The Use and Safety of Sodium Lauryl Sulfate in Nu Skin® Products
Quality
control is crucial to any company promoting products for better
living. Nu Skin was founded on the belief that it could develop
products containing beneficial, effective, and safe ingredients.
Commitment to this belief means only ingredients that have been
determined to be safe by major governmental and regulatory bodies
are used. Nu Skin continues to monitor the latest research on
ingredient safety to maintain the highest standard of safety and
quality.
The scientific committees that review these studies in the United
States and Europe are associated with organizations such as the
European Commission Scientific Committee on Consumer Products
(SCCP); Personal Care Products Council (PCPC)-formerly Cosmetics,
Toiletries, and Fragrance Association (CTFA); the European Cosmetic
Toiletry and Perfumery Association (COLIPA); the Environmental
Protection Agencies (EPA); the Food and Drug Administration (FDA);
and the American Medical Association (AMA), to name a few. These
review boards are made up of unbiased and qualified scientists and
professionals that understand the methods of scientific research
and are experts in their fields. These committees examine available
studies on a given ingredient and determine human safety
applications and environmental impact when used in cosmetics. The
PCPC provides ingredient safety information to the Cosmetic
Industry through the Cosmetic Ingredient Review board (CIR), a
program established in 1976 to assess cosmetic ingredient safety in
an unbiased, independent forum. The CIR is comprised of an expert
panel of respected physicians and scientists. Nu Skin is a member
of the Personal Care Product Council and respects CIR
recommendations and findings.
What
Is Sodium Lauryl Sulfate?
Sodium
lauryl sulfate (SLS) is a chemical used for its superior foaming
quality in hundreds of commercial products including shampoo,
bubble bath, mouthwash, and even candy. An extensive study of this
compound found that, like other detergent agents, it can cause
irritation when left on the skin for extreme periods of time.
However, "like many other chemicals, it is the manner of usage that
is important. As long as you do not rub it all over your body and
reapply it every hour for 24 hours, it's perfectly safe," said
researcher, Keith Green, PhD, DSc, of the Medical College of
Georgia, who began studying SLS and its compounds in 1982 and
carried out his work through 1987. Dr. Green's research has been
misquoted in several e-mail messages and statements.
The American Cancer Society in response to circulation of
inflammatory emails that question the safety of SLS has reported
affirmatively that (SLS) "does not cause cancer," (Ibid). The
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) agrees. The
National Toxicology Program and the International Agency for
Research on Cancer both rate SLS as non-carcinogenic.
A report from an expert panel of the Cosmetic Ingredient Review
committee released by the Cosmetic, Toiletry, and Fragrance
Association concluded, " Sodium Lauryl Sulfate and Ammonium Lauryl
Sulfate appear to be safe in formulations designed for
discontinuous, brief use followed by thorough rinsing from the
surface of the skin. " (Ibid).
Throughout the industry, cosmetic and hygiene companies use SLS and
similar detergents to produce the foaming quality that helps to
clean more thoroughly by lifting dirt and particles more
effectively. Sodium lauryl sulfate can be an irritant if formulated
incorrectly, and a shampoo containing 15 percent SLS is tolerable
because it comes in contact with the scalp for just a few minutes
and is diluted with water while in use. Should it get in the eyes
one would certainly want to flush it out as soon as possible, and
swallowing a lot is not advised. Those are the greatest dangers SLS
poses to the average consumer. Although the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration does require that fluoride toothpastes shipped as of
April 7, 1998, carry a warning label about the dangers of
swallowing too much toothpaste, and sodium lauryl sulfate is
identified as one of the three ingredients posing a health risk
(along with sorbitol and fluoride), it is because it can cause
diarrhea, not because it causes cancer.
http://www.snopes2.com/toxins/shampoo.htm
Nu
Skin's Commitment to Safety
We
are aware of the recent concerns involving sodium lauryl sulfate
and are closely monitoring all other research connected to this
ingredient. As a member of the Personal Care Product Council, Nu
Skin continues its commitment to product quality and customer
safety.