In addition, according to the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, cosmetics have been found to account for 10 percent of all allergic reactions in the U.S. While the EWG acknowledges that hormone-altering chemicals should not be in cosmetics used by anyone of any age, it specifically highlights their risks to teenagers. Since their bodies are still developing, teens are especially vulnerable to the dangers that exposure to these chemicals may pose, including cancer and damage to reproductive systems. Since teenage girls typically experiment with various body care products, they tend to use a lot more than the average individual. According to the EWG, exposure to the chemicals found in these products can cause a subtle but damaging sequence of effects that can lead to health problems later on in life. The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics points to this study as proof that there is currently no regulation of chemicals in cosmetics, and says laws are needed at the state and federal level to keep chemicals out of personal care products. According to the EWG, the FDA does not require that cosmetic products or ingredients be tested for safety before they are sold. Many medical experts say there is no absolute proof that certain beauty products can pose health risks, and some dermatologists think more studies need to be done in order to determine whether certain ingredients are true health risks. In short, consumers should recognize that most body care products contain suspect ingredients–the ones that the EWG believes cause cancer, birth defects, and endocrine disruption.
