A link between the use of personal care products such as lotions, ointments, shampoos and hair conditioners and higher levels of endocrine-disrupting chemicals called phthalates in children was directly correlated in a new study. Published in the journal, Environmental Health Perspectives, the study, which was conducted at George Mason University, examined clinical data from urine samples collected from 630 children ages 4 to 8.
The study linked endocrine disruptors, which “mimic, block or interfere with the body’s own hormones,” to disruptions in children “during key developmental moments,” NPR reported.
“We found that the recent use of several different types of skin care products was associated with higher urinary concentrations of several different types of phthalates,” Michael Bloom, a professor and researcher at George Mason University, said.
While prior studies have found similar results in infants and pregnant women, the link hasn’t been made with children between the ages of 4 and 8. But the new study “provides clear evidence of the links between kids’ exposures and a range of personal care products, Dr. Lynn Goldman, a pediatrician and epidemiologist who formerly served as an assistant administrator for toxic substances at the Environmental Protection Agency,” said, according to NPR.
“I think we should be much more concerned than we have been in the past about the fact that these [chemicals] might be allowed in cosmetics and personal care products,” Goldman said.
Some health impacts on children with regular exposure to phthalates during pregnancy and early development includes, impaired brain development and behavioral problems, along with many other health concerns. Because phthalates don’t remain in the body for long, researchers are worried about the cumulative effects of such exposures.
“And this is why we have great concern, especially among these very young children whose brains are still very actively developing,” Bloom said.
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