The Perils of Using Talcum Powder

To prevent diaper rash in infants, moms usually sprinkle talcum powder on their babies' bottoms. This despite the firm warning from doctors that talcum powder is a potential risk to babies' health. The fine particles that scatter in the air and inhaled by babies can cause irremediable damage to their very young lungs.

The primary component in talcum powder is magnesium silicate hydroxide (commonly known as talc). This mineral is also used in making ceramics, rubber, roofing materials, and even in the manufacture of paints and insecticides. The minute fragments of talc, when released in the air and inhaled, can pack down into the tiniest expanses of the lungs. Consequently, these can cause inflammation of the air passages and lung tissues, and may lead to pulmonary disease. In more severe cases, death is a possibility. This is the reason why specialists in pediatrics caution on using talcum powder on babies. They suggest applying ointment instead on babies' bottoms to prevent diaper rash, or to simply keep them dry all the time.

There is also fear that asbestos may be present in talc. Asbestos is a known carcinogen, and its filaments are difficult to discern from those of talc's. The dangers of using talcum powder, therefore, are not solely confined to babies but even to women who regularly use it. There have been mounting indications that the risk of ovarian cancer may be augmented significantly in women who frequently use talcum powder. Some medical records, in fact, reveal that at least a tenth of cases of ovarian cancer are likely associated with frequent use of talc. Other studies point to an even huge chance of developing ovarian cancer on women who use talcum powder in the genital area. What's surprising is that, in one study, talc marks were found in the cancerous ovaries of women who insisted that they don't use talcum powder at all. Talc may also be present in some feminine hygiene products, and women are advised to avoid such products.

Using talc on a contraceptive barrier, such as a diaphragm, may however pose no such threat. In many researches, no such evidence of an increased risk of ovarian cancer has been found on women who dust their diaphragms with talc before storing them. One probable reason offered is that contact is at such great intervals.

During summer when excessive sweating is most common, diabetics are warned against using talcum powder that may contain cornstarch. This is because cornstarch is known to spur on fungal skin infections, and these may cause problems on people who have diabetes. [Read the Original Article]