Phthalates
Phthalates (pronounced THAL-ates) are often used in the fragrance ingredients in personal care and household products. They are also found in plumbing products, vinyl flooring, and many different products. Some phthalates have been found to act as hormones inside the human body, and high doses of phthalates generally have interfered with hormonal production in research on animals.
The smaller amounts people are exposed to from individual products they use were thought to be safer. But phthalates are present all around us, even in household dust we inhale, which has convinced the CDC to monitor them, finding that most people’s blood registers low levels of phthalates.
Recent research has associated exposure of pregnant women to phthalates with a slightly unusual formation of genitals in their male babies and indicates phthalates may also be associated with a low quality or quantity of sperm in men. While the jury is out on phthalates, it is reasonable to stay away from them whenever you possibly can. This is particularly important in the case of children or pregnant women. It may be difficult to determine which personal care products include phthalates, since they often appear on the label simply as “fragrance.” Products that are free of fragrance, or which are scented with essential oils such as lavender, citrus, etc., are good options. You can look up product ingredients on the Cosmetics Database.
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