No More Tears, but Some Formaldehyde

[emma_in_dream]

I knew the Australian formulae for Johnson & Johnson baby wash has formaldehyde... because I wrote to them and their response was that it isn't such a big deal. What's a little carcinogen in the big scheme of things?

Apparently they actually have a version on the shelves in some countries, just not Australia or the USA.

http://jezebel.com/5855115/johnson--johnson-gently-poisoning-babies-with-its-shampoo

Comments

[lauredhel]

How much formaldehyde does it contain? You have it in your blood, too, and as a normal part of your biochemistry, not as a contaminant. With formaldehyde, the dose is the poison. Formaldehyde also doesn't last long in aqueous solution.

[emma_in_dream]

The dose is the poison is the standard belief, but I do think that the timing is important to. (Eg. thalidomide - fine for adults, hideous for the growing foetus).

[lauredhel]

I don't think that thalidomide is a good analogy here - it's not a normal part of metabolism, and it's not naturally present in foods.

"The dose is the poison" is not true for everything, but it is true for formaldehyde. Unless you also rigorously avoid apples, pears, banana, carrot, spinach, cauliflower, meats, and lots of other foods? Here's a fairly brief but sensible writeup, and some source data.