Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhat Is Talc?Asbestos in TalcOvarian CancerMesotheliomaLung CancerUterine CancerOther CancersHow to Avoid TalcFrequently Asked Questions
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
What Is Talc?
Asbestos in Talc
Ovarian Cancer
Mesothelioma
Lung Cancer
Uterine Cancer
Other Cancers
How to Avoid Talc
Frequently Asked Questions
It’s been suggested that asbestos, a mineral that’s naturally found in talc, could be behind the connection. Asbestos is a known cause of cancer, especially if it’s inhaled.
This article will go over what research has shown about talcum powder and cancer. You will learn whether there is any evidence that talc causes cancer and what some of the theories about talc, asbestos, and cancer are. You’ll also find out how to avoid talc if you’re worried about cancer.
Bundit Yuwannasiri / EyeEm / Getty Images
Does Talcum Powder Expose You to Asbestos?
Before diving into the concerns that talcum powder causes cancer, it’s important to know what talc is
Talc, technically known as hydrous magnesium silicate, is a mineral that’s naturally found in the earth. It’s made up of magnesium, silicon, oxygen, and hydrogen.
The rock is mined and then milled. The extracted and ground talc is used in a wide variety of products, but the ones that garner the most attention are personal care items like the following:
The main purpose of talc in these products is to absorb moisture and oil, reduce skin friction and odor, prevent caking, and create a smooth feel.
However, it’s a standard that’s not formally enforced. Concerns about talc’s possible link to cancer still exist, particularly among those who work mining talc and in those who have used talc-containing products.
Many Products Contain Talcum PowderTalc is found in everything from paper to plastics to personal care items. It’s used to make roof shingles and as an anti-stick agent in chewing gum. It can also prevent corrosion and increase adhesiveness in paint, give printability to paper, impart silkiness to cosmetics like blush and eye shadow, and help process rubber into tires, among many other uses.The vast majority of talc used in the United States is found in plastics, ceramics, and paint. Only a fraction is used in cosmetics.
Many Products Contain Talcum Powder
Talc is found in everything from paper to plastics to personal care items. It’s used to make roof shingles and as an anti-stick agent in chewing gum. It can also prevent corrosion and increase adhesiveness in paint, give printability to paper, impart silkiness to cosmetics like blush and eye shadow, and help process rubber into tires, among many other uses.The vast majority of talc used in the United States is found in plastics, ceramics, and paint. Only a fraction is used in cosmetics.
Talc is found in everything from paper to plastics to personal care items. It’s used to make roof shingles and as an anti-stick agent in chewing gum. It can also prevent corrosion and increase adhesiveness in paint, give printability to paper, impart silkiness to cosmetics like blush and eye shadow, and help process rubber into tires, among many other uses.
The vast majority of talc used in the United States is found in plastics, ceramics, and paint. Only a fraction is used in cosmetics.
Asbestos in Talcum Powder
Some concerns about talcum powder and cancer are really concerns about asbestos. Although talc and asbestos are different minerals, they’re found close to each other in the earth, making it easy for one substance to contaminate the other when it’s mined.According to some sources, 1 gram of talc can contain millions of fibers of asbestos.
Exposure to asbestos can lead to a variety of cancers, including:
What Is Pleural Mesothelioma?
Talc and Ovarian Cancer
One type of cancer that is frequently linked to talcum powder is ovarian cancer.
Several studies, including a large-scale one published in theJournal of the American Medical Association, have found a small increase inovarian cancerin people who’ve used talc products in their genital area.The increase jumps from a lifetime risk of 1.3% to 1.7%.The IARC notes that while the research is limited, the findings are consistent.
It’s thought that asbestos in talc, or even the talc itself regardless of any asbestos contamination, may cause inflammation in the body that can lead to cancer. But researchers can’t say for sure how or even if talc causes cancer. That’s because many of the studies are based on what scientists call case controls.
Women with ovarian cancer (the cases) are compared to women without ovarian cancer (the controls) and are asked to recall their use of talc products in the past. Women with ovarian cancer have reported more use of talc products in their genital area, but that doesn’t prove that talc caused the cancer.
Talcum Powder Lawsuits
Does Talc Cause Ovarian Cancer?
Talc and Mesothelioma
The biggest risk factor for developing mesothelioma is exposure to asbestos. It’s thought that when asbestos fibers are inhaled, they can penetrate the pleura and cause irritation, leading to cancer.
