The Drs: Lipstick Contains Lead & Face Cream Skin Care Mistakes

The Doctors: Shocking Purse Health Dangers

You probably don’t think about whether your purse could make you sick. But the reality is that there are some surprising hidden dangers and concerns lurking in that bag. The Doctors shared another of their purse warnings.

The Drs TV: Lead in Lipstick

Did you know there could be lead in your lipstick? The FDA has been studying lead content in lipstick since 2007, and recently found that the highest amounts of lead were in the big brand names, like L’oreal, Maybelline, and Cover Girl.

According to a news report, women lick their lips about 100 times a day, and they could be swallowing lead each time. There’s no research so far on how swallowing lead could affect a fetus or nursing baby. But we know there are serious health dangers for lead in products such paint.

The Doctors: Campaign for Safe Cosmetics

A consumer advocacy group called the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics is speaking out, calling for a ban on lead in lipstick. “Some people say that a woman will eat up to a pound of lipstick in their lifetime,” Dr. Travis Stork said.

The FDA provided a statement regarding this story and their research on lead in lipstick:

“Although we do not believe that the lead content found in our recent lipstick analyses poses a safety concern, we are evaluating whether there may be a need to recommend an upper limit for lead in lipstick in order to further protect the health and welfare of consumers.”

Dr. Travis said that the CDC can’t comment on the FDA’s research findings, which made me raise an eyebrow about our weird and wily government. But the CDC did say that “lead hazards in a child’s environment must be identified and controlled or removed safely.”

Dr. Lisa: Lipstick & Fetal Development

Kids playing in a mother’s purse could put lipstick in their mouths. Dr. Lisa Masterson chimed in, suggesting that lead could have negative effects on a fetus. She said that doctors already advise women about their diets when it comes to things like mercury in foods, for example. Now they may need to be aware of cosmetic concerns as well.

“Just because it says it’s natural does not mean that it’s lead-free,” she said. Dr. Lisa said that nail polish is already not recommended for pregnant women, because a gestating baby’s cells are developing and changing rapidly.

The Doctors: Face Cream Warnings

Dr. Andrew Ordon revealed that there are concerns about skin health when it comes to the face cream you have in your purse. “When you get into trouble is when you over-moisturize,” he said.

He explained that as you go throughout the day, you could be moisturizing more than you realize. This could lead to formation of cysts, often around the eyelids, which can be difficult to treat.

The Drs TV: Skin Care Mistakes

“Too much of a good thing is not a good thing when it comes to your skin,” Dr. Andrew said. He shared some of his tips for avoiding common skin care mistakes. The products themselves aren’t harmful to your health, but many consumers may be mistakenly combining or overusing some of their products.

• Don’t use scrub with a skin care brush. He explained this will irritate your skin and cause it be oily.
• Avoid mixing anti-aging products. Dr. Andrew said that combining products could irritate or even burn the skin.
• Don’t use zit zappers together. That means don’t mix products containing Benzoyl Peroxide and Salicylic Acid without the advice of your doctor.