During the cold season, our lips suffer the most from the dry air and the permanent exposure to wind. No one likes to have chapped lips, that is for certain. Given such problems, it should come as no surprise that there are hundreds of products available. They are meant to hydrate your lips and help them look fantastic, no matter the season. The bad news is that they are also filled with chemical substances. According to the latest studies performed by specialists in the field, these products might not be as harmless as you might believe. In fact, they could actually poison you, leading to the appearance of both acute and chronic conditions.
Everyone knows that the main causes of chapped lips are exposure to cold & dry weather and dehydration. Bad habits, such as lip picking, might contribute to these problems as well. Whenever you are confronted with chapped lips, all of your friends are going to recommend a hydrating balm or gloss. But did you ever stop for a moment to see the ingredients that are actually used for the making of such products? In order to understand how we have come to use products that are actually harming us, we have to go to the beginning.The first Chapstick was produced in the 1880s and, back then, there weren't chemicals involved in the process. It was almost one hundred years later, when flavors were started to be added to lip balms. What followed was the addition of sunblock factors, as the lip balm was meant to protect against the sun exposure. Soon, petroleum was added to lip balms, representing the beginning of an era where chemicals became the main ingredients of such products.Today, whether we want to admit it or not, these products are filled with harmful chemicals, substances that we absorb through our skin. The main active ingredient is petroleum, but there are many inactive ingredients that can damage the skin at the same time. Among these inactive ingredients, some of the most common used are: white wax, titanium dioxide, paraffin, lanolin, camphor, carnauba wax, isopropyl myristate, propylparaben, red six lake and yellow#6.Petroleum might have been used since the 1980s for lip balms but, according to recent studies, it has a number of side-effects that are more than worrying. When used for prolonged periods of time, it can have a negative impact on the central nervous system and also affect a person's immunity. The prolonged exposure to petroleum has been associated with the appearance of various forms of cancer, in both adults and children. Apart from that, it seems that this substance can contribute to the appearance of diverse neurological disorders. By weakening the immune system, it also causes a number of autoimmune disorders to appear. Carnauba wax is another ingredient that can be more harmful than you think. Even though it is obtained from palm leaves, it has been discovered that the topical application of products that contain this substance can cause a wide range of problems for the skin. Apart from dry skin and acne, those who have used lip balms containing carnauba wax have complained of rash around the mouth. Contact dermatitis, allergies and general irritation of the lip tissues are also possible.Another substance often used in the making of such products is isopropyl myristate. The same substance is used for the treatment of head lice, being a form of wax that actually destroys their external skeleton. In the situation that isopropyl myristate is added to Chapstick or other similar products, it is easily absorbed at the level of the skin, leading to clogged pores and preventing the skin from breathing (hence, dead skin cells are going to accumulate on the surface of the skin).Some of the substances that are added to lip balms can cause hormonal imbalances, as it the case of propylparaben. Unfortunately, the prolonged exposure has been associated with the appearance of breast cancer in women. When used by men, the lip balms that contain propylparaben have been shown to reduce the testosterone levels.Petroleum-derived products, such as red six lakes, can be just as harmful. In fact, it has been proven that they can cause agitation and also modify the development of normal cells (high risk for children). As for yellow#6, this substance has been associated with the appearance of cancerous lesions. It can also cause hyperactivity and allergic reactions.From what has been said so far, you have probably understood that the products you are using to keep your lips hydrated might cause more harm than good. The best solution to this is to prepare your own natural lip balm at home, using only ingredients that are natural and do not have any side-effects. In this way, you will hydrate your lips and protect your health at the same time from bad habbit like lip picking.
References
http://lerablog.org/health/beauty-health/how-to-fake-fuller-lips-in-easy-6-steps/
Source : articlesbase.com
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