Baby Powder and Hair Dryers
While asbestos is perhaps most well known as an industrial or construction material, the substance has been used in the making of certain household products such as:
- Baby powder
- Hair dryers
While the use of asbestos was mostly discontinued in the United States during the 1980s, older hair dryers or baby powder products may still contain the substance.
Baby Powder
During the mid-1900s, baby powder was commonly made with a substance called talc, a very lightweight material that frequently contained asbestos-like fibers. Talc was commonly used in baby powder for its absorbent and friction-reducing properties.
With the common use of baby powder on the genital region, the asbestos-like fibers in talc have been linked to an increased risk of ovarian cancer. While the U.S. Food and Drug Administration proposed a resolution attempting to restrict the amount of asbestos in cosmetic-grade talc in 1973, no ruling was established on the subject. Despite this, talc that contains asbestos is no longer used to make modern-day baby powder.
Hair Dryers
Asbestos was frequently used in hair dryers to provide heat control and insulation for the products. Because hair dryers commonly blow air and microscopic particles from the products into the facial region, hair dryers that contained asbestos posed a very serious risk of exposure to consumers.
A survey of 30 different handheld hair dryers conducted by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission in 1979 revealed that the majority of the dryers tested contained harmful levels of asbestos.
Brand name hair dryers that were commonly made with asbestos include:
- Conair
- General Electric
- Gillette
- Korvettes
- Montgomery Ward
- North American Philips (Norelco)
- J.C. Penney
- Scovill Manufacturing (Hamilton-Beach and Dominion)
- Sears, Roebuck & Co.
- Sunbeam
- Schick
Baby Powder, Hair Dryers and Mesothelioma
When asbestos fibers are released into the air from baby powder and hair dryers, these harmful fibers can be unknowingly ingested or inhaled by individuals in the surrounding area.
Once in the body, asbestos fibers cannot be broken down. Instead, they can sometimes become lodged in the tissues that line the lungs and the gastrointestinal tract. Over time, the presence of asbestos fibers in these locations can lead to inflammation and, in some cases, the development of a rare cancer known as mesothelioma.
Individuals Affected by Asbestos Baby Powder and Hair Dryers
Certain individuals have been placed at exceptionally high risk of asbestos exposure from baby powder and hair dryers over the years. Individuals at particularly high risk include:
- Manufacturing workers
- Talc miners
- Infants
- Other consumers
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© 2012 The Mesothelioma Center |
Last Modified Wednesday, February 8th, 2012 | Disclaimer | Privacy Policy |
The information provided by The Mesothelioma Center is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
Sponsored by a law firm concentrating in asbestos litigation, The Peterson Firm, LLP with offices at 1350 Connecticut Ave, NW, Fifth Floor, Washington DC 20036.
