Cosmetics and Cancer Risk

Many people use cosmetics, including makeup, skin or hair products, and fragrances, every day. How might the ingredients in these products affect a person’s health?

With so much information online about chemicals in everyday products, it’s understandable to have questions about their safety.

What are cosmetics?

The United States Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act) defines cosmetics as “articles intended to be rubbed, poured, sprinkled, or sprayed on, introduced into, or otherwise applied to the human body ... for cleansing, beautifying, promoting attractiveness, or altering the appearance.”

These products include:

• Skin moisturizers, cleansers, exfoliators, serums, and eye creams
• Perfumes and deodorants
• Lipsticks, fingernail polishes, eye and facial makeup
• Shampoos, permanent waves, and hair dyes
• Toothpastes
• Any component of a cosmetic product

They do not include products used solely as soaps.

Cosmetics vs. drugs

Cosmetics are different from drugs, which are defined by the FD&C Act as “articles intended for use in the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease” and “articles (other than food) intended to affect the structure or any function of the body of man or other animals.” Some products can serve as both cosmetics and drugs, like foundation and sunscreen in one product.

In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) oversees both types of products, but they’re regulated very differently.

Health concerns about cosmetics, including cancer risk

Cosmetics include many types of products with different ingredients. In some people, cosmetics can cause short-term problems like skin or eye irritation or allergic reactions. These problems usually go away after a person stops using the product.

Less is known about the long-term health effects of cosmetics, including cancer risk. Many ingredients haven’t been fully tested. It’s unclear how they might affect the body over time or when combined with other ingredients.

Even when studied, results might not always be clear. Some ingredients have been shown to be harmful in large amounts. However, cosmetics usually contain much smaller amounts.

Testing conditions may differ from real-life use. Researchers often don’t know how much of an ingredient may be absorbed through the skin, so effects of testing may not be the same as in everyday use.

Cosmetics may also contain chemicals that are either added as ingredients or get in by accident (contaminants). Certain cosmetics might contain chemicals such as formaldehyde, benzene, and talc. These chemicals have raised concerns because national and international agencies classify them as carcinogens.

Few long-term studies have been done with human subjects and cosmetics, other than with hair dye. Because of this lack of research, little evidence shows that normal use of cosmetics increases cancer risk. Still, the full health effects of many ingredients in cosmetics aren’t known. Whether these products are safe for everyone isn’t certain. More research is needed.

How cosmetic products are tested for safety

The ingredients in cosmetics are routinely tested to see if they cause short-term health problems. But not as much is known about the long-term health effects of most cosmetic ingredients or products.

Actual cosmetics, like lipsticks, eye shadows, and blush, often aren’t tested as final products. Studies are typically set up to test individual components of each product. This research may not show problems that can occur when ingredients are combined. However, testing every possible combination of ingredients isn’t practical.

In addition, testing for cancer risk is difficult. It can take 10 to 20 years for cancer to develop after exposure to a cancer-causing substance. Most studies don’t last that long.

On top of this, cosmetic formulas often change over time. A product used at the beginning of a long-term study might contain different ingredients compared to later versions. Even if people in the study use the same product for years, changes to the ingredients can make the results harder to track.

Lab studies for cosmetics

Scientists learn a lot about cancer risk from lab studies using cells and animals. There are too many substances to test them all. So, scientists choose which ones to study based on chemical structure and results from other lab tests. Comparing a substance to similar chemicals allows scientists to estimate whether it will cause harm.

Some companies test cosmetic ingredients on animals, though the FDA does not require animal testing. The FDA encourages safety testing of ingredients, except for certain color additives.

Reasons animal studies don’t always transfer to humans

Virtually all substances known to cause cancer in humans also cause cancer in lab animals. But the reverse isn’t always true. Not every substance that causes cancer in lab animals causes cancer in people.

Reasons include:

• Lab studies often test very high doses of substances to detect cancer risk. These results may not reflect the effects of the much lower doses people are normally exposed to.
• Lab testing can differ from real-life use. How a substance enters the body, the amount of the dose, and the duration of the exposure all affect risk.
• Lab animals and humans might process substances differently. A chemical that harms animals may not have the same effect on people.

