Consumers tend to be aware of harmful ingredients found in beauty and cosmetics products. If you ever wondered how much of a problem toxic ingredients really are, you should know that in 2024, a woman filed a mesothelioma lawsuit to over 30+ cosmetics and beauty companies.
A mesothelioma lawsuit refers to a type of lawsuit directed at product manufacturers responsible for exposing their consumers to asbestos. Mesothelioma is a type of cancer which starts to grow in certain types of the body such as the chest or abdomen. The name comes from the term "mesothelium". The mesothelium is a layer of cells which covers the outside of your organs. You can read more about Mesothelioma over at cancer.org.
According to Mesothelioma Hope, "asbestos exposure is the only known cause of mesothelioma". This is where the 30+ cosmetics and beauty companies come in. Since asbestos is the only known cause of Mesothelioma, as a person suffering from the cancer, you would start to look into the possible causes. For the woman we are referring to in this lawsuit, her legal team related the use of harmful toxic ingredients to over 30 brands including 3M Company, Avon, Chanel, Colgate-Palmolive, Johnson & Johnson, L'Oreal, Mary Kay, Pfizer, just to name a few. We were able to find an exact copy of the entire complaint uploaded here by AboutLawsuits.com
So where does the asbestos come in? Well, many of these companies were using something known a talc for their powdery products. Unfortunately, as we learned by reading Devin Golden's article, mining talc involves coming in contact with asbestos. Many of these companies have known about the interaction of asbestos while mining talc for years. In the 1970's., it was discovered that mining for talc would contaminate it with asbestos. The link between asbestos and "asbestosis" as we once called it has been known since 1930, when Dr. Edward Merewether made the connection. As dangerous as that sounds, the U.S. only started banning asbestos from products in 1991.
Sadly, the use of asbestos is still found today in many products that once used it in production. Many of these products have already been regulated though, so we won't have to worry about new ones being introduced to the market that still use asbestos. There are some exceptions however as to some products that still utilize asbestos. Asbestos Cement Sheets and Asbestos Diaphragms are still allowed uses, for example.
As with any product, BWM Cosmetics recommends that you do preventative research that could save you a ton of headaches before you put something on your skin. Not only will you be further educated about the ingredients you are using and the companies you are supporting but you will also gain a peace of mind about your future and the ones you love. Our word of advise is that you research any of the products that you might have stored in your drawers from years ago and use talc powder, as they may contain traces of asbestos in them and could potentially lead to health risks.
If soap and hair oil are one of those products which you use all the time and are unsure about the dangers their ingredients may pose, using BWM cosmetics natural soap bars or growth hair oils will put your mind at ease. Take a look at our collections and products which hold a full list of ingredients on them.
Take a look at 's video to get a better understanding of talc powder and asbestos:
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