A 5 Minute Read That May Surprise You

Have you ever wondered what all the fuss is about commercial soaps versus the natural or organic soaps? Have you ever asked yourself, “Why would I pay more for a natural or organic soap when I can pick one up at the grocery store for just a dollar or two”? I remember the first time I thought about these questions, it was when my first child was born and I wanted to make this world a little safer for her. I felt powerless to stop world hunger and wars (I was never a beauty queen contestant), but I knew for sure that I wanted to eliminate the chemicals she was exposed to, right down to my personal favorite perfume.          

            I had read an article about how babies respond to the scent of their mothers and I knew right away that I didn’t want to confuse her in any way (I’m not even sure that’s possible, given how smart these little ones are). I knew right away that chemical compounds weren’t good for her and probably were very harsh to her sensitive little virgin nose. Up until that time I had never given much thought to all the chemicals we heap on our skin in order to be clean, smell fresh (dare I say, even sexy), and look good. From shampoos to foot creams, we assault our bodies daily and multiple times daily with chemicals. For the most part, I gave up perfumes right away, but the rest came as a work in progress.

            The commercially sold soaps we know of today are really more detergents than soaps. Detergents for the most part are made of petroleum products and consist mainly of surfactants, foaming agents and alcohols. Because detergents contain so much chemical, they are ladened with cheap, artificial, synthetic fragrances. They also contain preservatives and antibacterial agents so as not to spoil. True soaps, on the other hand, are made with natural products (fat and lye). They are made with no byproducts and what goes down the drain is biodegradable, making them very environmentally friendly.

            I want to make clear that I am no chemist or scientist, but I do try to be an informed consumer, especially when it comes to the products I use around our home. I wasn’t very far into my research when it became abundantly clear to me that I needed to finish what I started 20 some year ago – that is, eliminate as many chemicals as I could from our skin care/personal cleansing repertoire.

            Let’s take a look at commercially produced soaps as we know them today and some of the main offenders. The first ingredient I want to discuss is Triclosan and its sister chemical, Tricloban. This is a synthetic chemical used in almost all antibacterial soaps. Other products containing triclosan include hand sanitizer, baby wipes, deodorant, toothpaste, mouthwash, clothing with “antibacterial” labeling (think socks and athletic clothing) and plastics (toys, garbage bags, kitchen utensils). In fact, almost any product with the words “antibacterial” or “antimicrobial” most likely contains Triclosan. One of the problems with triclosan is that it is highly carcinogenic and a hormone disruptor. One study at Virginia Tech stated that products containing triclosan produced either chloroform or other chlorine byproducts (known carcinogens) when exposed to tap water. In the environment, triclosan reacts with sunlight and forms chlorophenol and dioxin. These byproducts are hormone disruptors. Particularly, they mimic thyroid hormones, thus taking the cell receptor sites of endogenous thyroid hormones. Once these receptor sites are taken the body perceives that it does not need to produce more thyroid hormones, creating a shortage of the hormones necessary for proper thyroid function. Both triclosan and tricloban are not very water soluble, both are fat-soluble and easily cross cell membranes. You may be thinking that triclosan is on your skin for such a short amount of time, how could it possibly penetrate so fast? You may also be interested to know that in one study 3 out of 5 women tested were found to have it in their breast milk. Remember that skin is one way our body absorbs the nutrients it needs, and it is very efficient at it.

            But wait a minute, isn’t “antibacterial” good for us? Actually, no. We need bacteria, without it we could not survive our environment. In fact, our bodies depend a great deal upon bacteria and antibacterial soaps do not discriminate between “good” and “bad” bacteria. Not only do we need and depend upon “good” bacteria, we need some amounts of “bad” bacteria to build our immune system. When we come in contact with a “bad” bacteria or virus, ideally our bodies go to work immediately to produce the t-cells that fight the bacteria or virus, thus creating an immunity to that particular bacteria or virus. The use of antibacterial soaps weakens our body’s ability to build this important immune defense library. And since most common household illnesses, such as colds, sinus infections and the flu are viruses the antibacterial soaps do no more good in preventing and fight these viruses than ordinary soap and water. In 2005, an FDA Advisory Panel of Experts voted 11 to one that antibacterial soaps were no more effective than regular soap and water in fighting infections. In fact, antibacterial soaps create antibacterial and antibiotic resistance; the result – super strains. Therefore, antibacterial and antimicrobial soaps may make the use of antibiotics less effective in treating other illnesses. In 2002, the AMA stated, “There is little evidence to support the use of antimicrobials in consumer products . . . it may be prudent to avoid use of antimicrobial agents in consumer products”.

            This may be hard for parents of young children to swallow, especially since they are in constant contact with germs. However, we are seeing more children with allergies and asthma than ever before and the use of antibacterial soaps, along with other environmental toxins, could be the culprit. Triclosan kills skin cells, compromising our body’s ability to protect and heal itself. Triclosan also dries the skin and aggravates eczema and psoriasis, not particularly vital concerns, unless you or your loved ones are suffering from these ailments. When reading your labels looking for Triclosan, be aware that it also appears as Microban, Irgasan (DP 300 or PG 60), Biofresh, Lexol-300, Ster-Zac or cloxifenolum.

