Why do some parents still use Talc?

[Daisyv2]

Tests of talc products, including Johnson & Johnson's popular baby powder, have revealed they can contain asbestos fibers. Mesothelioma is a rare cancer that can be caused by talcum powder contaminated with asbestos. www.asbestos.com/products/talcum-powder/

www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-44816805

It's not hard to dry your baby with a towel.

I don't want to breathe in your carcinogen or for my baby to breathe it in either

• * [Title edited by MNHQ] **

Although I must say I’ve now put 4 kids through swimming lessons and never been enveloped in a cloud of talc to the level I was worried about our safety. Perhaps use a cubicle to change in?

@inloveagain2022

Agree op. Never brought it for my little one. Never needed it either, I'm honestly not sure what the purpose is tbh.

I took it one step further as I have no trust in J&J and have not used any of their products on my child - except cotton buds. Oops!

You’ve never given your child calpol?

[quote Daisyv2]**@inloveagain2022* I took it one step further as I have no trust in J&J and have not used any of their products*

That's really interesting. I used to love their baby bath soap but I was given some by my mum for my baby and I can't stand the smell anymore! 😂[/quote]
I just feel like they are untrustworthy and involved in so many shady practices I'd rather not entrust them with washing and moisturising my child.

Saying that we used Johnson and Johnson's shampoo and lotion as children but as a parent I asked people not to give us those products and asked DH not to by them for DC.

The only trouble with talc is, the slippery bathroom floor after use.

I just feel like they are untrustworthy and involved in so many shady practices I'd rather not entrust them with washing and moisturising my child.

It’s not two men called Johnson & Johnson who show up and bathe your child for you. It’s soap and lotion made with the same ingredients as basically all other soap and lotion. You’re not ‘entrusting’ them with anything.

And unless you live some bizarre Captain Fantastic lifestyle I doubt all the businesses you support are squeaky clean in every product they make.

It’s absolutely fine for you to not use talc. I don’t use it myself. But there’s nothing like so clear a link between talc and cancer as you claim, so suggesting that other people are willingly exposing their babies to cancer for the sake of ‘convenience’ is goady and unfair.

@Daisyv2

Tests of talc products, including Johnson & Johnson's popular baby powder, have revealed they can contain asbestos fibers. Mesothelioma is a rare cancer that can be caused by talcum powder contaminated with asbestos. www.asbestos.com/products/talcum-powder/

www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-44816805

It's not hard to dry your baby with a towel.

I don't want to breathe in your carcinogen or for my baby to breathe it in either

Is that what talc is for?!

How I’ve got to almost 31 years without knowing this, I don’t know! I don’t use it, don’t think I had it used on me as a child either.

I work in a building that has lots of asbestos so the possibility that it's in talcum powder as well doesn't overly bother me, I use it on myself but not my children. Plus it seems to be the case that many years ago it did but not now, even if it did, I honestly don't care that much.

I love Talc. Use Imperial Leather every day.

My mum used to put talc in her knickers - I've no idea why. She died of cancer ...but I'm not convinced the 2 are linked. 1 in 2 people will get cancer - unfortunately there are a lot of contributing factors.
I don't use talc and didn't use it when my DC were babies but not because of cancer risks

@Daisyv2

I just couldn't live with the possibility of giving my baby cancer or myself for that matter just for a few seconds of convenience!

But you already said you don't use it. I don't understand your issue. What others do or don't do isn't your concern

I'm very surprised that baby powder still contains talc here in UK. I rarely used it on my now adult kids, but we were in the US and baby powder there is made from Corn starch (corn flour) I liked the lavender smelling one. But me being a cheapskate used Walmart brand with no talc in.

Swimming lessons occasionally.

Sandy beach it’s fantastic. Dry feel with a towel then rub talc on and dry again. All the sand comes off and no complaining about Sandy toes rubbing.

I had no idea about this, I thought it was just due to them breathing it in.

I've used talc on DD for a while, will she be ok? 😢

@bubblebath62636

I had no idea about this, I thought it was just due to them breathing it in.

I've used talc on DD for a while, will she be ok? 😢

Yes.

Read the links people have posted, any link is small and far from proven. Stop using it now if it will worry you but the chance of you using it on her up to now having a negative effect is so slim. But it is unnecessary, so it’s easy to not use it.

Being basic, to the people who can't understand what it is used for....it absorbs moisture. So..... in your pants, it absorbs vaginal discharge, in your armpits, sweat, under your boobs, particularly if you have big boobs and its very hot, it absorbs under-boob sweat.

In babies it used to be used, again to absorb moisture, when all that was available was terry towel nappies. At that time it probably would have had asbestos traces. I assume I was covered in the stuff, DM used it her entire life, and I used it up to my twenties, then got fed up with all the dust it produced and banned it from the house. I am 55 now, so was engulfed with it for 1/3 of my life. Hey ho. More things to worry about. But I would be prepared to bet money on that fact that most people in their 50's were liberally sprinkled with it.

I wish all my problems were imagining disaster scenarios about strangers using bath products....

Talcum powder can have asbestos in it because talc is mined and can occur naturally with asbestos. So it’s inherent in any talcum powder in varying concentrations, not just the variety sold as baby powder. This would include dry shampoo, women’s body perfumed powder, makeup powder etc.

That said there are talc free versions made from corn flour that are often used. The case was one where the woman doused her genitals in the powder several times a day for decades. And even then it was not clear that it was “the” cause of her ovarian cancer.

I use it for getting sand off our feet and legs at the beach, it works brilliantly. I’ve never even seen anyone using it in swimming pool changing rooms, amazed that OP is being surrounded by clouds of the stuff.

@BigWoollyJumpers

Being basic, to the people who can't understand what it is used for....it absorbs moisture. So..... in your pants, it absorbs vaginal discharge, in your armpits, sweat, under your boobs, particularly if you have big boobs and its very hot, it absorbs under-boob sweat.

In babies it used to be used, again to absorb moisture, when all that was available was terry towel nappies. At that time it probably would have had asbestos traces. I assume I was covered in the stuff, DM used it her entire life, and I used it up to my twenties, then got fed up with all the dust it produced and banned it from the house. I am 55 now, so was engulfed with it for 1/3 of my life. Hey ho. More things to worry about. But I would be prepared to bet money on that fact that most people in their 50's were liberally sprinkled with it.

Im 35 and pretty sure I was covered in it as a child

So you end up being covered in a mix of moisture and talc? Does that not clog your skin and pores?

@IsolaPribby

So you end up being covered in a mix of moisture and talc? Does that not clog your skin and pores?

Which is why I find the idea of putting talc in your knickers rather horrible.

Oh give it a bloody rest

@Daisyv2

I think they should ban talc *@dementedpixie*

But not smoking?

I think lots of beauty products ingredients are carcinogenic. They are still sold everywhere.. wouldn’t use talc ever but if you look into common beauty & skincare ingredients there are quite a few that are potential or proven carcinogens xo