Could your lipstick cause lead poisoning?

By |2022-01-04T15:58:55+00:00August 22nd, 2013|

Trace amounts of lead and other potentially dangerous metals have been found in about 400 lipsticks recently tested by the Food and Drug Administration, according to a recent report.

Regulators and spokespeople from the costmestics industry have said that there is no need to panic since the amount of metalic content in lipstick is very low – about 1 part per million. However, information about lead exposure indicates that there may be no truly safe amount, and experts worry about the impact of long-term, chronic exposure to the product that many women apply as many as 20 times in a day.

Experts say that some of the dangerous metals in the lipsticks are naturally occurring as a result of the interaction from other ingredients that are FDA approved. This is a common problem in both cosmetics and the cleaning products industry, where carefully controlled chemical mixtures can interact differently over time when they are on the shelves than they do in a lab environment.

Although the impact on adults is currently unknown, safety advocates say that this is a good time to remind parents to keep lipstick away from children. If a particular shade does have a larger amount of lead in it or if a child accidentally eats a signficant amount, they could be at risk of lead poisoning.

As many parents know, lead poisoning can cause a variety of very harmful symptoms, including intellectual disabilities later in life.

If families are harmed by unsafe products, they have a right to pursue compensation and to hold the company that made the product accountable.

Source: The New York Times, “Is There Danger Lurking In Your Lipstick?” Deborah Blum, Aug. 16, 2013

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Doug Easton has practiced law since 1971. After 20 years of practicing with various large litigation firms, he founded the Law Offices of W. Douglas Easton in 1991 as a solo practitioner. In the years that followed, Doug’s sons Brian and Matt joined him in the practice and helped build the firm into a powerful force to help right the wrongs done to their clients. Much of their success over the years has stemmed from the dynamic created by the familial nature of the firm and how harmoniously they all work together, each of their individual strengths complementing and fortifying the group as a whole. Accordingly, the firm changed its name to Easton & Easton, LLP in 2014 to better reflect the true dynamic of the firm and Doug now serves as Managing Partner of Easton & Easton. In 2015, Doug was selected as a Top 100 Litigation Lawyer in California by The American Society of Legal Advocates. In addition, Doug is listed in Strathmore’s Who’s Who, and in 2008 was named its “Professional of the Year” in Medical Malpractice.
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