Protecting Black Women against Health Ailments mediated by Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals in Personal Care Products: A Policy Brief

Jelonia T Rumph (1,2) and Rebekah Lee Petroff (3)

(1) Microbiology, Immunology and Physiology Dept, Meharry Medical College, Nashville, TN; (2) Women’s Health Research Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN; (3) Dept of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI

Executive Summary

Personal care products contain endocrine-disrupting chemicals, or EDCs, that we use on our skin and hair every day. Nearly everyone is exposed to one or more of the hundreds of known EDCs, which can lead to negative health effects. Because of differences in lifestyle, Black women tend to use more personal care products that contain EDCs. To reduce EDC exposures through personal care product use and promote Black women’s health, policy should focus on developing a comprehensive list of EDCs that are related to poor health outcomes, labeling EDCs in personal care products, banning harmful EDCs, and promoting educational outreach for consumers.

Introduction

Soaps, lotions, oils, creams, perfumes, and whiteners are all personal care products that can contain hundreds of chemicals. Some of these chemicals are so-called “endocrine disrupting chemicals,” or EDCs, because of their ability to mimic and interfere with our hormones. Normally, hormones help regulate daily bodily processes — controlling brain functions, adjusting blood sugar levels, and playing essential roles in reproduction. Accordingly, EDCs have been linked to negative health effects, such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), diabetes, and reproductive conditions, including polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), preterm birth, and ovarian cancer.

Personal Care Product Use among Black Women and the Potential Health Consequences

The use of unsafe EDCs in personal care products is an important topic when considering minority health because there are known disparities in the risk of EDC exposure through personal care product use. Black and other minority women are more likely to be exposed to EDCs through personal care products due to differences in hair texture, experiences in colorism, and odor discrimination. Compared to only 7.7% of white women, 49.4% of African American women and 26.4% of African-Caribbean women use hair products that contain EDCs. Some Black women are inclined to relax their hair because straight hair has been deemed more presentable in some social settings. Some Black women and women of other minorities with darker complexions may also bleach their skin to fit eurocentric social and beauty standards. Additionally, Black women more frequently use EDC-containing vaginal douches aimed to reduce vaginal odor compared to white and Mexican women.

EDC-containing products that are commonly used by Black women

When considering disparities in cancer and reproductive health, these differences in EDC exposures are concerning. Black women have a higher incidence of breast cancer compared to white women of similar ages. In Black women, these rates have been on the rise since 1975, whereas rates in white women have remained stagnant. Black women also have the highest rates of preterm birth compared to other races, with rates up to 5% higher than white and Hispanic women.

The exact relationship between EDCs and the increased risk of breast cancer and preterm birth among Black women is still being researched. In one recent finding, the use of hair relaxers among Black women was specifically connected with a higher risk of developing breast cancer. Other studies are needed to confirm how differences in the use of other personal care products containing EDCs can lead to disparities in health outcomes.

Venn diagram representing commonalities between health aliments that affect Black women and those associated with EDC exposure

What Can Be Done?

To regulate EDCs in personal care products, specific scientific evidence is required for each individual chemical, making policy amendments a difficult task. In the past, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has surveyed single, toxic EDCs in select products, which prompted some manufacturers to reformulate their products. But, FDA regulation is currently limited to a few specific EDCs in consumer products, leaving a swarth of lesser known EDCs unregulated in personal care products. Without a known list of the suspected EDCs that are scientifically harmful chemicals, it is nearly impossible to pass regulations limiting the use of EDCs. Consumers may also find it difficult to know which products to avoid because EDCs can be labeled under the vague term “fragrance” on the ingredient list. This highlights the importance of the scientific studies that support regulatory policies pertaining to EDC use and exposure.

Given that there is significant evidence linking EDC exposure to health outcomes, and that Black women may be at higher risk of developing health effects as a result, we suggest the following policy options to reduce EDC exposure among Black women and anyone who uses personal care products.

1. Policymakers should develop a wholly encompassing list of EDCs and a warning label for these products. To assemble a complete list and eliminate the “fragrance” loophole, it is necessary to allocate funding to biomedical and epidemiological research dedicated to understanding and identifying toxic EDCs. As this list is assembled and regulators work on surrounding policy, the addition of a certifiable warning label for EDCs can help shoppers make informed choices about which products they use.

2. Federal policymakers should seek to limit or ban EDCs in personal care products. Regulatory agencies in other countries have already banned the use of some of the most dangerous EDCs in personal care products. US federal regulatory agencies should immediately consider banning these single EDCs in all personal care products. Going forward, regulators should also examine policies that would limit the total amount of all EDCs in any one product.

3. Government agencies should allocate funds to public health programs and other nonprofits to develop educational outreach materials targeted toward Black women and other minorities. With the public knowledge of which products contain more EDCs, individuals may opt to buy products that are safer for their health. Specific educational materials geared towards Black women who use EDC-containing personal care products may help curb exposures and health effects in the near future, while other federal regulations are pending.

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