Talc powder is a natural mineral that is mined in various locations around the world and is commonly used to produce baby powder and cosmetics.
The composition of talc powder includes magnesium, silicon, oxygen, and hydrogen, which combine to form anhydrous magnesium silicate. A notable characteristic of this powder is its ability to absorb moisture, prevent clumping, provide opacity, and contribute to the texture of makeup products.
WHO warns that talc powder used in baby powder may cause cancer (Image: Getty).
Although talc powder is widely used in the production of cosmetics, there are still many concerns regarding its safety.
The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), part of the World Health Organization (WHO), attracted public attention on July 5 by warning that talc powder “may cause cancer.” This warning was issued on July 5 and immediately garnered significant public interest.
This statement is based on several scientific documents published since the 1960s that have indicated a potential link between the use of talc-containing products and ovarian cancer rates.
According to IARC, recent studies have continuously pointed to an increased risk of ovarian cancer in women who use talcum powder in their genital area.
The agency further noted that most people are at risk of exposure to talc in the form of baby powder or cosmetics. However, the process that leads to significant human exposure to this powder occurs during extraction and processing of the final product.
Nonetheless, IARC believes that the specific effects and mechanisms by which talc may cause harm are still “not fully determined.”
This announcement came just weeks after pharmaceutical company Johnson & Johnson (USA) agreed to pay $700 million to settle allegations of misleading customers about the safety of talc-containing baby powder products.
In this settlement, Johnson & Johnson did not admit to any wrongdoing, even though they withdrew the product from the North American market in 2020.
In response to IARC’s warning, some experts have pointed out that the public should not misinterpret this as “clear evidence.”
Kevin McConway, a statistician not involved in the research at The Open University (UK), emphasized that the WHO’s message is not sufficiently alarming, as in reality “there is no clear evidence that using talcum powder increases cancer risk.”
