Using fewer cosmetic and personal care products can quickly reduce exposure to several chemical substances, including known or suspected endocrine disruptors.
Conducted with about a hundred female students, a study shows that reducing the number of cosmetic products and using alternatives free of certain compounds (including methylparaben and some phthalates) leads to a decrease in urinary concentrations of these substances in just five days.
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A decrease in bisphenol A concentration is also observed. This substance, classified by the European Union as "very high concern", is a proven endocrine disruptor and suspected reprotoxicant, now banned in cosmetics. For the first time in this type of study, researchers conducted a health impact assessment aimed at estimating the potential health and economic benefits of such a change in cosmetic routine at the population level.
Carcinogenic and reprotoxic substances are banned in cosmetics in Europe, but many substances present in hygiene products and cosmetics, such as certain phenols, phthalates, and methylparaben, are suspected of having harmful health effects, particularly endocrine-disrupting effects. They could interfere with the hormonal system and, through this, be associated with potential effects on fertility and child development, especially in case of exposure during pregnancy.
To assess to what extent the use of cosmetic and hygiene products influences exposure to these compounds, scientists from Inserm, Université Grenoble Alpes, and CNRS (Institute for Advanced Biosciences) conducted a study with about a hundred female students from Grenoble aged 18 to 30. For five days, they reduced the number of cosmetic products used and, for hygiene products such as soap or toothpaste, replaced their usual products with alternatives provided by the research team and free of synthetic phenols, parabens, phthalates, and glycol ethers.
Comparison of urinary measurements taken before and after these five days of restricted cosmetic use shows a significant decrease in biomarkers of exposure to these substances: nearly a quarter less (-22%) for monoethyl phthalate (MEP), derived from compounds used especially to fix fragrances; -30% for methylparaben, a preservative and possible endocrine disruptor according to European authorities. Propylparaben, another possible endocrine disruptor according to the same source, was also detected less frequently after the intervention.
"What is interesting is the speed with which these decreases are observed, in just five days. This was expected, due to the rapid elimination of these substances by our bodies. It is encouraging, especially as these substances are suspected of having effects on reproduction, the hormonal system, and development," explains Nicolas Jovanovic, PhD student at Université Grenoble Alpes and first author of the study.
The scientists also observed a 39% decrease in urinary concentration of bisphenol A (BPA), a substance classified as "substance of very high concern" (SVHC), a proven endocrine disruptor and presumed reprotoxicant by health authorities, meaning it is identified as capable of interfering with the hormonal system and having effects on reproduction and child development, and can be present in certain containers of cosmetic and hygiene products.
"Bisphenol A has not been allowed in France since 2005 as an ingredient in care products and cosmetics due to its reprotoxic nature. Its presence could be linked to contamination during the manufacturing process or via packaging materials. While it is heavily restricted in materials in contact with food in Europe, this is not the case for materials used for containers of care products, cosmetics, and hygiene products," specifies Claire Philippat, Inserm researcher and last author of the study.
For the first time in this type of study, researchers conducted a health impact assessment aimed at estimating the potential health and economic benefits of such a change in cosmetic routine at the population level.
"Focusing on bisphenol A, we estimated that this change in cosmetic routine could prevent about 4% of asthma cases in children exposed in utero. These health benefits would also be accompanied by economic benefits, with potential savings of up to 9.7 million euros per year in treatment and hospitalization costs. These are hypothetical projections, but these results highlight the major public health issues related to reducing exposure to these compounds," adds Remy Slama, research director at Inserm.
"Our results show that cosmetic products contribute to exposure to substances associated with health risks, and that this exposure can be reduced by using fewer products and opting for hygiene and cosmetic products from which these substances are absent," emphasizes Claire Philippat.
Beyond individual efforts alone, the authors also emphasize that regulatory measures on the composition of products and their packaging would be more likely to sustainably reduce exposure of the entire population.
"In the absence of a mandatory logo indicating the presence of hazardous substances in cosmetics, it is very difficult for everyone to interpret their packaging and avoid those containing concerning substances," states Remy Slama
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"These results highlight the importance of regulating chemical substances in everyday consumer products to protect the health of the population," concludes Claire Philippat.