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• Feb 25, 2008 5:58 pm US/Central
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  Heavy Metals In Your Mascara?

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Heavy Metals In Your Mascara?

Many Cosmetic Products Contain Small Amounts Of Chemicals

(CBS 11 News) It's something you probably never thought about, but many cosmetic products do contain small amounts of chemicals that, over time, could cause health problems.

"We encountered several people who were poisoned by mercury in cosmetics," said Nutritional Biochemist Jay Foster.

Mercury is a toxic heavy metal. It can cause neurological symptoms in adults. It and many other chemicals may be bombarding your body in ways you never imagined.

"They put it in mascara and other cosmetics as a preservative," said Foster. "It's called thimerosal."

Thimerosal is the same controversial preservative banned from use in children's vaccines.

"I have seen studies that say the average woman will absorb 5 pounds of chemicals from their makeup over their lifetime," said toxicologist Dr. Eric Ridland.

According to the Food and Drug Administration, mercury compounds can be used in eye area cosmetics at concentrations not exceeding 65 parts per million -- a dose the agency considers not harmful.

"The amount of mercury in mascaras is very very small, but it adds to our total mercury exposure, which we want to limit," said Jonette Keri, a dermatologist at the University of Miami.

Experts say consumers should review the ingredients list in their cosmetics. However, mercury based preservatives may not always be listed.

"Look for products that have less than 10 ingredients," said Keri. "They say that if a product has less than 10 ingredients, it will be less likely to cause an allergic reaction."

Also, check the country of origin. Some foreign made skin lightening crèmes have turned up with alarming levels.

But even buying locally is not enough. Texas does not regulate mercury or other chemicals in cosmetics.

Click here for a database that lists products and their ingredients.

(© MMVIII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

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