review evaluating the products safety and effectiveness. This finding prompted the European Union to ban TiO2 as a food additive earlier this year, but in the U.S., the ingredient is still considered to be safe in food at the limits set by the FDA. Consuming rice and beans, milk, cheese, butter and eggs causes disease by age 30. according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Foreign Agriculture Service, Periods happen: Heres how 2 sisters are normalizing the taboo, Lauren Wasser, model who lost leg to toxic shock syndrome, speaks out, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. We need your help. It can also be found in a variety of beauty products and lotions such as sunscreen. I also love that they use 100% organic cotton, are plastic & fragrance free, totally chlorine free and are biodegradable! For instance, certain plastics and artificial adhesives have been shown to increase the risk of vulva-vaginal infections and contact dermatitis. According to Safe Cosmetics.org, titanium dioxide does not penetrate healthy or even unhealthy, burnt skin, and so "poses no local or systemic risk to human health" when used topically. In the emergency room, I assess five primary routes of exposure for a substance when assessing for toxicity: inhalation, skin contact, eye contact, ingestionand absorption. L. brand tampons use titanium dioxide as pigment in the thread that attaches the stringto the absorbent part of the tampon. Washington, DC Titanium Dioxide is a pigment that is used in both pads and tampons to make them appear whiter. (LogOut/ The National Library of Medicine noted that there's "inadequate evidence in humans" that the additive contributes to cancer. However, paraffin is far from clean! accessed Aug. 9, 2022, Chemical Safety Facts, "Titanium Dioxide | Use, Benefits, and Chemical Safety Facts," accessed Aug. 8, 2022, International Agency for Research on Cancer, "Monographs on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risks to Humans VOLUME 93 Carbon Black, Titanium Dioxide, and Talc," 2010, International Agency for Research on Cancer, "Studies of Cancer in Experimental Animals - Carbon Black, Titanium Dioxide, and Talc," 2010, Healthline, "Titanium dioxide in food Should you be concerned?" So when asked if titanium dioxide in tampons can cause cancer, Jayesh says, I dont know because it simply hasnt been studied for this application. In a previous blog post, Jayesh. The vagina is an extremely sensitive organ and using plastic derived ingredients is a big no no! Myths about aluminum and deodorant, explained. What we do know is that in the history of tampons, even before organic cotton was introduced, there have not been more than a handful of cases of cancer. Doctors say that tampons are safe. Retrieved May 11, 2021, from https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2016-09/documents/carbon-disulfide.pdf, Government of Canada, C. C. (2021, May 09). Retrieved May 11, 2021, from https://www.healthline.com/health/is-polypropylene-safe, Li, D., Shi, Y., Yang, L., Xiao, L., Kehoe, D. K., Gunko, Y. K., . Typically, "higher doses can be used topically in a safe manner," he says. Its really pervasive because its a whitening agent. "There are no published studies on titanium dioxide causing excessive bleeding, infertility or cancer, so it is hard to say if it is dangerous to women's health or not," he says. Here arefivesteps you can start applying today: Do this, not that:Simple swaps to boost your wellness, More:Why Epsom salt should be a staple in your home medicine cabinet, Michael Daignault, MD, is a board-certified ER doctor in Los Angeles. We know its very important to remove the tampon, not to leave it in., Added Lincoln: I also think this is just my theory that anything that goes in the vagina, in this country, were somewhat scared of it. However, titanium dioxide isn't just a popular ingredient in food. The Skin Cancer foundation even recommends sunscreen with titanium dioxide to protect against harmful cancer-causing UV rays. If you dont want to take any chances with this ingredient, try these organic products instead. USDA Organic certification may only be displayed on products that are 100% organic. In fact, joni tampons are 100% organic cotton. 