Are Heavy Metals in Skin Care and Tattoos making us Sick?

The University of California study in Environmental Health Perspectives found 9 toxic heavy metals, including cadmium, arsenic, aluminium, manganese and other toxins in 32 lipsticks. (1)

Women, and some men may apply lipsticks from 2 to 14 times a day.

Lead and Mercury may also be found in skin lighting creams , anti-caking makeup and long lasting lipsticks.

Women including Elizabeth l were inspired a generation of women to smear lead all over their faces in their skin-lightening creams during the renaissance.

Tattoo ink may contain potentially harmful metal impurities such as chromium, nickel, copper, cobalt, nickel and arsenic

Red causes the most problems, most other colours of standard tattoo ink are also derived from heavy metals including lead, antimony, beryllium, chromium and cobalt.

• Barium or Titanium for white
• Iron for black, red, or brown
• Copper or Cobalt for blue
• Titanium for white
• Nickel for black
• Cadmium for yellow, orange, or red
• Lead for white, green, or yellow
• Mercury for red

Thoughts on Zeolite & Clinoptilolite testing positive for lead and other heavy metals?

Natural volcanic rock naturally do contain trace amounts of metals bound to rock particles. I have contacted our chief Clinoptilolite supplier of TGA registered product and learnt that the modified activated Clinoptilolite undergoes a high temp patented process to render a clean crystalised raw material. The particle size is also controlled to ensure that Clinoptilolite works in the gut and is not absorbed in the blood stream. Note that sources of raw material found overseas may not undergo this process and therefore may not be equivalent to TGA standard in Australia.

What about Thallium from electronic industry and coal burning?

Thallium sits between mercury and lead on the periodic table.

Thallium is a highly toxic element found in petrol and diesel fuels. People who work or live in close proximity to main roads or freeways may be at increased risk of thallium intoxication. A low dietary potassium intake, e.g. by a lack of fresh fruits that are rich in potassium, seems to predispose to this condition.

Inside cells, thallium enters the mitochondria where it inhibits cellular respiration by blocking oxidative phosphorylation. The principal effect of such poisoning is marked fatigue. Indeed, some patients with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome may in fact be suffering from thallium (and/or arsenic) toxicities.(2)

Sources of Thallium Exposure

Manufacture electronic component parts (switches and contact materials that function at low temperatures), photoelectric cells, semiconductors

Radiation counters, pigments

Luminous paints

Coloured glass and artificial gems

Coal-fired power stations, depending on the source of the coal, together with the combustion of both petrol & diesel fuels

Fish and shellfish, watercress, radish, turnip and green cabbage

Living near hazardous waste sites

Health Implications and symptoms of Thallium Exposure and Toxicity

• Affects nervous system, lung, heart, liver, and kidney if toxic exposure

• Damage the nervous system and heart and can cause death

• Severe stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhoea within 3-4 hours of exposure

• Painful and rapidly progressing peripheral neuropathies (numbness, tingling and pain, especially on the soles and palms) about 2-5 days after exposure

Therapeutic Considerations

• Remove source of exposure

• Consider chelation therapy and liver detoxification

• Administration of K from Prussian Blue may increase urinary excretion and potassium ferri-hexacyanoferrate ll is suggested for removal.(3)

• Thallium has an affinity for sulfhydryl compounds, cysteine and/or Glutathione

What is your metal toxic load?

Check your Metal and Toxic oad by completing the “toxic load Questionnaire

Which Metal test is right to measure toxicity?

Heavy metal testing is usually tested with essential minerals in one of many samples. Hair metal and mineral analysis is easy, convenient and relatively inexpensive, and represents storage of metals . Heavy metals can also be measured in a urine, blood red cell, faecal or saliva sample.

Access webinar recording on “How Toxic are Metals in the Body?“

You will learn:

• Nuts and bolts of metals
• Impact of heavy metal toxicity in the body
• How to measure toxic levels
• How to detoxify and chelate heavy metals from the body

1. https://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/doi/10.1289/ehp.1205518
2. Osorio-Rico L, Santamaria A, Galván-Arzate S. Thallium Toxicity: General Issues, Neurological Symptoms, and Neurotoxic Mechanisms. Adv Neurobiol. 2017;18:345-353. doi:10.1007/978-3-319-60189-2_17
3. Lin G, Yuan L, Bai L, Liu Y, Wang Y, Qiu Z. Successful treatment of a patient with severe thallium poisoning in a coma using Prussian blue and plasma exchange: A case report. Medicine (Baltimore). 2019;98(8):e14629. doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000014629