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Healing Strategies: Detox Personal Care Products







Many breast cancer patients wouldn't think of eating food with trans fats but
they never give a second thought to personal products they use every day.

A person at risk for breast cancer should always keep in mind ways to reduce her
toxic load of chemicals and dyes which weaken an already over-burdened immune
system. For many, personal products are the hardest thing to give up so some
companies have come up with less toxic substitutes. Remember, cosmetics
manufacturers are allowed to use almost any chemical as an ingredient without
government approval.

Consider that all the chemicals go directly from the skin into the blood stream.
Putting a cream with propylene glycol on your skin is like putting antifreeze into your
body.

The Environmental Working Organization reports that only 11% of 10,500
ingredients the FDA has documented in products have been assessed for safety by
the cosmetic industry's review board (www.ewg.org).

Since so many ingredients in personal care products have not been assessed for
safety,  Breast Cancer Choices recommends reading the labels of all of your
products and using as few products as possible.


Avoid: any product containing Methyl, Propyl, Ethyl, Butuyl Parabens or phthalates.

Avoid: Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (often in toothpaste, shampoos, liquid hand soap.)

Avoid: Propylene Glycol, the antifreeze ingredient found in many creams and even
in hand sanitizer gels such as Purell (TM).

Avoid: Cocoamide, DEA, TEA, MEA, (MSDS) and triethanolamine.

Avoid: Dyes

  • Try subsitute products with safe preservatives such as grapeseed extract,
    vitamin E, vitamin A (retinyl) or vitamin C (ascorbic acid).

  • Try henna vegetable dye for a hair-coloring substitute.

  • Try: oregano/ baking soda tooth powder available on the Internet.

  • Try home made soap as shampoo.

  • Plastic Bottles:  Check on bottom of plastic bottles for a triangle with a 2
    inside.

  • Self Health Resource Center mail order carries high quality, inexpensive
    non-toxic soaps and other products.  Contact their website at shrc.net

  • Aubrey Organics, Dr. Hauschka, Suki's Natural and Weleda also offer
    healthy commercial products.


Many women have found ways to make their own products from the Hulda Clark
books. They contain recipes from everything from lip balm to eye make up to
hairspray. Research more at : www.ewg.org, safecosmetics.org or not toopretty.org

This website is intended as information only. The editors of this site are not medically-
trained. Please consult your licensed health care practitioner before implementing any health
strategy. The information provided on this site is designed to support, not replace, the
relationship that exists between a patient/site visitor and his/her existing physician. This site
accepts no advertising. The contents of this site are copyrighted 2006 by Breast Cancer
Choices, Inc. Contact us for reprint permission. Website updated January 7, 2008
Breastcancerchoices.org
Innovative Research and Patient Advocacy