So, Does Talcum Powder Cause Cancer or Not?
Two women with cancer, one of whom has already passed away, recently lost lawsuits against talcum powder after a judge ruled that they had not proven the powder caused them cancer. So does this substance cause cancer or not? It turns out that this question is difficult to answer.
What’s in talcum powder?
The main ingredient in talc is talc, a soft white stone. It was crushed and bottled. Baby powder has traditionally been talcum powder, although due to health concerns, what is sold as baby powder is now often made from cornstarch.
Talc is bad for breathing, especially because it can naturally contain asbestos fibers. Asbestos itself is recognized as carcinogenic. But talcum powder sold in stores today contains no detectable levels of asbestos .
But what about talcum powder used topically? Many people sprinkle baby powder with maxi pads or otherwise apply to the genital area. Women in lawsuits claim that the use of the powder caused them ovarian cancer.
The health risks of talcum powder are more of a concern for workers who inhale it all day long than for people (even babies) who use what the industry calls “cosmetic talcum powder.” There was no clear connection between cosmetic talcum powder and any health problems, but is it because the connection doesn’t exist, or because we haven’t looked closely enough?
What does science say?
Unfortunately, there is no clear science linking talc to ovarian cancer, but there is not enough data to be reassuring. Probably all right.
Several studies have found no link between talc consumption by consumers and ovarian cancer (or any other). Some case-control studies comparing people with ovarian cancer to people without cancer have identified talc as being more common among people with cancer. But these studies require people to remember whether they used talcum powder, how much, and how often throughout their lives. If you get cancer, you might remember and doubt how you use talcum powder. So these types of research are not as reliable.
The American Cancer Society notes that research results have been mixed, and more reliable studies have found no link. They conclude: “For each individual woman, if there is an increased risk, the overall increase is likely to be very small. However, talc is widely used in many products, so it is important to determine if there is an increased risk. Research in this area continues. “
The International Agency for Research on Cancer classifies the use of talcum powder in the perineum (skin near the genitals) as “possibly carcinogenic,” in the same category as aloe vera, welding fumes, and gasoline. They write that there is “limited” evidence linking the use of perineal talcum powder to cancer in humans. In other words, maybe.
The National Institutes of Health has decided not to test cosmetic talcum powder for carcinogenicity because there isn’t enough good research to work on. “It has become apparent that the literature on both forms of talc [with and without asbestos], with a few exceptions, does not adequately characterize the actual test materials so that definitive conclusions can be reached regarding the specific substances responsible for the range of adverse health effects.”
If you’ve used talcum powder before, it’s unlikely that you’ve hurt yourself. (Even if there is a risk, as noted by the American Cancer Society, it should be negligible.) But if you prefer to avoid it in the future, you can switch to cornstarch powder. So far, topical cornstarchappears to be safe .