When people say “What you don’t know won’t hurt you.” they were mostly right. There you are, blissfully ignorant to the harmful effects of that little security bottle in your bag until you see that link on one of those articles on HealthyChild.org (my light reading) or that dang paranoid mom blogger did a post and you couldn’t help but read her post because she’s your FB friend.
Well, I just want to apologize to all of you right now if I am making you more and more paranoid each day. Someone please tell me my research is wrong!!
Today, I found out that groups in the U.S. are clamoring for a ban on Triclosan. No, it is not the Triangle Closest to Antipolo (hahaha, I’m soooo corny! I just need some laughter right now to cover up my panic. ahahahaha). It is the most common antibacterial ingredient in soaps, hand sanitizers, toothpastes, cosmetics, household cleaners, clothes and toys. This article on the Washington Post says that the CDC found Triclosan in the urine of 75% of the population (U.S., I guess). It is even present in their rivers and drinking water because it is in almost all households already. The FDA (who approved this to be put in consumer products in the first place) said that the research raised valid concerns. However, they also said that “based on what [they] know, [they] don’t have evidence to suggest this chemical is a threat to human health.”
However, the CDC has documentation from way back in 2001 (I read the whole thing 3x with all the technical and scientific jargon), which says that the use of Triclosan was mainly for patients in hospitals to help prevent infection. With the proliferation of consumer products with this ingredient and resulting overuse in the last 20 years, they have found that Triclosan may:
- Cause the mutation of certain bacteria which will be resistant to Triclosan
- Interfere with maturity of the immune system causing an increased incidence in allergies, eczema and asthma.
They also mentioned that there is no data to prove that the additional ingredient Triclosan is any better than just soap and water.
Products with Triclosan. Photo c/o sevensidedcube
So I go through my stuff which may possibly have Triclosan and yes, I find a lot — the most alarming of all is the toothpaste variant I’ve been loyal to all these years. (Arggghhh! We put that in our mouths!) Am I over-reacting? But hello, the information doesn’t come from Wikipedia or some hippie site. It’s the CDC (the Holy Land).
I think it was much easier to be O.C., the chemical way. Google, you are going to be the death of me!
©OCMominManila
Sowing fear and paranoia in the hearts of mothers every where….. It’s a bird, it’s a plane….. No… It’s OC Mom.
I may stop reading your blog just so I can sleep at night. Or I could just say f$&@ it – we all have to die some time. Hahaha!
Ok, ok. I’ll stop the googling. Haha. Damn that link!! I’ll have some happy news this week, I promise =)
It’s true. Triclosan is the work of the devil. I can’t believe people give their kids a bath with soap that has that stuff in it!
Does Safeguard have Triclosan?
I can’t believe that
1) The CDC has had this data since 2000
2) The FDA is still not doing anything to regulate it better
3) That companies are aware of this and still put this ingredient in their products just to claim “antibacterial” and take advantage of people like us.
Sometimes, I realize how evil marketing can be.
The UP activista in me is coming out. Hahaha
Isn’t Triclosan supposed to help with pimples? haha. nyar, ewan. I have my ingredients mixed up.
Horror naman yan! Now I have to check all product labels twice.
Yes, it’s an ingredient of facial cleansers also. I think if you want to claim “antibacterial”, Triclosan is one of those ingredients that can allow you to do so. If you don’t have it, you cannot claim it.
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I think in this instance it’s all the trying-to-make-everything-antibacterial that’s causing companies to add triclosan to everything. Because they see how everyone is deathly afraid of bacteria so they add it to as many things as possible. Gaaah! It’s basically stronger than what we need so siyempre our immune system is getting affected. It’s the exact same thing as taking antibiotics too often. =( This is so sad… This is possibly one of the reasons I am so much more sickly now and prone to allergies.
Isn’t Triclosan the reason that Safeguard says it’s antibacterial? According to P&G Pakistan Triclosan IS the active ingredient of Safe Guard!!!! R(REF: http://www.docstoc.com/docs/7748036/Marketing-Strategies-by-PandG-Pakistan-for-safeguard-soap) NYAAAAAAH!
True. Marketing can get irresponsible. But I guess they never knew before how it could affect people right? So as a basic rule, I think we stick to more natural products.
If something says “antibacterial”, make sure to check the ingredients!