The Ugly Side of Beauty, Some Cosmetics Can be Toxic to Your Health

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It didn’t get much attention nationally, just a few paragraphs in papers such as the Kennebec Journal and a segment on the local news.

But the quiet protest by a group of high school and college students in Waterville, Maine, in February was one of a growing number across the country. They gathered at the post office to mail 12 beauty products to an environmental lab, where they would be tested for toxins and other dangerous ingredients that many commonly used products contain.

“As young people, we’re coming together to put our cosmetics on trial,” said Anne Sheldon, a member of the Maine Women’s Lobby, a nonprofit group dedicated to helping women through public policy.
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Benzocaine – FDA Warns of Benzocaine Risks and Side Effects of Orajel, Baby Orajel, Anbesol

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Parents and caregivers of teething babies and children, listen up. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a new warning about benzocaine being linked to a rare condition called methemoglobinemia (MetHb), where the blood does not effectively move oxygen throughout the body, which in worst cases can lead to stupor, seizures, coma and even death.

Benzocaine gels and liquids are sold OTC under different brand names such as Anbesol, Hurricaine, Orajel, Baby Orajel, Orabase, and store brands. Benzocaine is also sold in other forms such as sore throat lozenges, creams, ointments, and spray solutions. (See the benzocaine spray alert message here) These products are used to relieve pain from a variety of conditions, such as teething, canker sores, toothaches, burns, insect bites, and irritation of the mouth and gums.
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