Knowing that many diseases are related to bacteria, it seems to be logical and safe to use anti-bacterial soaps. However, the ingredients in these soaps dry your skin, and are highly toxic. Their accumulation in the body and the environment can cause many serious medical conditions.
The most common active ingredient in anti-bacterial soaps is Triclosan. Its molecular structure and chemical formula is similar to those of some of the most toxic chemicals on earth – dioxins, PCBs, and Agent Orange. As a chemical agent used in the Vietnam War, Agent Orange scorched 25 percent of the country's forests, increased the risk of death from cancer to 30% for those exposed to it, and produced an estimated 50,000 deformed children of parents who were either directly sprayed with it or exposed to it through contaminated food or water. Today, 30 years later, three million Vietnamese and tens of thousands of U.S soldiers still suffer the health effects.
The manufacturing process of Triclosan is suspected of producing dioxin, a hormone- disrupting chemical that was used in Agent Orange. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) found dioxin to be 300,000 times more potent as a carcinogen than DDT. Exposure to sunlight or other UV light also causes Triclosan to break down into dioxin. Once absorbed by the body, dioxin is almost impossible to get rid of.
The EPA lists Triclosan as a toxic pesticide with the highest scores regarding risk to both human health and the environment.
When you wash with Triclosan-containing products, the substance is absorbed through the skin and stored in the fatty tissues where it can eventually accumulate to toxic levels damaging the immune system, the liver, kidneys, lungs, and heart. It can also cause paralysis, brain hemorrhage, infertility, decreased sexual function, heart attacks and coma. The rest of it goes down the drain – contaminating the environment and everyone in it. A U.S. Geological Survey found that 57 percent of 139 streams tested in 30 states contained Triclosan. It has also been suggested that chloroform gas – also classified by the EPA as a probable carcinogen - is formed when Triclosan is combined with the chlorine in tap water.
Not only is this chemical in our soaps, detergents, deodorants, cosmetics, toothpastes, and mouthwashes, it can also be found in anti-bacterial sponges and cutting boards.
To top it all off, many studies have found that anti-bacterial products aren't any more effective at getting rid of harmful bacteria than regular soap and water.
If you have dry skin, it is especially important to not use anti-bacterial products as the protective layer of the skin has been compromised. Effective
dry skin treatment should consist of a mild soap containing natural ingredients, and a good
shielding lotion to help lock in moisture and protect the skin from environmental pollutants – including dangerous anti-bacterial products.
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Author, Gloria MacTaggart, is a freelance writer who contributes articles on skin care for 21st Century Formulations. For more information, visit www.skinmdnatural.com.
