Title: Skin Care Horror Stories Word Count: 636 Summary: There are researchers that have elaborated on the diseases caused by the chemical components of cosmetics and skin care products. Baillie- Hamilton an environmental health specialist at Sterling University in Scotland details how the toxins can cause problems as serious as immune system diseases, neurological disorders, hormonal imbalances, digestive disorders, hypersensitivity, cancer, obesity, child health problems and musculoskeletal disorders etc. Pesticides are specif... Keywords: skin care Article Body: There are researchers that have elaborated on the diseases caused by the chemical components of cosmetics and skin care products. Baillie- Hamilton an environmental health specialist at Sterling University in Scotland details how the toxins can cause problems as serious as immune system diseases, neurological disorders, hormonal imbalances, digestive disorders, hypersensitivity, cancer, obesity, child health problems and musculoskeletal disorders etc. Pesticides are specifically identified as a cause of immune suppression across the world. Neurotoxins also contained in these products are a root cause of increased incidence of brain disease. Make up and body care products can even cause birth defect allergic reactions and cancer. It is owing to the fact that our body absorbs a significant amount of what we put on our skin. However what is dangerous is that there is no government regulation on this $35 million industry which regularly launches products that are potentially risky to the human body. Following are some of the products that are known to have repercussions which can be fatal. Skin Lightening Products- These products cropped up in the market owing to the popular belief that lighter and paler skin tones signify beauty. Melanin produced by melanocytes is scattered within the basal layer of the skin. This factor determines how dark a person’s skin is, if the amount of melanin produced is more then it means that person will be of darker skin tone. It has another important function for the skin that is to protect it from the harmful ultra violet rays of the sun. Working of the skin lightening product- Its contents- mercury or hydroquinone – it works to reduce the production of melanin in the body thereby making the person appear fare. The long term harm that these products cause is what is important to us. The melanin that is now produced in limiting quantities makes the skin vulnerable to skin cancer as the natural protection against UV rays is gone. The next case that we will consider is of the side effects of acne cure products. Acne is a very old problem and combating it has resulted in a struggle between the face and the products claiming to cure it available in the market. Acne is caused due to over production of oil in the glands of the body and the trapped bacteria are root causes of acne. If we want to believe it or not most acne cure products have a lot of side effects. There is definitely a temporary cure of acne but the troubles that start after it range from diseases of liver, eyes and intestines. The chief cause is the drug accutane that although highly effective but can cause adverse effects on remission. So this problem although pertinent in adolescents should be handled with care. There are natural substitutes for these off the shelf solutions which could cause lasting damage. According to a Cancer coalition press release in June 2000, typical cosmetics and individual sanitation products pose the maximum danger to cancer. As opposed to the company’s claims of all natural ingredients a closer examination puts forward an altogether different scheme. This is very harmful as discussed above as the body absorbs a significant amount of what is applied on the skin so when artificial ingredients are ingested, the body has to spend immense amount of essential energies in fighting off them to eradicate them from the body. It is the liver that takes the maximum brunt of disposing these toxins from the body. The liver is a very important part of the body and if it is damages then the body becomes weak and diseases of all kinds plague it. So it is best to be very attentive when you choose skin care products and it’s always beneficial to find a natural solution as opposed to a cosmetic one.