Hot Topics Other Than Skin - Kotex Targets Teenage Girls

While walking up the busy thoroughfare of 14 Street yesterday I was handed a metallic box with neon colored patterns and a post card declaring boldly that the Patricia Field design that graced the tin had saved me from the "dullsville" of tampon use.  For anyone who has read or listened to Dr. Christine Northrup's  discussions on the female menstrual and reproductive cycle it's anything but dullsville. The bevy of slightly older women undoubtedly picked to give that cool older sister vibe to hand out totes bags of this product were strategically situated at the crossroads of several high schools in the area. I had arrived at about 3pm just at the moment when gaggles of teen and tween girls were on their way home. While I admire Patricia Field's longevity in the business and have even worked with her company as a model, I must say I was taken aback by the list of ingredients on the package. I wondered if Patricia had any idea what was in this product let alone the affect it would have on the females using it. (Does everyone just jump at endorsements and branding opportunities without looking deeply at what they are promoting?) Also under suspicion were the artificially colored applicators.

Being an avid label reader it started off sounding alright; "100% chlorine free bleached tampons..." Then I arrived at "made of polyurethane..." going on to list nylon, rayon and other decidedly non organic cotton materials. Stop the presses!  As I handed back the tin I said "No, Sis, we shouldn't be putting petroleum in our bodies as women." She then suggested I throw away the tampons and keep the tin. Sad. Sorry Kotex but polyurethane in case you hadn't heard is made from petroleum. Petroleum is toxic. As I read the label I was more than unhappy at the fate of these young women being seduced with bright colors and a fashion taste maker's design. The Tampon Safety portion of the Kotex site says "...Using these tests, dioxin levels in the rayon raw materials for tampons are reported to be at or below the detectable limit of the state-of-the-art dioxin assay, i.e., approximately 0.1 to 1 parts per trillion. FDA's risk assessment indicates that this exposure is many times less than normally present in the body from other environmental sources, so small that any risk of adverse health effects is considered negligible. A part per trillion is about the same as one teaspoon in a lake fifteen feet deep and a mile square."  Thing is the female body is not a lake that's 15 feet deep and a mile square.

The effects of any toxin are cumulative. In this argument we are encouraged to use flawed logic based on an example where women's bodies are compared to lakes and that the toxins present are no more dangerous than any of the other toxins we are exposed to day after day and year after year. What they fail to admit is that this "negligible amount" of toxin is going to be directly inserted into a woman's body right next to her reproductive system. For more mind blowing information on plastics and how they have invaded our lives pick up a copy of The Healthy Home by Dave & Dr. Myron Wentz.

Not worried yet?
How about this "....Polyurethane is starting to cause much concern. The manufacture of PVC uses a class of chemicals suspected of causing cancer, kidney damage and disruption of the body’s hormone system. In children, exposure to PVC can increase the risk of developing asthma and allergies, and may be responsible for the large rise in asthma observed in developed countries over the last 30 years. Exposure to polyurethane can cause respiratory problems and chemically induced asthma. Polyurethane also contains chemicals which may cause damage to the nervous system and are probably carcinogens. The fumes from Polyurethane when it is burnt are also extremely toxic...'
Now what happens to these products when they are buried in landfills?  Aside from the damage done to the user the thought is staggering. I'd like my tampons like my skin care and makeup paraben free please.
Tip: Use organic cotton tampons please