Ever notice the number of skin patches out there? From nicotine patches to pain patches, birth control patches to detox patches.
The reason there’s so many patches that have made it on the scene is due to the fact that they often get the job done quicker and more effectively without having to deal with pills that need to go through the stomach and digestive system. With patches the medication gets absorbed into the blood stream very quickly.
Your skin is the largest organ of your body and performs many functions: it protects your body from pathogens; it converts sun rays to Vitamin D; it sheds water; it registers heat, cold, and sharp and dull pressure; it keeps your body cool (by sweating) and it warms your body (by forming “goose bumps”), and it absorbs products spread on it. Because it’s such a large organ, your skin absorbs a great deal of everything you put on it.
Let’s consider the types of things you spread on your skin with no thought whatsoever about the potential negative impact those things could have on your health: soaps, deodorants/antiperspirants, lotions, toners, perfumes/colognes, shave gels, aftershaves, makeup, etc. Every chemical that’s in those products gets absorbed into your skin.
Most people believe (as I did) that if it’s on the market, it’s been tested and has to be safe for consumers to use as the product is intended, but that’s a far cry from the truth. In fact, manufacturers can choose from approximately 26,000 cosmetic chemicals and most (about 96% as of 2000) have not been tested for short-term or long-term toxic effects or for systemic effects. But of the ones that have been tested, nearly 65% are known to contain carcinogens! And many chemicals that are used in fragrances aren’t even required to be put on labels of cosmetics, even though they’ve been determined to be toxic!
Fragrances, scents and perfumes have been linked to causing spaciness, nausea, mood changes, depression, lethargy, restlessness, irritability, anger, memory lapses and inability to concentrate. Ever notice the strong ”fragrances” in the cleaning aisle at the grocery store (even with the bottles tightly sealed)? Ever notice how many of us suffer from depression, irritability, difficulty concentrating, etc.? Hmmmmmmm…
And I was shocked to learn that hair colors account for up to 20% of all non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in U.S. women and may increase the risk of breast cancer. This is a very scary statistic!
So I want to encourage you to avoid using toxic chemicals on your skin. Instead, choose cosmetics that work without causing irritation and allergies, or risking cancer, photosensitization and other acute and chronic illnesses.
