There is high demand from the consumer for many anti aging skin care products and the cosmetic industry is only too happy to oblige us in our search for younger-looking skin. The range of anti wrinkle creams on the market is expansive and the scientists are still hard at work developing newer and hopefully more effective anti aging treatments.
BUT…
There are often chemicals within an anti wrinkle cream formulation that can be harmful to our delicate skin or even worse, cause systemic effects as the toxin is absorbed through our skin into our body systems. One might think that applying something topically to our skin is not going to have any serious side effects but that is extremely naïve. Anything that we put onto our skin or for that matter inhale into our lungs can cause very serious systemic effects. Of course, any side effect is likely to be dose-dependant, that is, the more you apply a toxic chemical to your skin the more of a damaging effect it will have in your body.
Toxic Chemical No.1 – DEA, MEA & TEA
DEA, MEA and TEA are often used in cosmetics to adjust the pH of the cream or solution. Their use is restricted in Europe because they are known carcinogens. A carcinogen is something that can cause cancer! These chemicals have been found to cause a major increase in the incidence of kidney and liver cancer with chronic exposure.
Toxic Chemical No. 2 – Dioxane
Ethoxylated Surfactants are widely used in the cosmetics industry today as emulsifiers and foaming agents. When tested almost 50% of ethoxylated surfactants were found to contain dioxane. Chronic exposure to dioxane can cause kidney and liver damage as well as blood disorders. Over-exposure to dioxane can cause skin and eye irritation as well as damage to the central nervous system and brain.
Toxic Chemical No. 3 – Parabens
Parabens are an ingredient often found in anti wrinkle creams and other cosmetics as well. They are used to prolong the shelf life of creams and lotions by inhibiting bacterial growth. Unfortunately parabens can also cause skin rashes and allergic reactions. Despite the fact that they are known to be highly toxic chemicals they are still widely used.
Toxic Chemical No. 4 – Mineral Oils
Mineral oils are produced as a by-product of petroleum production. As soon as you know this you would be wondering why you would ever put a petroleum by-product on the sensitive skin of your face!
Mineral oils coat the skin with a plastic-like film that completely clogs the skin pores and prevents the skin from doing one of its most important tasks, eliminating toxins. This effect along can increase acne.
Mineral oils and mineral oil derivatives such as paraffin oil, paraffin wax and petrolatum, which are petroleum by-products can be contaminated with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) which are known cancer causing substances.
Toxic Chemical No. 5 – Fragrances
When you see the ingredient fragrance on an anti wrinkle cream label is could be one or more of up to 4000 different ingredients many of which are toxic or carcinogenic.
Aside from all of these potentially toxic chemicals, some anti wrinkle creams are just glorified moisturizers. They hydrate the outer skin layers so that the wrinkles disappear or are markedly reduced but once you stop using the cream the wrinkles reform as the skin dries out again.
