COMMENTARY | Ever since I was a little girl I have been warned about the dangers of lead and lead poisoning. Lead in gasoline is bad, lead paint is dangerous, lead found in toys and candy are harmful to children. Now the Food and Drug Administration has tested 400 types of lipstick from different brands and found lead in them all. So is lipcolor now among the big lead containing "bads" as far as the FDA is concerned? No. My question to the FDA is, "Why not?"
The Real Dangers of Lead
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, lead poses a risk to children and pregnant woman -- who can pass it along to their unborn child -- as it affects them by:
- Slowing down growth and development
- Impair hearing and speech
- Cause behavioral and learning problems
Lead poisoning is believed to be a big threat when lead dust is inhaled or when lead is ingested. This is why the FDA sets limits for certain products that may contain lead.
The FDA Feels there is No Safety Concern for Lipcolor
Where cosmetics are concerned, lead quantities are regulated for lead found in certain color additives. If the lead levels exceed 20 parts per million (ppm) for color additives approved for cosmetics, then the FDA considers it a safety concern. For the 400 types of lipcolor the FDA tested, amounts of lead found ranged from 0.026ppm to 7.19ppm which falls below the 20ppm that would cause the FDA to raise a red flag.
Unlike candy which the FDA placed a lead limit of 0.1ppm, lipcolor is ingested in much smaller quantities. However, as anyone who has worn lipcolor knows, it does get ingested throughout the course of the day. I for one, need to reapply or at least touch-up my lipcolor after I eat a sandwich. Anytime I wore flavored lipcolor I tasted the flavor and if I kissed a guy he tasted it as well. So lipcolor is not just a topical cosmetic it often times gets ingested during normal wear.
Has The FDA Overlooked A Potential Danger?
Perhaps the FDA feels there is no danger since lipcolor is viewed as a topical product made for adults and teens. However, I fear the FDA has not taken into consideration that children are at risk. The CDC lists cosmetics containing lead as something to avoid using in their lead prevention tips to prevent children's exposure to lead. Some kids wear lipcolor and some can come in contact with adults wearing lead contaminated lipstick.
So who is right here? One government agency states cosmetics that contain lead should be avoided and another that feels as long as the lead levels do not exceed 20ppm it is considered safe to use. I intend to err on the side of caution when I know I will be around children and opt not to wear any of the 400 lipcolors the FDA tested.
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