As a breast cancer survivor, few things trouble me more than the lack of knowledge about everyday toxins amongst medical professionals in the field of oncology.
I supposed it’s not all that surprising that they’re ill-informed about ingredients in daily use products like toothpaste and deodorant. After all, their job is to diagnose and treat cancer, not prevent it through advocating for healthy lifestyle choices.
However, what really bugs me is their recommendations for topical treatment of radiated skin.
Radiation both destroys tumors and prevents them from returning. Most women undergoing radiation therapy for breast cancer experience some sort of skin irritation.[i] [ii] If severe enough, treatment may be delayed, or possibly even halted altogether.
And while getting through treatment is important, shouldn’t topical products that radiation oncologists recommend to treat the radiated area be free from ingredients that are reasonably anticipated to be carcinogenic or otherwise linked to cancer?
Sadly, this isn’t the case.
Let’s look at some of the top recommendations I’ve heard women using over the years.
Aquaphor® Healing Ointment Advanced Therapy and Eucerin® Original Healing Cream
Two of the most frequent products referenced are petroleum based and owned by the same company. They carry short ingredient listings which people sometimes equate with “clean”, but in this case nothing could be further from the truth. Let’s take a look:
Aquaphor: Petrolatum, Mineral Oil, Ceresin, Lanolin Alcohol, Panthenol, Glycerin, Bisabolol
Eucerin: Water, Petrolatum, Mineral Oil, Ceresin, Lanolin Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Piroctone Olamine
First are petrolatum (aka petroleum jelly) and mineral oil (aka baby oil), both of which are petrochemicals derived from crude oil and used as moisturizing agents.
According to the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, petrolatum carries no known health concerns when fully refined, however it is rarely fully refined in the US. When not fully refined, it may be contaminated with a category of impurities called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs).[iii]
Various PAHs have been identified as probable, possible, or known carcinogens[iv] , and a 2002 study in Long Island, NY found that women with high levels of PAH had a 50% greater risk of developing breast cancer.
Carcinogens aside, some medical professionals claim petroleum jelly may actually do more harm than good by trapping heat under the skin when applied to fresh burns.[v][vi]
Lanolin Alcohol is derived from the sebaceous glands of sheep. Commonly found in nursing mother nipple creams, one might assume it’s completely safe. However lanolin contains sheep hormones, and can be contaminated with dirt, sweat, dust, pollen, fecal matter and more, as uncovered in the popular blog Mamavation®. Perhaps even more concerning is the routine topical treatment of sheep with pesticides to treat mites and other pests that burrow into their coats, which may also linger in the finished ingredient.
And finally, phenoxyethanol, which is used as a preservative. It’s made by treating a powder created from benzene (a known carcinogen) with ethylene oxide (also known carcinogen). Interestingly, upscale beauty retailer Follain recently banned phenoxyethanol from their stores, citing a commitment to carrying the safest, most effective personal care products available.
Miaderm®, Radiation Relief Developed by Radiation Oncologists
Another product that often comes up is Miaderm®. This one I find particularly alarming because it “was developed by radiation oncologists to minimize skin-related side effects of radiation therapy & to ensure the effectiveness of treatment.”
Check out this chemical soup of ingredients:
Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetearyl Alcohol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Isopentyldiol, Polyglyceryl-2 Stearate, Cetearyl Methicone, Dimethicone, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Butylene Glycol, Stearyl Phosphate, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Xanthan Gum, Polyacrylamide, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Laureth-7, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hexylene Glycol, Sodium Benzoate, Fragrance
The problem with many of these ingredients is a lack of readily available safety information. So let’s talk about what we DO know about some of them.
Dimethicone is an emollient that’s generally recognized as safe, as its molecular structure prevents it from penetrating the skin. It works by forming a barrier on the skin, leaving behind softer skin that’s protected from loss of moisture. The downside of dimethicone is that it’s synthetically produced, is not biodegradable and is expected to be an environmental toxin.[vii] Natural alternatives include extracted plant oils such as jojoba oil, avocado oil, shea butter, and cocoa butter. [viii]
Polyacrylamide is a synthetic resin used as a stabilizer and thickener. The problem is that because of the way it’s created, it may be contaminated with acrylamide, which is a known neurotoxin and carcinogen.[ix]
And finally, the ubiquitous fragrance. Protected under trade secret labeling laws, this ‘ingredient’ is of high concern in that it contains an untold number of undisclosed chemicals. A large majority of products with ‘fragrance’ contain phthalates (which are linked to male reproductive birth defects and low sperm count) and other industrial chemicals lacking extensive safety profiles.
