By Steve Loewenthal
Ladies, you may want to consider trading your lipstick for Chapstick after a new study found that many popular lipsticks and lip glosses contain lead and other dangerous metals. The study found that all lipsticks contain lead and many lipsticks and lip glosses contain other metals that can be dangerous to a woman’s health.
Lipsticks and lip glosses contain lead and up to eight other metals, according to the study from the University of California at Berkeley. The researchers are concerned with the findings because many women who use lip gloss and lipstick are constantly exposed to lead and other metals, saying that some people reapply their lipstick or lip gloss up to 20 times a day.
People who are chronically exposed to lead and other metals may be at risk for certain health conditions and diseases associated with lead and metal exposure, especially since lipstick and lip gloss is absorbed and swallowed by their users.
Lead exposure can be very dangerous, especially for pregnant women and children. Lead exposure to unborn children can cause damage to the baby’s brain and nervous system as well as cause headaches, and behavioral and learning problems.
Lead has also been linked to cancer and can damage an adult’s reproductive organs and nervous system.
In addition to lead, the study found that lipstick and lip gloss contains other hazardous metals including cadmium, aluminum and chromium. Exposure to these metals can also be dangerous. Cadmium exposure has been linked to breast cancer, liver, kidney, lung and bone disease, and has also been linked to hearing loss.
While exposure to these metals can be hazardous to a person’s health, the researchers said that there is no need to panic as the levels of these metals are small. However, they did say that exposure to these metals can affect a person’s health so companies may need to change the ingredients in lipstick and lip gloss to keep consumers safe and avoid product liability lawsuits.
Wearing lipstick or lip gloss has become a common part of a woman’s beauty routine, but consumers need to be aware of the risks of using these products. If lead and other metals aren’t removed from lipstick and lip gloss, women may need to embrace a new beauty routine to stay healthy.
Steve Loewenthal graduated from the Columbia University School of Law in 1996 and is a partner at Nusbaum Stein, where he represents people in Morris County who have been injured by automobile negligence, hazardous workplace conditions, defective consumer products and medical malpractice.
