Post Date April, 15 2023
Bathing with shower gel may lead to infertility! "Recently, news has spread on social media that shower gel can cause infertility. Experts say that the claim that shower milk can lead to infertility is too sensational. As long as it is rinsed thoroughly, there is no direct and inevitable causal relationship between the trace plasticizers in shower milk and infertility.
This research report was originally a report by Xinhua News Agency from Taipei. Professor Li Junzhang from Taiwan Chenggong University conducted a three-year study in which researchers measured the levels of plasticizers and testicular function indicators in infertile males and those whose spouses were already pregnant. The results showed that the higher the plasticizer concentration in infertile males, the lower the testosterone levels, resulting in decreased testicular function. The theme of this study is "Plasticizers and Male Infertility", rather than studying the relationship between bath milk and infertility.
The reason for this rumor is that when analyzing the source of plasticizers in the body, we listed cold and hot food, plastic and foam plastic cup cold drinks, plastic bottled sports drinks and tea, as well as some personal hygiene products, including bath cream, shampoo, facial cleanser, shaving cream and perfume, which may be packaged in plastic bags and fresh-keeping films. During the dissemination process, some media used the term 'shower milk can cause infertility'.
Plasticizer is a kind of fragrance fixative, which can make bath milk fragrant and lasting. Professor Wang Xiuli, vice president of Shanghai Dermatology Hospital, explained that as long as it is a daily product such as bath milk that has passed the hygiene permit, the chemical composition contained in it should be within the safe range, and as long as it is washed clean, it will not cause too much impact on human body.
Professor Zou Xianbiao, Director of the Department of Dermatology and Venereology at the First Affiliated Hospital of the People's Liberation Army General Hospital, also stated that as the largest organ of the human body, the skin's main function is to protect, sweat, and feel cold and hot. The outermost layer of sebum on the skin is the first line of defense of the human body, so even if there are trace amounts of plasticizers in shower milk, it will not directly lead to infertility as rumored. Searching for literature found that there are currently no studies on infertility caused by shower milk.
In fact, from the perspective of plasticizer sources, plasticizers are widely used in industrial products such as food packaging, medical and health products, and paints. Compared to food, food is the main way for the human body to consume plasticizers, while plasticizers in shower milk are not the main source.
In addition, in terms of quantity, human exposure to trace amounts of plasticizers can be metabolized and excreted from the body, without significant impact on human health. If ingested for a long time, it may harm male reproductive ability, so long-term exposure to consuming plasticizers in large quantities is definitely not good. It is important to minimize the use of plastic packaging in daily life, especially when heating with plastic.