            Triclosan is one of the most detected compounds in rivers, streams and bodies of water, often in high concentrations. This is one chemical you should avoid. It has been banned in Japan and Canada.

            Let’s move on to Sodium Lauryl Sulfate. Sodium Lauryl  Sulfate (SLS) is added to virtually every personal care item on the market. It is an anionic surfactant, which in layman terms means it is particularly good at removing dirt and grease and suspending them in water so they don’t reattach to skin, fabrics, etc. Its close cousin is Sodium Laureth Sulfate and I will refer to both of them as SLS, since they are similar in intent and effect. SLS is added to products to enhance foaming and as a dispersal agent. Anything that foams (soap, toothpaste, shampoos, conditioners, facial cleansers) and anything that needs a dispersal agent (fragrances, body sprays and body oils) contains SLS. Some argue that SLS is completely safe; however, when combined with nitrogen-bearing ingredients (often found in skin care products) it oxidates forming nitrosamines – carcinogenic nitrates. Considering that SLS is also used in detergents, car soaps, garage floor cleaners and engine degreasers, I seriously doubt it is as benign as the cosmetic industry would have us believe. It is a poisonous, caustic detergent, which effects are irreversible.

            SLS is a known eye, skin and mouth irritant, membrane alternator and chronic irritant, it causes contact dermatitis, compromises integrity of the skin barrier, alters or harms cell function, corrodes hair follicles causing hair loss, has long-term retention in tissues, and penetrates the brain, liver, kidneys and heart. That alone should keep you from using any product with SLS, but let’s give it a further look.

            Since SLS cleanses by corrosion you can expect that it dries the skin, stripping the protective lipids from the skin’s surface, which compromises the skin’s ability to regulate moisture. Those protective lipids are also what help protect the skin from harmful bacteria and other environmental hazards. How many times a day do you shower, use soap to wash your hands, apply lotion to help with the dry skin these chemicals leave behind, use deodorant, perfume, after shave or any other fragranced product? The list goes on and on and almost all of these contain SLS. You get the picture. Your body’s detoxification system can be overpowered by these chemicals. Also, a baby’s skin is thinner than that of an adult’s making it more permeable. Since their detoxification systems are not fully developed they don’t process out these toxins as easily as an adult, and it’s not easy for an adult! So, think of that in terms of baby lotions and soaps. Many beauty products containing SLS claim to help renew and regenerate the skin, making us look younger and more beautiful. This can be somewhat misleading, and in my opinion, utterly untrue.

            Skin cells are made of protein. Our skin cells die and are replaced with new cells all the time, in fact, every cell in the body is replaced at least every seven years. SLS damages the protein structure in the molecule causing it to collapse, rendering it useless and compromising the cell. The effect is irreversible. But that’s only part of the problem. Because the cell is damaged, it increases the amount of time it takes for the body to heal itself and since new proteins are damaged the new cells are disrupted while they are forming. This is the type of activity that leads to early stages of skin cancer. SLS not only contributes to, but also worsens cancerous states. Hair follicles are also damaged by SLS and they are a major transport system for taking harmful ingredients into our bodies. Think of all the places on your body you have hair follicles. Your head alone has around 100,000. That’s a lot of transporting power! High levels of skin penetration may occur even at low concentrations.

            SLS is obviously an eye-irritant. Have you ever gotten shampoo or soap in your eyes? I have and it burns (caustic detergent). But the burn is only one factor to consider here. According to the American College of Toxicology, tests show permanent corneal damage in young animals from skin contact in non-eye areas. In other words, because of its penetrating abilities, SLS causes permanent eye damage without ever coming in contact with the eyes. One of the concerns about SLS is its link to cataracts. Most of the information I have studied regarding SLS made the connection between SLS and cataracts.

            There also exist concerns about SLS and hormone imbalance. SLS is a hormone mimicker. That means, in a nutshell, it absorbs into the body, attaches itself to estrogen receptors mimicking the endogenous estrogen. This causes nothing but chaos in the world of hormones. Since the body cannot tell the difference between the artificial (or chemical) estrogen and the endogenous estrogen - well, you can see the problem.

            Both men and women have estrogen in their bodies and it is rigidly controlled by our glands. In men, whose estrogen levels are somewhat lower than women, this massive increase in chemical estrogen mimickers causes, among other things, breast enlargement, reduction of male hormone levels as well as massive drops in sperm count and mobility, leading to infertility. These effects are not only seen in adult males, but also in male babies in utero. Pregnant women should use caution, these chemicals travel effectively from the blood to the placenta to the baby. Who knows how these chemicals are affecting our children?

            Of course, men are not the only ones affected by hormone imbalance. Women’s bodies are totally controlled by estrogen, progesterone and other hormones. SLS causes major rifts in our delicate hormone balances. This leads to menstrual problems, PMS, menopausal symptoms and potential infertility, just to mention a few. High infertility rates that we presently see may correspond to the highly available use of SLS. Many cancers, including breast and ovarian are directly related to estrogen levels and when we upset the balance we invite a host of problems.

