Ethoxylated Surfactants – Why You Should Avoid Personal Care Products Containing Them
It is scary to think that you could be using products on a daily basis that are carcinogenic or that can potentially lead to a number of health problems and irritations. Yet believe it or not, many beauty and personal care products that are used every day contain questionable ingredients that some studies show as being potentially hazardous to health. And many of these ingredients are used simply because they are low-cost, which makes manufacturing them more affordable for large beauty companies that produce products on a mass scale.
Most people do not read through the ingredients label, but when choosing beauty and personal care products it is best to carefully check the ingredients labels and avoid purchasing products that contain certain chemicals. Making the switch to organic beauty products is a great idea if you want to avoid using products that contain harmful chemicals as well.
Ethoxylated surfactants are just a few of the chemicals that you should try to avoid. You will find them identified by many names including:
– PEG
– Polyethylene
– Polyethylene glycol
– Polyoxyethylene
What Are Ethoxylated Surfactants?
These chemicals are commonly used in bath, cosmetic, and personal care products. They work as foaming agents, humectants, and emulsifiers.
When these chemicals are in the process of being manufactured, a dangerous by-product is produced. It is a chemical called 1,4-dioxane, or simply dioxane for short. This is a well-known and dangerous carcinogen.
About 1,4-Dioxane
Beauty products containing ethoxylated surfactants may or may not contain the dangerous carcinogen dioxane. But a large enough percentage of them are contaminated with the chemical that it is wise to avoid products containing ethoxylated surfactants entirely. Statistics show that about 50{5f1badeb208636689578ee7055aafc453681e97b6c712d78b4a854b97df0885d} of them also contain dioxane. Below are some facts about dioxane:
– Dioxane is a known carcinogen
– Overexposure can lead to significant skin irritation
– Acts as central nervous system depressant
– Can cause irritation of eyes and mucous membranes
– Dizziness, headaches, and fatigue are also signs of overexposure
– Can lead to kidney and liver damage with prolonged exposure
Prolonged exposure to these chemicals is still being studied, but many scientists already believe that these compounds should not be used in daily care products. Instead of exposing yourself to chemicals that could possibly have long-term negative health effects, it may be worth it to start choosing products that you know do not contain them. Organic products are a great alternative. Plus, they are better for the environment and they have positive health benefits.