Talcum powder has been found to cause ovarian cancer when used by women for personal hygiene.

As many as 10,000 women reportedly develop ovarian cancer each year as a result of baby powder use. Ovarian cancer is a serious disease and is expected to result in more than 14,000 deaths this year in the United States.

Talc powder products, such as Johnson’s Baby Powder and Johnson & Johnson’s Shower To Shower, have been directly used on the skin as an effective absorbent to help deodorize.

The primary component in talcum powder is magnesium silicate hydroxide (commonly known as talc). Talc is the main ingredient in baby powder, medicated powder, perfumed powders and designer perfumed body powders. However, talcum powder contains asbestos, a known carcinogen.

Talc is toxic as its particles can cause tumors in the ovaries and lungs. Talc particles are capable of moving up the reproductive system and becoming embedded in the lining of the ovary.

Researchers have found talc particles in ovarian tumors and have found that women with ovarian cancer have used talcum powder in their genital areas more frequently than women who have not developed ovarian cancer.

Studies Link Baby Powder To Cancer

The baby powder ovarian cancer risk has been documented through numerous studies dating back to 1982. When talc powder products such as baby powder are applied to the genital region, talc particles can travel through the female reproductive system to the ovaries.

Talc particles may remain in the ovaries for many years, causing inflammation and creating an environment conducive to the growth of cancer cells.

One review of data reported in the medical journal Cancer Prevention Research indicated that women who regularly use talc-based powders for feminine hygiene might increase their risk of ovarian cancer by about 41 percent and raised the risk of an ovarian tumor by 24 percent.

In 1992, a study found that regular use of baby powder increased the risk of developing ovarian cancer threefold. In a 2010 Harvard study, it was found that women who use talcum powder are 40 percent more likely to get ovarian cancer.

Experts from Harvard Medical School in Boston studied more than 3,000 women and found using talc merely once a week raised the risk of ovarian cancer by 36 percent, rising to 41 percent for those applying powder daily.

Baby Powder Cancer Danger

Despite evidence presented by scientific studies linking talcum powder to ovarian and lung cancer, talc is an unregulated substance in the United States.

The American Cancer Society, or ACS, said that a 2008 study, linking higher usage of talcum powder to increased risk of cancer, showed the powder “probably” increased the risk for cancer and deemed it a “possible” carcinogen. The ACS compared talcum powder to asbestos, postmenopausal hormone therapy and radiation.

Baby Powder Cancer Lawsuits

Despite the mounting evidence of serious baby powder side effects linked to the use of talcum powder, major manufacturers of baby powder products do not warn consumers of the potential dangers.

Baby powder cancer attorneys across the country are reviewing potential baby powder cancer lawsuits of those who believe they were injured by talcum powder, an indication that manufacturers of these products can expect to see a lot more baby powder lawsuits filed against them.