Can Talcum Powder Cause Cancer? - WebMD

Talc is a mineral mined from the earth. Because it's so good at absorbing moisture and easing friction, cosmetic companies often use it in ... MenuCancerHomeBladderCancerBrainCancerBreastCancerCervicalCancerColorectalCancerLeukemia&LymphomaLungCancerMelanomaMultipleMyelomaOvarianCancerPancreaticCancerProstateCancerOverview&FactsRisks&PreventionSymptoms&SignsCancerTypesDiagnosis&TestsYourCancerCareTeamCancerTreatmentCutting-EdgeTreatmentsLiving&ManagingRemission&RecurrenceSupport&ResourcesAllGuideTopicsNewsReferenceSlideshowsQuizzesVideosFindanOncologistBook:TakeControlofYourCancerRiskCancerA-ZMoreCancerTopicsCancerCancerReferenceMenuWhat'stheLinkBetweenAsbestosandTalc?What’stheCancerConnection?OtherCancersTalcisamineralminedfromtheearth.Becauseit’ssogoodatabsorbingmoistureandeasingfriction,cosmeticcompaniesoftenuseitinbabypowder,blush,eyeshadow,andotherproducts.Therehavebeensomeconcernsinrecentyearsaboutwhethertalc,especiallyintalcumpowder,couldcausecancerandwhetheritcontainsasbestos,aknowntoxin.What'stheLinkBetweenAsbestosandTalc?Asbestosisagroupofmineralssimilartotalcthatisalsomined.It’softenfoundinthesameareaastalc.Sometimes,asbestoscanmixwithtalcasit’sminedandprocessed.Asbestosisknowntoraisetheriskofcancerinpeoplewhobreatheitin.That’swhyit’simportantforcosmeticscompaniestochooseminingsiteswithcareandtesttheirtalcregularly,especiallyforasbestos.In1976,alargecosmeticstradegroupissuedguidelinesthatsaidallU.S.cosmeticproductsshouldbefreeofdetectableamountsofasbestos.What’stheCancerConnection?Whenlookingatcancerrisks,it’skeytoseparatetalcwithasbestosfromtalcwithoutit.Scientistssayit’sclearthatpeoplewhobreatheintalcwithasbestosaremorelikelytogetcancer,especiallyiftheydoitregularly.TheWorldHealthOrganization’sInternationalAgencyforResearchonCancerlistsitascarcinogenic(cancer-causing).Butconcernsabouttalcwithoutasbestosaremorecomplex.Researchershavelookedintotwomainquestions:Canyougetlungcancerifyouregularlybreatheintalcumpowder?Formostpeople,theanswerisno.Thereisnoproofthatyou’remorelikelytogetlungcancerifyouusebabypowderorsomeotherformofcosmetictalcumpowderthat’seasytobreathein.Somestudiesshowaslightlyhigherriskinpeoplewhoareinvolvedintalcminingandprocessing.Butit’snotclearwhetherthisisbecauseofthemineralorbecauseofotherthingsundergroundknowntocauselungcancer,liketheradioactivegasradon.Canwomengetovariancancerfromregularuseoftalcumpowderontheirgenitals?Astudyofmorethan250,000womenbetween1976and2017foundnosignificantlinkbetweenwomen’suseoftalcumpowderontheirgenitalsandovariancancer.Still,scientistscontinuetostudythetopic.Itmaybethattalcraisestheriskforpeopleincertainagegroupsorforparticulartypesofovariancancer.Companiesthatmaketalc-basedpowderhavefacedthousandsoflawsuitsabouttheirproducts. Johnson&Johnsonstoppedsellingtalc-basedbabypowderin2020.Thecompanyhasdenied anycancerlink. OtherCancersScientistshavenotfoundastronglinkbetweentalcandothercancers,thoughresearchisongoing.Onestudyshowedaslightincreaseinuterinecancerinmenopausalwomenwhousetalcumpowder,butlaterstudiesdidn’tfindthesamething.Otherresearchhasexploredlinksbetweentalcandstomachcancer,butthereisnostrongevidence,andmuchmorestudyisneeded.Ifyou’reconcernedaboutpossiblecancerrisks,youmightwanttotalktoyourdoctororlimityourcontactwithtalcumpowder.Chemo:3ThingsYouNeedtoKnowLowerYourRiskofCancerLiverCancer:Symptoms,Tests,andTreatmentsHowImmunotherapyforCancerWorksCancerRemission:WhatDoesItMean?PreparingforChemotherapyLungCancerSymptomsWhatyouneedtoknow.StemCellTransplantsHowtheyworkforbloodcancers.BreastCancerQuizSeparatefactfromfiction.CancerSideEffectsAndhowtobesttreatthem.ArticleCommonCarcinogensYouShouldKnowSlideshowYourGuidetoThyroidCancerSLIDESHOWBreastCancer:Symptoms,TreatmentSLIDESHOWAllAboutProstateCancerSLIDESHOWComplementaryTreatmentforCancerSLIDESHOWAVisualGuidetoLungCancerSLIDESHOWOvarianCancerExplainedArticleTreatmentsforChronicMyelogenousLeukemiaUnderstandingCancerDiagnosisandTreatmentAssessYourCancerRiskBreastCancer:AVisualOverviewDealingwithChemoNauseaLungCancer:TheBigPictureHowFriendsCanHelpPost-DiagnosisHealthSolutionsPenisCurvedWhenErect?CouldIhaveCAD?TreatBentFingersTreatHR+,HER2-MBCTiredofDandruff?BenefitsofCBDRethinkMSTreatmentAFib-RelatedStrokesRiskofaFutureDVT/PEIsMyPenisNormal?RelapsingMSOptionsLiverTransplantsSaveLivesFinancePlasticSurgeryBentFingerCausesLivingWithPsoriasis?MissingTeeth?MorefromWebMD5TipstoHelpWithRelapsingMSHowtoThriveWithNarcolepsyReliefforBlockedHairFolliclesPsoriaticArthritisandYourSleepWhatPsoriasisFeelsLikeFirstPsoriaticArthritisFlareTalkingtoYourDoctorAboutRACrohn's:A'Full-Body'DiseaseAvoidingCrohn’sFlaresHealthBenefitsofHempSeedOilLiveBetterWithPsoriaticDiseaseTypesofB-CellTherapyforMS5HealthBenefitsofHempWhyProstateCancerSpreadsLivingwithAdvancedBreastCancerWhereBreastCancerSpreads