Using personal care products during and after pregnancy can increase exposure to toxic chemicals

For people who are pregnant or breastfeeding, greater use of personal care products is associated with higher detectable levels of synthetic chemicals known to have adverse health effects, according to a new study from researchers at Brown University.

The study, published in Environment InternationalResearch has found that using personal care products such as nail polish, makeup and hair dye during pregnancy or while breastfeeding is associated with significantly higher levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, known as PFAS, in blood plasma and breast milk.

“Although PFAS are ubiquitous in the environment, our research indicates that personal care products are a modifiable source of PFAS,” said study author Amber Hall, a postdoctoral research associate in epidemiology at Brown University School of Public Health. “People who are concerned about their exposure to these chemicals during pregnancy or while breastfeeding may benefit from cutting back on personal care products during that time.”

PFAS are synthetic chemicals that have been used in consumer products and industrial settings since the 1950s because of their ability to resist oil, water and heat. The study notes that PFAS have been linked to a range of adverse health effects, including liver disease, cardiometabolic and cardiovascular problems, and several forms of cancer.

Although several studies have detected these chemicals directly in personal care products, few have evaluated whether using these products affects internal PFAS concentrations, Hall said. This is important, she added, because exposure to PFAS during pregnancy could contribute to adverse birth outcomes, such as lower birth weight, preterm birth, some neurodevelopmental disorders and reduced vaccine response in children.

Hall led a research team that analyzed data from the Maternal-Infant Research on Environmental Chemicals Study, which enrolled 2,001 pregnant people from 10 cities in Canada between 2008 and 2011. The researchers evaluated the contribution of personal care product use to PFAS concentrations in prenatal plasma (6 to 13 weeks of pregnancy) and breast milk (2 to 10 weeks postpartum). Participants reported frequency of use in eight product categories during the first and third trimesters of pregnancy, one to two days postpartum, and 2 to 10 weeks postpartum.

In pregnant people in the first trimester, the researchers found that higher use of nail care products, fragrances, makeup, hair dyes, and hair sprays or gels was associated with higher plasma PFAS concentrations. Similar results were observed for personal care product use in the third trimester and PFAS concentrations in breast milk 2 to 10 weeks postpartum.

For example, participants who wore makeup daily in the first and third trimesters had 14% and 17% higher plasma and breast milk PFAS concentrations, respectively, compared to people who did not wear makeup every day. Additionally, the researchers found that people who used colored permanent dye one to two days after giving birth had higher PFAS levels (a 16% to 18% increase compared to people who never used them) in breast milk concentrations.

Hall noted that the study examined only four types of PFAS out of thousands used in industry and commerce. So the study likely underestimated the extent of exposure to all PFAS from these products during pregnancy, she said.

Hall conducted the research with Joseph Braun, professor of epidemiology and director of children’s environmental health at Brown University, who has been studying the health effects of PFAS for more than a decade. Braun suggested that future studies investigating how the use of personal care products affects PFAS exposure should take into account differences by product type, as well as the timing and frequency of use, or product formulation. This type of research can guide individual choices and also inform PFAS regulations, he said.

“Not only do studies like these help people assess how their product choices may affect their personal risk, but they can also help us show how these products may have population-level effects,” Braun said. “And that calls for product regulation and government action so that we can take some of the burden off of individuals.”