Still, lab studies are still the best way to identify potential cancer risks before people are widely exposed.

Epidemiologic (population-based) studies for cosmetics

Epidemiologic studies look at human populations to identify factors that may be linked to cancer. These studies can provide useful information, but they have limitations. People are exposed to many substances every day, from work, school, home, food, and air. It can be hard to pinpoint one specific exposure as a cause of cancer.

Researchers look at both types of studies

Scientists combine data from both lab and epidemiologic studies to help determine a substance’s capacity to cause cancer. However, they often note the available information isn’t enough to be certain one way or another. Most experts believe that substances that are known to cause cancer in animals should be treated with caution because of their potential to cause cancer in people.

Learn more about known and potential cancer-causing substances.

How cosmetics are regulated

In the United States, the FDA regulates both cosmetics and drugs.

For drugs, companies must prove that new products are safe and effective before they can be sold.

For cosmetics, this proof isn’t required. Although the FDA expects cosmetics to be safe, it doesn’t have the authority to require companies to test most cosmetic products before they go on the market. Exceptions are made for some color additives.

Cosmetic products must include clear labeling (like the product name, place of business information, ingredient list, and appropriate warning statements) as required by the FD&C Act. However, the ingredient list doesn’t have to include flavor, fragrance, or ingredients that are considered trade secrets. If companies place labels on products with misleading information, they can face actions for not being compliant.

If the FDA has reliable information that a product being sold isn’t safe, it can:

• Ask a federal court to issue an injunction (an order to refrain or stop producing a product)
• Request that US marshals seize the products
• Initiate criminal action
• Refuse entry of an imported cosmetic

While the FDA cannot require recalls of a product, it can request that a company recall a product.

In addition to federal requirements, some states have passed their own laws governing cosmetics. For example, the California Safe Cosmetics Act requires companies to report the sales of cosmetic products that contain ingredients known or suspected to cause cancer, birth defects, or harm to the reproductive system. This information is reported to the California Safe Cosmetics Program, which maintains a searchable database of cosmetics sold within the state.

Understanding the debate over health risks in cosmetics

When people share information about cosmetics, they often have very different opinions about the possible health risks. These different views can make it hard to know what to believe.

Viewpoint 1: Innocent until proven guilty

Some people believe cosmetics are safe because they are regulated and haven’t been shown to cause harm. This perspective, however, overlooks the many gaps in what is known about the effects of using cosmetics, especially about how ingredients are absorbed and build up in the body. Just because a substance hasn’t been proven harmful doesn’t mean it’s risk-free.

Most scientists and regulators think serious health effects from cosmetic ingredients are unlikely because exposure is usually low and absorption through the skin is limited. These assumptions are based on the generally small amounts of particular substances in products and the limited areas of the body where they are applied. However, these beliefs aren’t always correct. For example, benzophenone-3, found in some sunscreens, is detectable in the urine of many Americans.

Viewpoint 2: Better safe than sorry

Other people argue that any evidence a substance could be linked to cancer, no matter the dose or exposure, is reason enough to avoid or ban it. Some advocacy groups use this approach with their consumer work and public awareness campaigns.

Particularly controversial are chemicals called “endocrine disruptors,” which can mimic the hormone estrogen. When made by the body or given as a drug, estrogen affects reproductive organs and can increase the risk of certain cancers. There is debate about whether very low exposures from cosmetics have similar effects. The issue is complicated because some foods, like tofu and soy milk, naturally contain these compounds and are felt to be healthy and safe.

Bottom line: More data is needed

More research is vital to understand how the body absorbs and retains cosmetics. Studies are needed to show how vulnerable groups are affected, including infants, pregnant women, and older adults. Further research on possible links between cosmetics and cancer risk is also crucial. In addition, strong, transparent regulation of cosmetics is needed.

In the meantime, people concerned about cosmetic safety and the possible health effects may choose to avoid certain products, reduce their use, or stop using cosmetics altogether. People should be aware that there is no evidence that products labeled “natural,” “organic,” or “green” are, in fact, safer than other products that don’t have these labels.

The American Cancer Society continues to support sunscreen use to limit skin exposure to ultraviolet radiation while advocating ongoing research on sunscreen safety and effectiveness.