Chemicals in Hair, Beauty Products May Interfere With Hormones During Pregnancy

The new research “suits in nicely” with that general physique of analysis, mentioned Alexis Temkin, a toxicologist with the nonprofit Environmental Working Group in Washington, D.C.

It hyperlinks hair product use to hormonal variations which can be in line with a few of the well being results which have been tied to such merchandise, based on Temkin.

The findings — printed within the journal Environmental Research — are primarily based on 1,070 pregnant ladies in Puerto Rico who made as much as three research visits over the course of their being pregnant. They accomplished questionnaires on private product use and gave blood samples to have their hormone ranges measured.

Overall, ranges of estrogen, progesterone and testosterone had been decrease amongst ladies who reported utilizing “different” hair merchandise, versus nonusers. That class included dyes, straighteners, bleaches and mousse, however not shampoo, conditioner, hair spray or hair gel.

It’s not clear, based on Rivera-Nunez, whether or not ladies who use these hair merchandise is likely to be uncovered to specific chemical substances which can be problematic, or have a better degree of publicity to endocrine disruptors.

Beyond that, there are numerous components that may sway being pregnant hormones. The researchers factored within the variables that they might — reminiscent of ladies’s pre-pregnancy physique weight, earnings and schooling ranges, in addition to their smoking and consuming historical past.

But it is not doable to account for the whole lot, Rivera-Nunez mentioned.

For now, she beneficial that girls who’re pregnant or planning a being pregnant learn labels and pay attention to what they’re placing on their our bodies. At the identical, she acknowledged that these labels usually are not essentially consumer-friendly.

“The lack of excellent labeling is an issue,” Rivera-Nunez mentioned.

Temkin suggested looking for the phrase “perfume” — a harmless-sounding time period that truly features a broad vary of undisclosed chemical substances, a few of which can be endocrine disruptors.

More info

The Environmental Working Group has extra on private care merchandise’ substances.

SOURCES: Zorimar Rivera-Nunez, PhD, MS, assistant professor, biostatistics and epidemiology, Rutgers School of Public Health, Piscataway, N.J.; Alexis Temkin, PhD, toxicologist, Environmental Working Group, Washington, D.C.; Environmental Research, Nov. 17, 2021, on-line