Do personal care products affect the health of women working in the industry: Quebec study
Women working in the personal care industry are exposed to a wide range of chemicals throughout their careers, but little is known at present about the potential combined effect of these products on their health and even that of their offspring.
To remedy this shortcoming, a toxicology specialist at Quebec's Institut national de recherche scientifique (INRS) Centre Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie Research Centre, Professor Isabelle Plante, recently launched a major study for which she is currently recruiting participants from all over the province.
"The premise of this project is to determine whether working with, or being continually exposed to, a variety of molecules present in the products we use every day can have an effect on our health," said Plante.
Products such as shampoos, conditioners, hair dyes, varnishes and make-up contain synthetic molecules that can interfere with the functioning of hormones, known as "endocrine disruptors."
This can lead to a range of health problems, including problems with development, fertility and pregnancy, as well as increasing the risk of breast cancer.
The quantity of hair and beauty products that hairdressers, make-up artists, beauticians and others handle on a daily basis increases their exposure to these substances.
What's more, these women are exposed to a wide range of products containing multiple disruptive molecules. When combined, it cannot be ruled out that these different molecules may interact with each other and cause other undesirable effects.
This potential "synergistic effect," about which little is known at the moment, is of particular concern to Plante.
"We have regulations that say, for example, that you can't be exposed to more than so many milligrams of triclosan a day," she said. "But these regulations apply to each product individually. So yes, there's a limit for product A, a limit for product B and a limit for product C. However, these three products can be combined. These three products can be present at the same time in the women who use them, and we don't really know the effect of this mixture on their health."
It is possible that the action of products A, B and C add up, she added, and that "one plus one plus one no longer makes three, but suddenly makes five or six, because there is an amplification effect in the end."
The first stage of the project consists of assessing the participants' overall health with a questionnaire that looks specifically at their reproductive health, their menstrual cycle, the difficulties they have encountered (or not) in getting pregnant, and so on.
Women who wish to get more involved will then be asked to provide urine samples, which will be analysed in a laboratory to determine which substances they are exposed to.
The study will go even further by looking at the health of offspring since the harmful effects of exposure to endocrine disruptors are transmitted from one generation to the next. The study could, therefore, help to better protect the health of these women's children and grandchildren.
"For example, estrogen and progesterone are very important hormones in women," said Plante. "So the fact that we are exposed to several of these endocrine disruptors every day can have quite significant effects on our reproductive health."
The scientific literature already shows that women who work in the beauty industry have greater fertility problems and that these women are major users of products containing endocrine disruptors.
"What is less understood," said Plante, "is whether one is the cause of the other, or what correlation there is between the two."
The scientific data are ambiguous at the moment.
"Some studies find effects, others less so," said the researcher. "But we think that the problem is that they (the studies) are going to look at one molecule as such and not at all the molecules, so the synergistic effect that all these products can have. So that's what's new for us."
Women interested in taking part in this study are invited to contact the researchers, who wish to recruit both women who work in personal care and a control group of women from other sectors.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on April 20, 2024.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparents killed in wrong-way crash on Hwy. 401 identified
A 60-year-old man and a 55-year-old woman killed in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 earlier this week have been identified by the Consulate General of India in Toronto.
Police arrest 3 Indian nationals in killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar
Three people have been arrested and charged in the killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar – as authorities continue investigating potential connections to the Indian government.
TD worst-case scenario more likely after drug money laundering allegations: analyst
TD Bank Group could be hit with more severe penalties than previously expected, says a banking analyst after a report that the investigation it faces in the U.S. is tied to laundering illicit fentanyl profits.
Quebec man who threatened Trudeau, Legault online sentenced to 20 months in jail
A Quebec man who pleaded guilty to threatening Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Premier François Legault has been sentenced to 20 months in jail.
Human remains found in rural Sask. possibly a decade old, RCMP say
RCMP say human remains found in a rural area in central Saskatchewan may have been there for a decade or more.
Britney Spears 'home and safe' after paramedics responded to an incident at the Chateau Marmont, source tells CNN
A source close to singer Britney Spears tells CNN that the pop star is 'home and safe' after she had a 'major fight' with her boyfriend on Wednesday night at the Chateau Marmont in West Hollywood.
Canadian doctor concerned new weight-loss drug Wegovy may be used inappropriately
As Wegovy becomes available to Canadians starting Monday, a medical expert is cautioning patients wanting to use the drug to lose weight that no medication is a ''magic bullet,' and the new medication is meant particularly for people who meet certain criteria related to obesity and weight.
Drew Carey is never quitting 'The Price Is Right'
Drew Carey took over as host of 'The Price Is Right' and hopes he’s there for life. 'I'm not going anywhere,' he told 'Entertainment Tonight' of the job he took over from longtime host Bob Barker in 2007.
Biscuits with possible plastic pieces, metal found in ground pork: Here are the recalls for this week
Here are the latest recalls Canadians should watch out for, according to Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.