Cosmetics, including makeup, are a staple in many women’s daily routines. Women of a certain generation often do not leave the house for any reason without a full face of makeup. Contouring and high-impact makeup looks have become quite popular with younger generations.
Most people operate under the assumption that makeup and other products applied directly to the human body should meet certain safety standards. Unfortunately, there aren’t as many regulations in the health and beauty sector as consumers expect. It is a largely self-regulated industry where companies sometimes get caught blatantly misrepresenting their products.
The most dangerous professions that expose employees to asbestos often have many more male workers than female workers. Women diagnosed with mesothelioma often look to family employment arrangements to check for signs of secondary exposure. In some cases, it could be their makeup that exposed them to asbestos.
Contamination has long been a cosmetics concern
There have been a few isolated cases of outside parties testing makeup and discovering asbestos exposure. The idea that a dangerous mineral substance associated with industrial work finds its way into makeup may shock some people. However, many types of makeup rely on talcum powder or talc as one of the primary ingredients.
Talcum powder is a naturally-occurring mineral substance much like asbestos. Unfortunately, mines where companies extract talc often also have veins of asbestos. Therefore, the risk of contamination is a serious concern. That contamination has driven numerous large losses in the health and beauty sector against companies that primarily produce talcum powder products. However, there have also been cases where people have taken action against makeup companies.
In the United Kingdom, for example, there are multiple pending lawsuits related to makeup contaminated with asbestos. While the consumer safety laws are different in the UK when compared with the United States, similar lawsuits could easily start entering the courts domestically.
In scenarios where women regularly use makeup and have no other discernible source of asbestos exposure, the makeup itself could be what put them at risk of cancer. The choice to file a talc-related asbestos lawsuit could help those with mesothelioma afford treatment. Learning more about how consumers end up exposed to asbestos can benefit those trying to understand a recent diagnosis.