Is there any difference between talcum powder and baby powder? Absolutely, yes! Talcum powder is an ingredient inside baby powder and has many other uses. On the other hand, baby powder comprises several ingredients, and it might not include talcum powder at all. Read the article below to learn about the differences more.
Talcum Powder
Before delving deeper into the difference between talcum powder and baby powder, let’s figure out what talcum powder is. Talc is a naturally formed silicate mineral used to make talcum powder. Rock deposits in the Earth’s crust are the source of this mineral.
Manufacturers crush, dry, and grind the mineral until it turns into a fine and soft white powder, often known as talcum powder. Talcum powder’s purpose in products is as a lubricant to add softness and shine. The powder prevents caking, absorbs moisture, and feels silky on the skin.
Possible Health Risks Related to Talcum Powder
Due to its properties, talcum powder has become a widely used ingredient in cosmetics, food additives, and industrial products. That is also another difference between talcum powder and baby powder. True to its name, baby powder is mainly only used for babies to prevent and treat rash.
Unfortunately, the use of talcum powder may pose some possible health risks. Follow below for the explanation regarding the risks.
1. Risk for Babies
However, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has expressed concerns about baby powder containing talcum powder for decades. The organization recommends not using products with talcum powder because inhaling the powder might lead to severe lung damage and breathing problems for the babies.
2. Mesothelioma
Some studies and lawsuits present a connection between talcum powder contaminated with asbestos and mesothelioma. What is mesothelioma? It is a deadly cancer, usually affecting the lining of the lungs, abdomen, or heart.
When people inhale or swallow talcum powder with asbestos fibers, it may cause inflammation and scarring that lead to mesothelioma. According to Drugwatch, The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) states that talc contaminated with asbestos is carcinogenic to humans.
However, they also specify that asbestos-free talc is not identifiable as carcinogenic in humans. The basis of this statement is the agency’s monographs on the identification of carcinogenic hazards to humans in June 2020.
3. Ovarian Cancer
Studies back in the 1960s have suggested a link between talcum powder and ovarian cancer. Even so, the FDA said there hasn’t been a conclusive determination. These studies involve the usage of talcum powder around the genital area by women.
A study from Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention revealed that the use of talcum powder on genitals by African American women had a 44% increased risk of getting ovarian cancer. The IARC declared that using talcum powder in the genital area is possibly carcinogenic to humans, according to June 2020 monographs.
Baby Powder
Even though there are baby powders that use talcum powder as an ingredient, not all of them do. Some baby powders use cornstarch and arrowroot instead of talcum powder. That is the main difference between talcum powder and baby powder.
1. Cornstarch Baby Powder
Cornstarch is quite a popular ingredient for various food types, including gravies, sauces, and soups. Therefore, cornstarch baby powder is made from these food ingredients. This baby powder has larger particles and is considered safer than talcum-based ones.
Despite this, cornstarch baby powder still raises the risk of causing respiratory issues in babies and adults, especially when inhaled in large quantities. If you insist on using cornstarch baby powder, keep the product away from the face and use it in small amounts.
2. Arrowroot Baby Powder
Arrowroot baby powder is made from arrowroot powder or arrowroot starch. This ingredient comes out as a fine, white, and odorless powder acquired from the fleshy tubers of the arrowroot plant. Arrowroot powder also has benefits for healing wounds, rashes, and skin soreness.
Frequently, this powder exists in natural, vegan, and organic products as an alternative to products, like baby powder, that contain talc or cornstarch. The texture of arrowroot baby powder can be even finer and silkier than the cornstarch version. Hence, this makes it even more suitable for the baby’s delicate skin.
Moreover, it doesn’t have the negative connotation associated with possible health risks following the use of either talc or cornstarch-based baby powders.
Controversy Regarding Baby Powder
Now, you know the general difference between talcum powder and baby powder. Unfortunately, there has been controversy related to baby powder that ended up in lawsuits. Referring to Healthline, over 6,600 baby powder lawsuits are filed by people against Johnson & Johnson.
The ones who filed for lawsuits are mainly women with ovarian cancer. They claim that the ovarian cancer that they suffer from is due to years of talcum powder use on their genitals. Not only women but some men who encounter problems after using talc-based baby powders also brought their lawsuits.
The basis for the claim is using many scientific studies published since the 1970s. These studies insinuate that prolonged use of talc-based baby powders in female genitals is related to a slightly higher risk of having ovarian cancer.
Related Studies Involving Baby Powder
In a review of dozens of papers regarding the issue from 2018, scientists managed to find a weak link between genital area use of talc-based baby powder and ovarian cancer. The study concluded that the link depends on the amount of baby powder used. In this case, the more the use, the stronger the link.
While a much larger study published in 2014 involved over 61,000 postmenopausal women. Despite the continuous use of the baby powder, these women are not suffering from ovarian cancer. In conclusion, this study found no association between using talcum-based baby powder on genital areas and ovarian cancer.
Have You Understood The Difference Between Talcum Powder and Baby Powder?
Even though talcum powder and baby powder might be similar, these two are not the same. The main difference between talcum powder and baby powder lies in the usage and the source. Now, you can tell these two powders apart clearly.
