Loads of Talcum powder - cancer scare - waste to throw away

[2015mom]

I have loads of Johnson's Talcum powder which was given as presents. After Johnson's had to pay compensation to somebody who got cancer from using talcum powder I no longer use it on my baby.

Seems a waste to throw them away.

Are there any other uses other than drying out greasy hair?

On feet after you have been on the beach

I use it in swimming caps. In fact, I need some.

I thought that was only considered a possbible, but not proven, risk if you used it on the genital area?

I've used talc all my life and occasionally use it on my children, but only between their toes, or occasionally under their arms. I'm 40 and I remember learning as a teenager that it wasn't suitable for using as a 'feminine hygiene' product, so that's around 25 years ago. I wouldn't be put off using it on feet or something. I'd be more concerned about getting it up a baby's nose and causing them breathing difficulties to be honest.

Just found this article on net... I would try the ones which are not around the genital area

home.bt.com/lifestyle/house-home/10-surprising-everyday-uses-for-talcum-powder-11363991093647

Ive got fat legs that rub when sweaty talc is a god send on warm days to stop chaffing between the legs. Cheap talc doesn't work nearly as well as Johnson's imo

I was reading a thread on here the other day someone uses it to shave their legs?? Haven't tried that myself.

Swimming cap
Fat thighs in summer

Do you think foodbanks might take it if there is a collection point near you?

Freecycle.

I used to dry shave with it when in a rush.

Used to do the bikini area as well for years in fact.

Into smelly trainers.

Also use it for getting rid of ants. Leave it where you see them coming in and they take it back to their nest and they suffocate.

Into hair instead of dry shampoo.

Whenever my dogs go to the kennels they get a bath before they come home. When they are dry she puts talc on them and brushes it out. They always smell lovely.

Thanks everybody
Sounds great

If it's cancer forming, I wouldn't use it anywhere!!!

It's a much less widely used product than it was many years ago. If it was cancer causing you'd think we'd be seeing a drop in cancer rates in recent years.

I thought the cancer link was with women who put talc in their knicker gussets on a daily basis.

I would imagine the link is with any brand of talc rather than only J&J.

I remember hearing a while back that J&J baby shampoo was also causing cancer.

I tried the dry shave thing the other day and it actually worked very well! Much better than oil.

I usually use it to remove grease stains from clothes. 100% effective so far, though I've needed to treat a particularly bad mark twice. Completely cover the grease stain with powder, rub it in (on both sides if it's a bad one) then leave it a couple of days before putting in the wash.

Just to add that there is no reliable scientific evidence that the talc can cause cancer, let alone that it caused her cancer (I wasn't aware we were able to pinpoint what causes any cancers, but apparently the American courts have found a way...). God knows how they ever won that case.

Also use it for getting rid of ants. Leave it where you see them coming in and they take it back to their nest and they suffocate.*

Poor ants.

Sprinkle it over wet patches to soak up moisture. Any places where sick or wee have been get talcum powdered, left for a while then vacuumed over. Helps remove smell too.

I read on here once about using talc to remove sand off your legs / feet etc. totally works!! Soaks up the moisture and the sand just brushes off

I have a travel sized pot I take with me to the beach for me and DS.
But then I don't believe the cancer causing thing so depends if you want it anywhere near you full stop.

It's certainly possible to legally prove that a carcinogen has caused someone's cancer on the balance of probabilities Spam. Huge numbers of asbestos workers have recieved settlements for mesothelioma, not to mention a variety of other cancers caused by industrial chemicals. And that's as it should be, we don't want employers knowingly exposing people to massively toxic substances and then saying "I'm not paying compensation because you don't have absolute proof that your work caused that cancer - maybe you'd have got it anyway."

But the ovarian cancer link to talcum powder is somewhat less well evidenced.