Wanting to become more beautiful is a perfectly normal thing, but if you're not careful, the tools that help you become more beautiful can become the "culprits" that ruin your appearance! Let's take a look at two recent research surveys on cosmetics and hair dyes!
Put down your beauty sponge!
It might be poisonous!
Are you planning to dress up beautifully and head out to have fun with your girlfriends or boyfriend as you read this article?
Let me first see what you all use to apply foundation?
In short, put down that beauty sponge you're holding...
Recently, biomedical scientists Amreen Bashir and Peter Lambert from Aston University in the UK published their findings in the Journal of Applied Microbiology: more than 90% of cosmetics in a makeup bag are contaminated with pathogenic bacteria such as E. coli and Staphylococcus aureus. From mascara to lip gloss, the cosmetics you are currently using are likely crawling with infectious bacteria, which can even lead to skin infections and blood poisoning.
If the lipstick you're using is full of E. coli, it's like putting... shit on your lips...
Oh no! I was so scared I dropped my little red bottle!
So what did the researchers do to your cosmetics?
Aston University in the UK tested 467 products, including 96 lipsticks, 92 eyeliners, 93 mascaras, 107 lip glosses, and 79 flexible sponges, and determined their microbial content through microbial culture and identification.
The results showed that Enterobacteriaceae and fungi were detected in all product types.
Makeup sponges, such as beauty blenders, have the most serious problems, with 92% carrying at least one type of harmful bacteria. Eyeliners and mascaras each have approximately 80% carrying harmful bacteria, and lipsticks have 75% carrying harmful bacteria. The bacterial load is 102-103 CFU/ml, while the average bacterial load of a makeup bag is >106 CFU/ml. The survey also showed that 93% of makeup sponges have never been washed, and 64% have been dropped on the floor.
How many of you actually picked it up and continued using it based on the "3-second rule"?
These products containing bacteria can cause infection or even sepsis if applied to the eyes, mouth, or wounds or abrasions on the skin, especially for immunocompromised individuals who are more susceptible to opportunistic bacterial infections.
Then, this group of scientists' curiosity about gossip... oh no, their exploration of science didn't stop there. In addition to cosmetics, they also investigated the usage habits of cosmetic users.
The survey found that many users do not clean their cosmetics or even check if their cosmetics are expired.
Some products (such as beauty blenders) are damp after use, which is an ideal breeding ground for harmful bacteria. These products can become contaminated in no time.
People who don't wash their faces properly... now do you realize what you've done to your face?
Many people are even less concerned about expired products. A 2013 study found that most users continue to use cosmetics after they expire. In Brazil, 97.9% of 44 students admitted to continuing to use cosmetics after they expired.
Incidentally, regarding the shelf life of cosmetics, there are no laws or regulations in the United States requiring cosmetics to indicate an expiration date.
Domestic companies do this much better; the production date and expiration date are clearly marked, so ladies, all you need to do is remember to clean your cosmetics regularly and dry them thoroughly!
Of course, the best way is for you (if you have the money) to be able to replace them regularly.
Are you still giving money to hair salons?
Hair dye increases the risk of breast cancer!
When we were young, whether it was to be different or to enhance our appearance, we always wanted to color our hair. Our parents would patiently advise against this "bad boy" behavior, often saying, "Hair dye is full of chemicals; it might cause cancer!"
But none of this can stop us from wanting to become "Shamate" (a subculture characterized by flamboyant and often outlandish fashion).
However, recent scientific research has once again sided with mothers!
A new study by government scientists has found that permanent hair dyes and chemical straighteners may increase the risk of breast cancer.
Researchers, including Dr. Alexandra White, head of the Environmental and Cancer Epidemiology Group at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), have been investigating the possible link between hair dye and cancer.
They found that using hair dye leads to a higher risk of breast cancer, especially among women who use hair dye frequently, an effect that was particularly pronounced among African American women.
Huh? Hair dye is also racially discriminatory??
These data come from 46,709 women who participated in the study. The study found that women who frequently used permanent hair dye had a 9% higher risk of developing breast cancer than those who did not; among African American women, those who used permanent dye every 5 to 8 weeks had a 60% increased risk of the disease, while white women had only an 8% increased risk.
It is unclear exactly why this disparity exists between the two races. Researchers suggest it may be because African American women are more likely than white women to use these products regularly.
Although this number is frightening, I know you guys definitely won't stop sending money to hair salons.
Of course, even without dyeing your hair, there are still many factors around us that silently increase the risk of breast cancer. However, these risk factors, such as weight, diet, exercise, alcohol consumption, smoking, estrogen exposure, use of oral contraceptives, stress, and anxiety, are all risk factors for breast cancer that patients can control.
By paying attention to and diligently managing our bodies, we can prevent many factors from causing problems.
However, factors such as gender, age, family history, personal medical history, chest radiation therapy, breast cell changes, exposure to estrogen, pregnancy and breastfeeding, and exposure to diethylstilbestrol may be things we cannot subjectively avoid.
In the United States, one in eight women (12%) will develop breast cancer in their lifetime, and women carrying BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutations have an even higher risk of developing breast cancer.
Breast cancer remains one of the leading malignant tumors threatening women's health worldwide. Ladies, please pay attention to prevention through everyday actions!
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