Most women think of sweet-smelling babies when they think of baby powder. The last thing most women would associate baby powder with is cancer.

For many, cancer provokes a fear response that is ingrained in us. But for women who use baby powder as part of their personal hygiene repertoire, there is reportedly a cancer risk.

Baby Powder Danger

Talc is the main ingredient in baby powder and it has been linked to a potential ovarian cancer risk. While not all baby powder products contain talc (they may use a cornstarch or other base instead), the most popular brand of baby powder, Johnson’s Baby Powder, does.

Talc is a naturally occurring mineral and is one of the softest when it is crushed into a powder form. It is also one of the most absorbent, which is why it is very helpful in addressing moisture in a baby’s diaper area.

Talc has also been compared chemically to asbestos, another soft and absorbent mineral found in mines. Asbestos can be harmful or fatal if inhaled due to its influence on the lungs and mesothelial cells lining the lungs. Researchers have found that talc also effects the lungs when inhaled, they claim it can stay in the lungs for up to eight years before dissolving.

Talcum Powder Application Matters

For baby bottoms, talc powder so far hasn’t been a huge safety concern. Using talc powder as a dry shampoo in between hair washings or sprinkling it on your arms doesn’t appear to have any negative effects either.

The method of baby powder application provides the significant link to ovarian cancer. Women discovered early on that if baby powder could keep their baby smelling fresh and controlled moisture then perhaps they could use the product for those reasons as well.

Women began using baby powder to feel “fresh” by dusting the powder on their genital area or sprinkling their underwear with powder to control odor and moisture. Johnson & Johnson even created a similar talc-based product aimed at adults called “Shower to Shower” and it has been marketed to keep adults feeling fresh in between showers.

When baby powder is used in the genital area in women, talc particles can reportedly be absorbed into a woman’s body via the vaginal opening and where it then travels to the reproductive organs. Internal talc particles pave the way for cancer growth.

Studies have shown that many ovarian cancer tumors contain talc. In an early study back in the 1970s, a group of researchers studied 13 ovarian tumors and 10 of those tumors had talc deeply embedded in them.

Baby Powder Cancer Lawsuits

In 2013, Johnson & Johnson was found guilty in a lawsuit filed by a woman who developed ovarian cancer. While the jury found that Johnson & Johnson failed to warn of the ovarian cancer risks of their product, no damages were awarded to the plaintiff.

Currently, more than 700 women have claimed to have developed ovarian cancer from using Johnson’s Baby Powder and Shower to Shower products and are pursuing their legal options.

If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with ovarian cancer following the use of baby powder or Shower to Shower products for personal hygiene, you may have a legal claim.

One of our experienced baby powder cancer lawyers can review your case at no charge and can explain your legal options of filing an individual baby powder cancer lawsuit or joining a potential baby powder class action lawsuit.