            Did you know a single fragrance has multiple chemical compounds, anywhere from 10 to several hundred. When you think of synthetic fragrances, think of chemicals. Phthalates are a family of chemical substances used in fragrance formulations. Phthalates are plasticizers commonly used in the manufacture of plastics. They are used as softeners and lubricants. PVC is manufactured using phthalates. Then what is it doing in synthetic fragrances? Well, it is used to help scents evaporate more slowly and last longer. They look like vegetable oil, have little or no smell and are relatively cheap, all appealing to manufacturers. But, of course, that isn’t all they have to offer. Again, we are looking at a hormone disruptor. Dibutyl phthalate (DBP) is a common phthalate used in fragrances including perfumes, lotions, shampoos, conditioners and detergents. One website, Scorecard.org (a pollution information site) listed dibutyl phthalate as a developmental toxin, endocrine toxin, immuno-toxin, kidney toxin, neurotoxicant, reproductive toxin, skin or sense organ toxin. How sexy does that sound? 

            Labeling laws regarding fragrance are somewhat loose in this country to say the least. Because these scent formulas are protected by law as “private information” for cosmetic companies, including companies that produce any soaps, shampoos or personal cleansing products, they are listed in such generic terms as “fragrance” or “perfume” without any information on chemicals used or the amounts used. And don’t be fooled by “fragrance-free” labels. This only implies that a product has no detectable fragrance. However, it may contain fragrance used to mask bad smelling raw materials. Phthalates are petrochemicals, we know they can’t be good for us to consume. Remember consuming a product means more than just putting it in your mouth, if you are using it on you skin or hair, you are consuming it.

            Once these petrochemicals are in our bodies they have a party that would make a frat hazing seem like Sunday school. They reportedly impair proper DNA expression; weaken the DNA repair process; accelerate gene loss; degenerate the body’s detoxification organs; and affect the blood/brain barrier, the brain’s primary line of defense. They affect the nervous system, immune system, the onset of child and adult cancers, neurological disorders, autoimmune disorders, asthma, allergies, infertility and miscarriage, learning disabilities, hyperactivity and ADD. The CDC has conducted studies and found phthalates in the urine of every person tested, with the largest amounts, (20 times higher) in women of child-bearing age. Once these phthalates pass through our bodies via urine, they return to the ecosystem. Water waste facilities cannot flush out such chemicals.

            I have only touched on three chemicals found in detergents, shampoos and other body care products. Here is a list of other ingredients we should look out for:

*Mineral Oil - which is a petrochemical (found in some baby products) 

*Alcohols - some of which are very carcinogenic and all are drying, skin and eye irritants

*Parabens - including methyl and butyl parabens and Germaben II which are known carcinogens and endocrine system disruptors 

*Tocopheral Acetate (often listed as Vitamin E acetate) - a synthetic vitamin E which is highly toxic to organs

 *Nitrosamines - which are formed when surfactants (SLS) come in contact with nitrates (which most products have) and are highly carcinogenic

*DEA, MEA and TEA – common emulsifiers and foaming agents known to be hormone disruptors, greatly increases risk of cancers especially in the kidneys and liver

*Formaldehyde - a preservative found in most aqueous cosmetic formulations (bubble bath, shampoo, conditioners, children’s bath products)

*PEG – polyethylene glycol, a detergent, thickener and surfactant which causes reproductive disorders, is a known carcinogen, contaminant, endocrine disruptor, organ system toxin and skin irritant.

            In my research one question keeps coming back to mind, “If these chemicals are so bad for us, why are they allowed in personal body care products?” The short and simple answer to that question is money. These synthetic chemicals are cheap and help the bottom line. With huge operating costs, many cosmetic companies are looking to improve their profit margins and synthetic chemicals are less expensive than organic or natural products. Also, it is my opinion that the FDA has a limited interest in controlling these substances. A quick example, my husband and I were recently watching a documentary on the FDA’s approval of Aspartame. This documentary claimed that many of the people responsible for the approval of Aspartame shortly left the FDA for lucrative positions in the company that manufactures Aspartame. Even though somewhat unrelated to soaps, it goes to the point that money talks.

            So, with all that discouraging news about our personal care products, what’s a person to do? There is a bright spot in all this. Fortunately there are many companies who are motivated to send a message and supply the consumer with options. Here are a few simple guidelines. You must read your labels; if you can’t pronounce it or if it isn’t in its natural or organic form, don’t buy it.  Also, the shorter the list of ingredients, the better. Most hand-crafted soaps contain a few “saponified” oils (meaning the oils have bonded with lye to produce a true soap), possibly an essential oil for fragrancing and maybe dried herbs used as a colorant or exfoliant. You will recognize the names. Another thing to consider is vegan products. Many handmade soaps are made with beef tallow or lard. While these ingredients provide beautiful lathering properties, we have to be careful about pesticides, hormones and antibiotics used in the production of these products. There is a wide range of hand-crafted soaps available; many of them follow the guidelines listed above. Check the internet for hand crafted soaps, look in small boutique-type shops and ask around. Remember soaps have been around for thousands of years, while detergents are relatively new, only appearing within the past 100 years.