Talcum Powders Linked to Mesothelioma

For people who regularly use products like Johnson & Johnson, a new study found some alarming results of that use: talcum powder products are a likely cause of mesothelioma, a cancer that has high rates of incidence from occupational exposures to asbestos.

The talc used in such powders is often mined from areas where asbestos is mined. Asbestos contamination in the talc is the likely culprit for the cancer’s development, showing up in people after years of using talcum products.

The Risk Groups Expand

This news bodes poorly for people in the beauty, hair and barbering world. People in cosmetology, salon, and barbershop settings are at a potentially higher risk than was previously realized for developing the cancer if talcum powder is used. Four people in the study worked in barbershops and hair salons.

Before, it was widely believed that people in demolition, mining, electrical and maintenance fields were the most at risk of exposure, since they frequently work in environments that still contain asbestos, the now-outlawed building material.

Mesothelioma Creeps Into Medicine Cabinets

Talcum powder is also used by many consumers at home. Traditionally, it was used as a baby powder, but it’s used by adults for a variety of cosmetic purposes as well. Johnson & Johnson has reportedly been aware of the asbestos contamination for many years, but deliberately failed to disclose it.

Toxicity in everyday products is a huge concern, especially when corporations choose to cover up the risks rather than recall the product. When a preventable cancer begins showing up in an unlikely population, there’s always cause for alarm, and mesothelioma has done just that with its incidence in people from the study.

If you’ve developed mesothelioma, speak with an attorney immediately to determine whether you might have a potential lawsuit on your hands.