“Organic” Tampon Brand Exposed for using Cancer-Causing Titanium Dioxide
How a Tik Tok video educated hundreds of women on the reproductive concerns surrounding these tampons.
About a week ago, I bought a 30 pack of tampons at Target. The brand I bought is called “L.” The tampons are marketed as “100% Organic Cotton Tampons.”
Pretty safe, right? At least that’s what I thought.
Later that night I scrolled through TikTok and came across a video of a woman explaining her experience with L. tampons.
She used this brand for a couple years but then her period started to last for weeks. After these symptoms continued, she decided to visit a doctor. The gynecologist told her cysts developed in her ovaries. Her prolonged bleeding was a result of the cysts.
The brand she used, L., uses titanium dioxide, an inorganic compound that may cause cancer.
She claimed these tampons caused her to experience prolonged bleeding and develop ovarian cysts. Several other women reacted to this video explaining they use L. tampons and were recently diagnosed with reproductive issues.
Several of these women plan to sue L. for being dishonest about their “100% Organic” marketing scheme and potentially for causing reproductive harm.
I checked the back of my tampon package and, sure enough, they use titanium dioxide.
What is titanium dioxide?
Titanium Dioxide, or TiO2, is a white coloring agent used in cosmetic products, toothpaste, deodorant, desserts and paint. It makes items white.
There are several health concerns regarding TiO2. The state of New Jersey published a fact sheet in response to the Right To Know about Hazardous Substances. This sheet directly states:
Titanium dioxide can affect you when inhaled.
Titanium dioxide should be handled as a CARCINOGEN with extreme caution.
Titanium dioxide can irritate the lungs.
The International Agency for Research on Cancer classifies titanium dioxide as “possibly carcinogenic to humans.” Studies show rats develop lung tumors after prolonged exposure of titanium dioxide.
Another study found exposure to nanoparticles of titanium dioxide result in a decrease in embryo development in ovaries of mice. Their findings also suggest a decrease in fertility from TiO2 exposure.
The Environmental Working Group claims TiO2 damages DNA.
European lawmakers recently banned titanium dioxide as a food additive, stating TiO2 is unfit for human consumption. In America, titanium dioxide is widely used and often not even listed in the ingredients.
A woman from California filed a class action lawsuit against Mars, after finding trace amounts of titanium dioxide in Skittles candy. The ingredient list did not state the candy contained titanium dioxide.
Additionally, Mars incorporated promised the public they would phase out all artificial color agents by 2021.
Despite this neglected promise, Mars Incorporated remained the world’s leading confectionary company in 2020.
Mars, P&G (who owns L. Organic) and hundreds of other companies continue to use titanium dioxide in food, makeup, tampons and thousands of other consumer items.
It’s a worldwide pandemic.
These companies neglect the science surrounding titanium dioxide. Instead, they generate billions of dollars in sales and become too arrogant to care about the average American’s health.
The brand I switched to is called The Honey Pot. Based on their ingredient list, this brand is free from titanium dioxide. Comment below to share any other safe brands you may know!
Thank you so much for taking the time to read my article! Increasing awareness is the first step toward solving a problem.
