Some cosmetic products could be influencing the development of diseases such as endometriosis, because these products contain substances that inhibit or block the action of certain hormones, something that is medically known as “Endocrine disruptors”.
The research, which was published in the journal Environmental Research, indicates that “although the causes of its appearance are not exactly known, it is suspected that they may be diverse, including genetic, epigenetic and environmental causes, where hormones seem to play a key role.”
These hormone disruptors present in numerous products for daily use could be contributing to the increase in diagnosed cases that have been detected in recent years, as has been shown for other pathologies such as breast cancer, obesity or diabetes.
Some of the products would be face masks, lipsticks, face creams, nail polishes, dyes, creams, hairspray and mousse, because they contain hormonal inhibitors such as parabens and benzophenones, used in the cosmetics and personal care products industry that are part of the exposome, a name that has been given to the set of non-genetic environmental factors that contribute to the risk of contracting this disease.
Relationship of endometriosis and some cosmetics
Endometriosis is an often painful disorder in which the tissue-like tissue that normally lines the inside of the uterus – the endometrium – grows outside the uterus. Endometriosis most commonly affects the ovaries, fallopian tubes, and the lining of the pelvis. In rare cases, endometrial tissue can spread beyond the pelvic organs, according to the Mayo Clinic.
It is estimated that one in 10 women of reproductive age could suffer from it and its diagnosis is often difficult to detect, in addition to being considered a chronic disease due to lack of treatment.
In this new study, conducted by the University of Granada (Spain), researchers have quantified the internal levels of parabens and benzophenones in a total of 124 women, with and without endometriosis, in addition to obtaining detailed information on the use of cosmetics and personal care products in each of them.
The results showed a direct relationship between women with endometriosis and those who used cosmetic products daily with high contents of parabens and benzophenones.
Although the research had its limitations, it is added to another study, carried out by the same university, where the chemical substance was associated bisphenol A, also present in some cosmetics and care products, which could be implicated in the possible development of endometriosis.
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