Baby powder has been popularly used by women directly on the skin as an effective personal hygiene product.

The primary ingredient in baby powder is magnesium silicate hydroxide, more commonly known as talc powder.

Now, many medical researchers are suggesting that using baby powder on female genitals can lead to an increased risk of ovarian cancer. Talc powder particles are capable of moving up the reproductive system and embedding themselves in the lining of the ovaries.

Researchers have found talc powder particles in ovarian cancer tumors and learned that some women with ovarian cancer have used baby powder in their genital more frequently than women who didn’t develop ovarian cancer.

A growing number of baby powder cancer lawsuits have been filed by women accusing manufacturers like Johnson & Johnson of failing to disclose the risks of ovarian cancer from using baby powder products such as Shower to Shower or Johnson’s Baby Powder.

Studies Suggest Baby Powder Ovarian Cancer

Some studies have suggested that women who regularly use baby powder on the genital area have an increased risk of ovarian cancer.

In fact, recent studies have cautioned that women who use talcum powder products are 40 percent more likely to develop ovarian cancer.

Experts from Harvard Medical School in Boston studied more than 3,000 women and found that using talc-based products merely once a week raised a woman’s chance of developing ovarian cancer by 36 percent. For those women who use baby powder on a daily basis as part of their personal hygiene routine it increases 41 percent.

Additionally, the International Agency for Research on Cancer, a part of the World Health Organization, classifies the use of talc-based products like baby powder on the genital region as “possibly carcinogenic to humans.”

Baby Powder Cancer Risks

Despite evidence presented by scientific studies linking talcum powder to ovarian cancer, talc is an unregulated substance in the United States. However, many other organizations have issued talcum powder cancer warnings to caution consumers about the risk of cancer associated with baby powder.

The American Cancer Society (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.

Furthermore, the American Cancer Society suggests that women may want to avoid or limit the use of feminine hygiene products containing talc.

Baby Powder Cancer Lawsuits

Talc-containing products could be the cause of as many as 10,000 new diagnoses of ovarian cancer each year. Yet, despite the medical evidence that baby powder could pose serious health risks, major manufacturers of baby powder products opt to not warn consumers of these risks.

This has prompted many women and their loved ones to file baby powder lawsuits against companies like Johnson & Johnson for failing to include warnings that their baby powder products could cause ovarian cancer.

In general, baby powder cancer lawsuits are filed individually by each plaintiff and are not class actions.