“Can Turn Deadly Way Too Quickly”: 34 Seemingly Harmless Things That Can Be Incredibly Dangerous

To find the mundane things that we think are safe but actually aren’t, we don’t have to dig deep. Most of us use them in our daily lives without even realizing it. 

An independent American laboratory, Valisure, and its dozen scientists over the past five years have discovered potentially cancer-causing chemicals in commonly used medications, hand sanitizers, sunscreens, antiperspirant body sprays, and dry shampoos.

The organization aims to shut down the widely spread misconception that products people buy have been through enough testing to be deemed safe. 

“Most consumers assume that because it’s for sale, it must be safe,” says Teresa Murray, director at the nonprofit U.S. Public Interest Research Group (PIRG). “Oftentimes, that’s very much not true.”

Despite common belief, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration isn’t thoroughly analyzing every shampoo or supplement that is available for sale. Interestingly enough, the FDA doesn’t have to approve most cosmetics before they are put on the shelves. Not to mention the effect it will have on our health after years of daily use.

Products like sunscreen, hair care, and fragrances are regularly causing concern for scientists. “The more we look [at consumer products], the worse it looks,” says Dr. Megan Schwarzman. However, she adds that it’s not always easy to understand the potential risks caused by some of the chemicals found.

“There’s lead in pigments in lipstick,” she says. “If you wear lipstick once a month, it’s probably not a big exposure.” But it’s hard to say if wearing it a few times a week is enough to cause health problems over the years or decades. What complicates matters even more is that it’s nearly impossible to isolate which chemicals may pose a threat to our well-being, as we’re constantly exposed to toxins at low concentrations.

In a new study released just last month (July 2024), researchers found arsenic, lead, and other heavy metals in 100% of the tampons they tested. However, it’s not yet recognized as a serious health threat, as scientists aren’t sure how absorption in women’s reproductive organs works.

Even the water that we consume daily to survive is not completely safe. Bottled H2O that we buy in stores has been found to contain microplastics that may accumulate in the body and cause health issues in the long run. However, as with the chemicals mentioned previously, the health effects of microplastics aren’t yet fully proven. 

The main takeaway here is that we should be more cautious of the things that look the most harmless, not the ones that have a one in 4 million chance of happening, like a shark attack.

If you're curious to know more, make sure to check out our previous articles on dangerous but completely legal things.

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