Triclosan
Today we are talking about ⚠️TRICLOSAN⚠️
𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙞𝙨 𝙞𝙩?
Triclosan is a common antibacterial agent found in various personal care products, like soaps, deodorants, toothpaste, makeup, etc. It is added to products to help reduce or prevent bacterial contamination. Triclosan can also be found in certain clothing, kitchenware, furniture and toys (none of which is “regulated” by the FDA).
𝙒𝙝𝙮 𝙨𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙬𝙚 𝙗𝙚 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙘𝙚𝙧𝙣𝙚𝙙?
1️⃣ :Endocrine disruption: Evidence shows that Triclosan is an endocrine disruptor and impacts the thyroid function and homeostasis. A study in 2009 and another in 2017 revealed that exposure to Triclosan significantly decreased thyroid hormone concentrations in the blood, which is linked to several serious health implications (cardiac, mental health, nervous system, infertility, and much more).
2️⃣ :Antibiotic resistance: Since the early 2000’s, numerous studies have revealed triclosan-resistant micro-organisms. There is also plenty of indication that the use of triclosan provides a suitable environment for the appearance of antimicrobial drug-resistant bacteria, even in the lower concentrations that are found in our personal care products/cosmetics. Since triclosans mode of action and target site in bacteria are very similar to antibiotics, there are growing concerns that bacteria that become resistant to triclosan will also become resistant to antibiotics.
3️⃣ :Bioaccumulation: Triclosan accumulates in the fatty tissues the body. Various studies have revealed concentrations of triclosan in breastmilk and cord blood of infants. The CDC identified triclosan in the urine of 75% of people tested.
Thankfully this toxic ingredient got a LOT of bad press a while back, and a bunch of companies started silently removing it from their formulations. Sadly, its still around…lurking in toothpastes, deodorants, makeup, and more.
How can we avoid it?!
Read those ingredients labels, my friends! If it says “triclosan” or “triclocarban” (a related chemical, very similar), go with a different product!
Thank you, Holly, for this detailed break down!
ᴅɪsᴄʟᴀɪᴍᴇʀ: ʙʟᴀᴄᴋʟɪsᴛ ɪɴɢʀᴇᴅɪᴇɴᴛ ɢʀᴀᴘʜɪᴄs ɪ ᴄʀᴇᴀᴛᴇ ᴀʀᴇ ɴᴏᴛ ᴍᴀᴅᴇ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴛʜᴇ ɪɴᴛᴇɴᴛɪᴏɴ ᴛᴏ “ʙʀᴀɴᴅ-sʜᴀᴍᴇ”. ᴍʏ ʜᴏᴘᴇ ɪᴛ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴇsᴇ ɪᴍᴀɢᴇs ʜᴇʟᴘ ʙʀɪɴɢ ᴀᴡᴀʀᴇɴᴇss ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ғᴀᴄᴛ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴇsᴇ ᴀʀᴇ ɴᴏᴛ ᴊᴜsᴛ sᴘᴏʀᴀᴅɪᴄ ɪɴɢʀᴇᴅɪᴇɴᴛs ᴛʜᴀᴛ ɴᴏ ᴏɴᴇ ɪs ᴛᴏᴜᴄʜɪɴɢ. ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴀʀᴇ ᴡɪᴅᴇʟʏ ᴜsᴇᴅ ᴀɴᴅ ᴠᴇʀʏ ᴇᴀsɪʟʏ ғᴏᴜɴᴅ ᴏɴ ᴘʀᴏᴅᴜᴄᴛ ʟᴀʙᴇʟs ᴛʜᴀᴛ ɪ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ʀᴇsᴇᴀʀᴄʜᴇᴅ ᴍʏsᴇʟғ. ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴀʀᴇ ɪɴ ᴀʟɪɢɴᴍᴇɴᴛ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴛʜᴇ ᴅᴀᴛᴇ ᴏғ ᴛʜɪs ᴘᴏsᴛ ᴀɴᴅ ᴀᴠᴀɪʟᴀʙʟᴇ ɪɴғᴏʀᴍᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ᴏɴ ᴏғғɪᴄɪᴀʟ ᴄᴏᴍᴘᴀɴʏ ᴡᴇʙsɪᴛᴇ ʟᴀʙᴇʟs.