Those at the highest risk tend to be people who’veworkedaround asbestos, which has been used in insulation, construction, automotive plants, and other industries. But some studies have linked mesothelioma to repeated use of cosmetic talcum powder contaminated with asbestos.
What Is Mesothelioma?
Talc, Asbestos, and Lung Cancer
There are also concerns about talc leading tolung cancer, but the American Cancer Society reports that using talcum powder has not been shown to increase the risk of developinglung cancer.
However, studies looking at whether those who mine and process talc have higher rates of lung cancer have been mixed.
Given the fact that miners/millers are exposed to a lot of different minerals, including asbestos, when they extract and process talc, it’s difficult to know what particular agent may be the cancer culprit.
Talc and Uterine Cancer
Research has also looked at whether the risk of reproductive cancers other than ovarian cancer is increased among people who use talcum powder, but the results have been mixed.
One study looking at more than 66,000 women found that those who used talcum powder in the perineal region (the space between the vagina and anus) did not have a higher risk ofendometrial cancer(cancer of the uterine lining) unless they were postmenopausal.
Women who used talc and were past menopause had a 21% to 24% increased risk of developing endometrial cancer. Other studies, however, have found no link.
What Increases Your Risk of Uterine Cancer?
Talc and Other Cancers
There’s not enough evidence to show that talc use raises the risk of other cancers, but experts note that research is limited and more studies need to be done to find out for sure.
Products containing asbestos-free talc are generally considered safe to use, but there’s no foolproof way to know if the talc product you’re using is without asbestos. If you’re at all concerned about talc and its possible connection to cancer, stop using talc products. Read the products list of ingredients and avoid products that contain:
A Word From Verywell
Research on the link between talcum powder and cancer has been inconsistent. Some researchers asked study subjects to rely on memory recall, which can be prone to errors. Other studies may have shown a link but not a definite cause and effect relationship between talc and cancer.
To identify products containing talc, read labels. Stop using any product if you’re worried about its possible effects on your health.
Do Tampons Have Toxic Chemicals in Them?
There is no clear evidence that talcum powder directly causes cancer. Studies have suggested that people using talc products, especially those that might have asbestos in them, might be at an increased risk for some forms of cancer. Asbestos is known to be a cancer-causing agent.
It’s not clear that talcum powder directly causes cancer; however, there have been claims that talc might increase the risk of reproductive cancers (ovarian and uterine), and mesothelioma. Research on this connection has been inconclusive, however.
Talc itself is not necessarily harmful to your health; however, if the talc is contaminated with asbestos, that mineral can harm your lungs. Asbestos exposure has been linked to cancer of the voice box, lung cancer, and mesothelioma.
20 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
American Cancer Society.Talcum powder and cancer.
New York Times.What is talc, where is it used and why is asbestos a concern?
United States Geological Survey.U.S. Talc.
Geology.com.Talc: The softest mineral.
Food and Drug Administration.Talc.
National Cancer Institute.Asbestos exposure and cancer risk.
American Cancer Society.Asbestos and cancer risk.
World Health Association.Asbestos: Elimination of asbestos-related diseases.
Food and Drug Administration.FDA advises consumers to stop using certain cosmetic products.
O’Brien KM, Tworoger SS, Harris HR, et al.Association of powder use in the genital area with risk of ovarian cancer.JAMA.2020;323(1):49–59. doi:10.1001/jama.2019.20079
National Center for Health Research.Talcum powder and ovarian cancer.
IARC Working Group on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risks to Humans.Carbon black, titanium dioxide, and talc. Lyon (FR): International Agency for Research on Cancer. (IARC Monographs on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risks to Humans, No. 93.) 6, Evaluation and Rationale.
National Law Review.October 2020 talc lawsuit update: Johnson & Johnson agrees to pay $100 million settlement.
American Cancer Society.Key statistics for lung cancer.
American Cancer Society.Key statistics about malignant mesothelioma.
Emory TS, Maddox JC, Kradin RL.Malignant mesothelioma following repeated exposures to cosmetic talc: A case series of 75 patients.Am J Ind Med. 2020;63(6):484-489. doi:10.1002/ajim.23106
Karageorgi S, Gates MA, Hankinson SE, De Vivo I.Perineal use of talcum powder and endometrial cancer risk.Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2010;19(5):1269-1275. doi:10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-09-1221
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