Hairspray linked to genital defect
Updated on 21 November 2008
A link between hairspray and a genital defect in boys has been uncovered by scientists.
Researchers found that women exposed to hairspray in the workplace during early pregnancy more than double their chances of giving birth to a son with hypospadias.
The defect normally affects around one in 250 boys in the UK, causing the urinary opening to be shifted beneath the penis.
Although it can be corrected by surgery before a boy's first birthday, more severe cases can lead to urinary, sexual and fertility problems.
Hormone-disrupting hairspray chemicals called phthalates, which can affect reproductive development, are believed to be behind the connection. But the same study showed that taking folic acid reduces the risk of giving birth to a child with the condition by 36%.
An increased risk was only seen in women whose jobs led to high exposure to hairspray chemicals, such as hairdressers, beauty therapists, research chemists and factory workers.
The link was made after researchers conducted detailed interviews with 471 women whose sons had been referred to surgeons for hypospadias, and 490 "control" mothers of boys not born with the defect. The women lived across 120 London boroughs and local authority districts.
Phthalates are found in many cosmetic products, including deodorants, perfumes, and nail varnish, as well as hairspray. They are also used in adhesives and paints, and added to plastics to make them more flexible.
The use of phthalates in children's toys has been restricted in the European Union since 1999.
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