Chemistry:Baby powder

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Short description: Cosmetic powder usually made from talc, or corn starch
Johnson's baby powder made from talc in an old tin with a shaker on top
Traditional container for baby powder and puff in South India, made of silver
Baby powder might be applied after changing a diaper and cleaning the baby.

Baby powder is an astringent powder used for preventing diaper rash and for cosmetic uses. It may be composed of talc (in which case it is also called talcum powder) or corn starch. It may also contain additional ingredients like fragrances. Baby powder can also be used as a dry shampoo, cleaning agent (to remove grease stains), and freshener.[1]

Health risks

Talcum powder, if inhaled, may cause aspiration pneumonia and granuloma.[2] Severe cases may lead to chronic respiratory problems and death.[3][4] The particles in corn starch powder are larger and less likely to be inhaled.[5]

Some studies have found a statistical relationship between talcum powder applied to the perineal area by women and the incidence of ovarian cancer, but there is not a consensus that the two are linked.[6][7] In 2016, more than 1,000 women in the United States sued Johnson & Johnson for covering up the possible cancer risk associated with its baby powder.[8][9] The company stopped selling talc-based baby powder in the United States and Canada in 2020[10] and has said it will stop all talc sales worldwide by 2023, switching to a corn starch-based formula. However, Johnson & Johnson says that its talc-based baby powder is safe to use and does not contain asbestos.[11]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "20 Brilliant Uses for Baby Powder You've Never Considered". DIY & Crafts. 2014-07-14. http://www.diyncrafts.com/7271/lifehacks/20-brilliant-uses-for-baby-powder. 
  2. ↑ Harper, John; Arnold Oranje; Neil Prose (2000). Textbook of Pediatric Dermatology. Blackwell Science. p. 156. ISBN 978-0-86542-939-0. https://archive.org/details/textbookofpediat0001unse_e2s6/page/156. 
  3. ↑ Pairaudeau, P. W.; Wilson, R. G.; Hall, M. A.; Milne, M. (18 May 1991). "Inhalation of baby powder: an unappreciated hazard". BMJ 302 (6786): 1200–1201. doi:10.1136/bmj.302.6786.1200. PMID 2043820. 
  4. ↑ Mofenson, H. C.; Greensher, J.; DiTomasso, A.; Okun, S. (August 1981). "Baby Powder—A Hazard!". Pediatrics 68 (2): 265–6. doi:10.1542/peds.68.2.265. PMID 7267235. 
  5. ↑ Weil, Andrew (8 October 2012). "How Bad Is Baby Powder?". https://www.drweil.com/health-wellness/health-centers/children/how-bad-is-baby-powder/. 
  6. ↑ Mohan, Melissa; Whysner, John (2000). "Perineal application of talc and cornstarch powders: Evaluation of ovarian cancer risk". American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology 182 (3): 720–724. doi:10.1067/mob.2000.104259. PMID 10739536. 
  7. ↑ Mills, Paul; Riordan, Deborah; Cress, Rosemary; Young, Heather (2004). "Perineal talc exposure and epithelial ovarian cancer risk in the Central Valley of California". International Journal of Cancer 112 (3): 458–464. doi:10.1002/ijc.20434. PMID 15382072. 
  8. ↑ "Talcum Powder Lawsuit". MesoWatch. https://mesowatch.com/talc-asbestos-exposure-lawsuits/. 
  9. ↑ Johnson & Johnson Has a Baby Powder Problem Bloomberg, Retrieved April 20, 2017.
  10. ↑ Hsu, Tiffany; Rabin, Roni Caryn (May 19, 2020). "Johnson & Johnson to End Talc-Based Baby Powder Sales in North America" (in en-US). The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/19/business/johnson-baby-powder-sales-stopped.html. 
  11. ↑ Hoskins, Peter (12 August 2022). "Johnson & Johnson to replace talc-based powder with cornstarch". BBC News. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-62514263. 




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