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Table 3 Cosmetic ingredients and cancer risk

From: Associations between environmental factors and incidence of cutaneous melanoma. Review

Cosmetic substance

Risk

DEA (diethanolamine)

TEA (triethanolamine)

can result in formation of carcinogenic nitrosamines

Bronopol (2-bromo-2-nitropropane-1,3-diol)

may break down into formaldehyde and also cause the formation of nitrosamines

1,2-Dioxane in surfactants/detergents

contaminated with carcinogenic 1,4-dioxane

Artificial colours (as Blue 1 and Green 3)

Carcinogenic

Hair dyes

dark colours ingredients are carcinogenic

Cosmetic lanolin

can be contaminated with carcinogenic pesticides such as DDT, dieldrin, and lindane, in addition to other neurotoxic pesticides

Talc

Carcinogenic

Silica

may be contaminated with carcinogenic crystalline quartz