Beware Beauty Products
Missoulian
Beth Schenk
September 15, 2009
Soap, shampoo, toothpaste, lotion, make-up, deodorant. These are a few of the many products you may use on your body every day. Considering the number of times you wash your hands, brush your teeth, and apply various creams, lotions or tonics, it adds up to quite a few exposures every day.
The skin is both a protective and an absorptive organ. We literally couldn't live without it- it is our first line of defense. At the same time, it is a vehicle for substances coming into and out of our bodies. We sweat, emit oils and shed cells. We also absorb the creams and lotions we put on our skin. In fact, some medications are dosed through the skin - think of nicotine patches or hormone replacement creams.