33701 "The potential risks of titanium dioxide vary depending on the method of exposure," says Dr. Eyvazzadeh. (Read more about our partnership with Facebook.). Titanium dioxide tampons are made from a material that does not absorb fluid, which is great for those with anemia or other conditions that can lead to heavy menstrual bleeding. (1992, April 11). Not all regulatory agencies agree: The Canada Health Department, for example, like the FDA, found titanium dioxide to be a safe food additive. According to the US Food and Drug Administration, the compound is safe in regulated amounts meaning less than 1% of a food's weight to up to 25% of a sunscreen's concentration. Its not like a company can throw anything in there, Lincoln said. According to Code of Federal Regulations, the mineral is considered "exempt from certification" in cosmetics, medical devices, and pharmaceutical drugs, meaning it has determined that the "certification of this color additive is not necessary for the protection of the public health. The product in question in the TikTok video is one that is labeled as organic and yet it contains titanium dioxide. If you Google titanium dioxide and cancer, you are going to see studies that show it has been linked with cancer. This brand is my go to- you can find it at Loblaws or even Amazon! There are a number of folks online recently worried about finding titanium dioxide as an ingredient in their tampons and pads and wondering if it is related to some health So while there is no evidence of danger, "we also dont have the science to assure us that this kind of exposure is safe either. Its on the string so its not even in the part of the tampon thats inside the vagina," Lincoln said. It makes items white. Titanium dioxide can also be in food, according to the National Library of Medicine. Journal of Injury and Violence Research,1(1), 3-5. doi:10.5249/jivr.v1i1.1, The Dirty Dozen: PEG Compounds and their contaminants. Theyve got their ingredients listed on the box and on their website.. You can find their products at Healthy Planet or order from their website. But this is not the only report that is sparking concerns. Have an idea for an article? Titanium dioxide, or TiO2, is a naturally occurring mineral comprised of titanium and oxygen. "[P]revious studies have shown that titanium dioxide can cause alterations to the reproductive system, including reducing the ovarian follicles and leading to the formation of ovarian cysts," she says. This means that youll find absolutely no titanium dioxide in them or any other toxic substances, synthetic fibres, chemical residues, dyes, pesticides, chlorine bleach or fragrances. The titanium dioxide in these tampons is just very small amounts, Greves said. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. The video has 630,000 views and nearly 14,00 comments. Retrieved May 11, 2021, from https://balmonds.co.uk/blogs/blog/the-problem-with-paraffin-in-emollients, Mancini, F., Bruggen, A. H., Jiggins, J. L., Ambatipudi, A. C., & Murphy, H. (2005). The titanium dioxide many of the products contain is a naturally occurring mineral used in numerous everyday products as a pigment to keep colors bright and white or filter ultraviolet rays. So, do organic tampons contain titanium dioxide? Get it daily. There are many substances, including medications, that we safely encounter or consume on a regular basis. All gender affirming care for children is 100% experimental. Just because titanium dioxide may show signs of toxicity when eaten or inhaled, doesnt mean all exposure is dangerous. This can be experienced emotionally such as crying (PMS) or even just focusing more on your diet. We definitely need more activism and awareness around this issue! ". New study explores the benefits,harms. As an emergency roomdoctor, there would be many possible (and more likely) emergency room causes of excessive menstrual bleeding that I would evaluate a patient for. Although commercially produced tampons have been around since the 1930s, their ingredients only recently became the subject of public scrutiny, thanks to a 2019 New York law that required manufacturers to disclose them. This greatly increases the risk of residues being present in your personal products and can throw off the natural pH balance within your vagina. And there honestly isn't a ton of reliable data on the ingredient to help us draw better conclusions, argues the authors of this 2011 review. Titanium dioxide might be one of these. How he got caught. Bobby Parrish, a social media influencer with more than 1 million followers on Instagram, said titanium dioxide is really bad for reproductive health and claims it can cause excessive bleeding. 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Maintains its position that titanium dioxide, or TiO2, is a naturally occurring mineral comprised of and... This instance shows the impact of a TikTokdespite the actual evidence to the,!, are plastic & fragrance free, totally chlorine free and are!! Variety of beauty products and can throw off the lining of the.! The FDA maintains its position that titanium dioxide, or TiO2, a! Putting toxic chemicals inside of our bodies on a regular basis titanium dioxide tampons risks doses can be used topically in previous... Humans '' that the additive contributes to cancer you dont want to take any chances this!
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