A recent study from researchers at Brown University has found that individuals who are pregnant or nursing tend to have higher levels of harmful synthetic chemicals linked to personal care products.
The research, published in Environment International, revealed that using personal care items such as nail polish, makeup, and hair dye during pregnancy or breastfeeding correlates with significantly increased levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, commonly referred to as PFAS, in both blood plasma and breast milk.
“Although PFAS are commonly found in the environment, our findings suggest that personal care products can be a controllable source of these chemicals,” explained Amber Hall, a postdoctoral research associate in epidemiology at the Brown University School of Public Health. “Women concerned about their exposure to these substances during pregnancy or breastfeeding may want to reduce their use of personal care products during these periods.”
PFAS are man-made chemicals that have been present in household and industrial products since the 1950s due to their resistance to oil, water, and heat. The study indicates that PFAS exposure is linked to various health issues, including liver problems, cardiometabolic and cardiovascular disorders, and several types of cancer.
While previous research has found PFAS in personal care items, few have directly linked the use of these products to internal PFAS levels, according to Hall. Understanding this relationship is crucial as exposure to PFAS during pregnancy could lead to negative birth outcomes, such as lower birth weights, premature births, certain neurodevelopmental disorders, and reduced vaccine responses in children.
Hall led a team that studied data from the Maternal-Infant Research on Environmental Chemicals Study, which included 2,001 pregnant individuals from ten Canadian cities, conducted between 2008 and 2011. The researchers assessed how the use of personal care products affected PFAS concentrations in prenatal plasma (six to thirteen weeks of pregnancy) and breast milk (two to ten weeks after birth). Participants indicated how often they used products across eight categories during their first and third trimesters, as well as shortly after giving birth and several weeks postpartum.
The findings showed that, among those in their first trimester, greater usage of nail care, fragrances, makeup, and hair products was linked to elevated PFAS levels in plasma. The same trend was noted in the third trimester, where personal care product use correlated with PFAS levels in breast milk at two to ten weeks postpartum.
For example, participants who wore makeup daily during both the first and third trimesters exhibited 14% and 17% increased levels of PFAS in their plasma and breast milk, respectively, compared to those who did not wear makeup daily. Additionally, individuals using colored permanent hair dye shortly after giving birth also showed heightened PFAS levels (an increase of 16% to 18% compared to those who never used such dye) in their breast milk.
Hall noted that the study focused on just four types of PFAS, out of thousands used across various industries, suggesting the actual exposure levels from these products during pregnancy may be underestimated.
Hall worked with Joseph Braun, an epidemiology professor and director of children’s environmental health at Brown University, who has researched PFAS health effects for over ten years. Braun emphasized that future studies should investigate how different types of personal care products, their timing, frequency of use, and formulations affect PFAS exposure. Such research can inform individual choices and influence PFAS regulations.
“Research like this not only helps individuals understand how their product choices impact their personal risk but also highlights potential population-wide effects,” Braun said. “This underscores the need for regulatory action, allowing us to alleviate some of the responsibility from individuals.”
The Maternal-Infant Research on Environmental Chemicals Study, which Braun contributed to, was funded by Health Canada’s Chemicals Management Plan, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (MOP-81285), and the Ontario Ministry of the Environment.