Manufacturers are using known carcinogens in dozens of hair-dye products despite studies that link hair dyeing to increases in bladder cancer and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, according to a report released yesterday by environmental and public health advocates. The Environmental Working Group, an advocacy group, found that 71 out of 117 hair-dye products by well-known manufacturers such as Clairol, L'Oreal, Revlon and Just For Men list ingredients on the label that are found in coal tar, a known carcinogen.
Four shampoos designed to control itching and eczema from Neutrogena and Ionil also list ingredients found in coal tar, a report by the working group said. All four shampoos contain "penetration enhancers," which are ingredients that may increase the absorption of chemicals through the scalp and into the blood vessels below, the report said. None of the products notes potential cancer risks on the labels, the report said.
The report does not include hair-dye products sold directly to salons, which are not required by law to carry ingredient labels. "People in the beauty industry who are exposed at higher levels than other people have even less of an ability to protect themselves," said Jane Houlihan, vice president of the working group.
The ingredients cited in the report belong are aromatic amines, a group of chemicals that have been shown to mutate DNA and to cause cancer in animals, the report said.
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/176816_toxicdye08.html
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