So What *CAN* Be Used … Not Just Safer, But Safest Alternatives
With little to no regulation in the skincare industry, there’s no shortage of alternatives marketed as “safer”, but sadly the large majority still contain questionable ingredients. I encourage everyone to be a diligent label-reader because your skin absorbs what you put on it, and no one has your best interests in mind more than you do yourself.
That being said, I understand that many people just want someone to tell them what to use. After 10+ years of reading labels and researching ingredients in personal and home care products (read my story here), I found a company that makes truly safe products in a USDA certified organic facility, that are 100% guaranteed to be free from toxins and backed by a 60-day empty bottle guarantee.
While I originally joined this direct selling company for a discount, I quickly realized that I couldn’t keep it to myself, as everyone deserves to know that a truly safe options do exist.
While I myself did not need radiation as part of my personal breast cancer experience, I know many women have found relief – both physically and mentally – using the following Pure Haven products during their treatment:
NOTE: Please consult with your physician(s) before using anything during cancer treatment!
- Pure Haven Mom Balm – The safest nursing mother nipple cream, mom balm may be used to prior to radiation to minimize the likelihood of irritation. Ingredients: organic olive fruit oil, organic shea butter, organic castor oil, organic beeswax, organic pumpkin seed oil, and organic grapeseed oil
- Pure Haven Comfort Oil – This comforting blend of anti-inflammatory oils diluted in a gentle carrier oil will soothe skin irritations that does occur for so many women during radiation treatment. Ingredients: organic sunflower seed oil, caprylic/capric triglycerides, organic jojoba seed oil, helichrysum oil, organic frankincense oil, chamomile flower oil, organic lavender oil
One friend who used both items shared with me that her radiation oncologist was so impressed with how quickly a raw burn had healed, that the doctor asked for information on what she used! Check out what Christine said, in her own words:
Comfort Oil has become my secret weapon! I have been struggling with burns and irritation from radiation for breast cancer and have been quite frustrated to not be getting any sympathy from my doctor and the fact that the only thing they recommended was Aquaphor, which I have refused to use. While reading about essential oils, I read that frankincense has anti-tumor properties and helichrysum has been studied for its ability to regenerate tissue and nerves. I immediately remembered the bottle of Comfort Oil I recently received and applied it to the radiated areas of my breast and underarm. Within 24 hours there was a visibly noticeable difference and my pain was more manageable. In 48 hours there was less redness as burns appeared to be shrinking. By day 3, even my surgical scar had become very faint compared to the day before.”
Again, please note that I am *not* a medical professional and am not claiming to be able to prevent, treat, or cure any medical condition. I am simply providing information, and encourage readers to do their own research and *always* ask your doctor before using any product.
Are you going to try these options? Leave a comment below!
FOOTNOTES:
[i] Schmitz KH, Speck RM, Rye SA, DiSipio T, Hayes SC. Prevalence of breast cancer treatment sequelae over 6 years of follow-up: the Pulling Through Study. Cancer. 118(8 Suppl):2217-25, 2012.
[ii] Kraus-Tiefenbacher U, Sfintizky A, Welzel G, et al. Factors of influence on acute skin toxicity of breast cancer patients treated with standard external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) after breast conserving surgery (BCS). Radiat Oncol. 7(1):217, 2012.
[iii] http://www.safecosmetics.org/get-the-facts/chemicals-of-concern/petrolatum/
[iv] International Agency for Research on Cancer. (2014). Agents classified by the IARC monographs, volumes 1–112. http://monographs.iarc.fr/ENG/Classification/
[v] https://www.thenakedscientists.com/articles/questions/how-do-wounds-heal-when-petroleum-jelly-applied
[vi] https://www.thehealthsite.com/diseases-conditions/burns/should-you-use-petroleum-jelly-to-treat-burns-k1217-545138/
[vii] https://www.ewg.org/skindeep/ingredients/702011-dimethicone
[viii] https://puracy.com/blogs/puracy-blog/is-dimethicone-bad-and-alternatives
[ix] https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2011-139/pdfs/2011-139.pdf
[x] https://www.ewg.org/skindeep/ingredients/701923-DIAZOLIDINYL_UREA_(FORMALDEHYDE_RELEASER)
[xi] https://www.ewg.org/skindeep/ingredients/703937-METHYLPARABEN
[xii] https://www.ewg.org/skindeep/ingredients/705335-PROPYLPARABEN
[xiii] https://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Study-BPA-methylparaben-block-breast-cancer-2310172.php