Rapunzel asks…I’ve read on this blog that the toxic chemicals used in cosmetics are not absorbed through your skin. But can dangerous chemicals be absorbed by the open hair follicles?

The Left Brain replies:

There has been considerable research showing that our skin is a good barrier to keep most chemicals out of our body. But hair has been largely overlooked as a potential pathway for toxins to enter our bodies. At least until now.

Fearful for hair fibers

A new study published in the New England Journal of Medicine entitled “Keratinous Fiber Wicking and Follicular Penetration” examines how 25 common hair care chemicals are absorbed by hair fibers like “microscopic straws” that draw the chemicals into the follicle where they can be dissolved in the bloodstream. Chemicals that were historically thought to be harmless because they are unable to penetrate skin have a much higher degree of bio-availablity when “sucked” into the scalp through porous hair fibers.

According to the lead researcher, M. Weghosh, “…the medulla of the hair has an amplifying effect on the the potency of these chemicals. This study changes our entire world view on hair toxicology.”

Please click this link to read the entire report so you can educate your friends and family about safe hair care products.

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