Be Careful about your products
A report published has proven that African American Women are being targeted toward exposure to potentially dozens of hazardous chemicals via their hair products. It is quite disconcerting due to the love that Black women have for their hair. It is also evident this would be an area that we would be most vulnerable due to our lack of accessibility to alternative options that do not contain these harmful ingredients.
Life-Threatening Ingredients?
Many people would ask, Why target Black women's products? Are white women's products laced with the same toxic and life-threatening ingredients? Great questions, but the jury is still out on this information as no company has come forward to make the comparison on how much more Black women's products are targeted in contrast to white women.
It is also a disconcerting fact that the Silent Spring Institute, the company that introduced the study, has touted this study as the first ever done of its kind, with the focus toward the health of African American women and these endocrine disrupting chemicals.
So Where Do We Start?
“Black women are over-exposed and under-protected from toxic chemicals,” says executive director of Black Women for Wellness
- Janette Robinson Flint -
So let's start here:
Why did they do this study?
Black women face many health issues that are not as prevalent in other parts of society, or even in the neighbor next door, or our white counterpart in the workplace.
What health issues?
Black women go through puberty at much younger ages and have much higher rates of fibroids, infertility, premature birth, breast cancer and endometrial cancer, among other ailments, have been on the rise as of late.
What products were found to be a problem?
Companies are not required to disclose "EVERYTHING" thats in their products on the label, so it becomes more difficult to make good choices.
Non-Expert Thoughts
What does this mean to me?
Black women are overexposed and under-protected from toxic chemicals. Furthermore, Black women have a higher level of phthalates and parabens in their bodies than compared with white women. Hmmmm.....can you say conspiracy?
Is this the new racism? Maybe not but we do need to make ourselves more aware of not only what we are putting in but what we are putting on our bodies.
-ME
