Baby powder

What are we supposed to do about it, if we did use it though?

My children are 51 and 49 now, too late to be worrying as it’s so long ago.

My children were born 1974 and 1976 and I never used talc on them because I'd read then about its cancerous link: not sure that asbestos was mentioned then. I used Sudacreme

I believe the original reason women were told not use talc around the genital area as growths had been found which contained talc. The powder had "travelled" up the body and left deposits. The latest scare is to do with people breathing in talc

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Never used it. I put lotion on the bots of my two boys, talc would have been cloggy.

I only use Cotton Tree non-talc body powder. The aroma of the lavender and rose is glorious.

Johnson&Johnson have paid out billions of dollars in compensation monies in the U.S. Some families actually received (c) $1B for the death of a loved one because of talc dust inhalation - nasally or orally or vaginally.

Avoid all talcum products.
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I wonder what will be the next story - anything bad associated with tubes of genital lubrication ?

I never did.I had 3 childten in that era..but felt it was unne rssary.Cleaned with a baby wipe.let dry...nice dry nappy .And baby.There was a rumour at the time.that it was bad to breathe in..

I wasn't aware that talcum powder isn't generally used for babies nowadays.
I use it regularly, instead of a deodorant under my arms (I shower daily, of course!) and under my boobs especially in summer to avoid the dreaded underboob sweat. If neglected the underboob sweat can develop into a nasty rash similar to nappy rash in babies, and it thus makes wearing a bra very uncomfortable until the rash has completely healed over.

I am a bit sceptical about the number of cases linking to ovarian cancer. I don't know how someone can know it was definitely talc that caused it. I could understand breathing it in might cause lung cancer if there were traces of asbestos in it. I just find it hard to imagine how it works up to ovaries presumably via the vagina.

Used to use it, wish I hadn't, it can cause cancer. My husband used loads when I met him and I immediately said 'It's me or that powder!' His late wife died of ovarian cancer, obviously I do not know if there was a connection, but....

Yes

I doubt anyone here uses talcum powder any longer and certainly not on babies.

As far back as the 1970s we were told that baby girls should never be powdered in the genital area, nor should older females as talcum was suspected of being one of the factors that caused cancers of the cervix and uterus.

I didn’t use it much on my babies, and not on their bottoms just generally after a bath to aid drying. But I remember when I started my periods (1970s) my mother telling me to sprinkle talc on sanitary pads to aid absorption and prevent odour 😳 slightly alarming now…

mum2three

Yes. My mother used Johnson's on all her children and I did to start with. I think I was given a gift pack of baby toiletries which included Johnson's talc. However, I discovered that Boots own brand was much cheaper so I switched to using all their baby products.
I also used to sprinkle talc on my sanitary pads, something which many women did. I think this practise is why a lot of women have developed cancer in that part of the body.

I think women who used the cap and diaphragm contraceptive devices were advised to sprinkle them with talcum powder for storing.

Not all talcum powder contained asbestos.
It depends where it was mined.

Can remember J& J baby powder being used in the 50s. It was used for babies and by adults. Used it slightly in early 70s for my children. DD died of breast cancer, no known link in my or DH's family. Never mind using on babies, what about all the (generally) mothers who applied it, shouldn't there be a national claim.

Yes, totally agree! I loved that smell on my babies! Fortunately, they have come to no harm 😬!! Obviously had no idea then that it could cause problems!

Hammo

Yes, totally agree! I loved that smell on my babies! Fortunately, they have come to no harm 😬!! Obviously had no idea then that it could cause problems!

That was meant to be a reply to Calendargirl’s post about it smelling nice on babies!

I was an accountant for the Yardleys factory somewhere in or around Basildon in Essex. When I was expected to take monthly figures to the person in charge of the talcum powder I was asked to wear protective clothing and a mask. I remember a haze of dust from massive storage tanks.
My husband has developed an allergic reaction to his Nivea deodorant and is using talc instead. Just been a couple of weeks but he’s already developed a strange lump in his armpit. I told him today to give up the talc and get checked out.

Catterygirl I don't think anything on sale now has any actual talc in it - in the Uk and EU, anyway.

Talcum powder was potentially contaminated with asbestos. Asbestos is a known cause of cancer. Nowadays the UK and EU have strict regulations for cosmetics sold in the UK, including talcum powder.

A Google search shows an AI ( ) reply saying " Commercial substitutes for talc include cornstarch, arrowroot starch, tapioca starch, and kaolin clay, which are commonly used in baby powders and cosmetics to absorb moisture and provide a smooth texture. Other alternatives are oat flour, rice powder, and baking soda, while some formulations use silica or mineral powders."

In any case, he should go to the GP or other medical advisor and find out exactly what this lump is, instead of self-diagnosing it as due to his dusting powder.

One of the problems with talc was the awful mess it made on bathroom floors!

Mine were very much Sudocreme babies, although I have vague recollections of some Johnson and Johnson baby powder being around in one of the compartments of the those baby changing contraptions where there were drawers underneath and the baby was changed on a changing mat on top of them. I don't remember using it though, I guess I must have done at some stage.

What I do remember, being junior school age, and saving my pocket money on the Christmas run up to buy presents, most of that went on my mum, for one of those sets that included talc as the main component along with bath cubes and other such toiletries.

Catterygirl

I was an accountant for the Yardleys factory somewhere in or around Basildon in Essex. When I was expected to take monthly figures to the person in charge of the talcum powder I was asked to wear protective clothing and a mask. I remember a haze of dust from massive storage tanks.
My husband has developed an allergic reaction to his Nivea deodorant and is using talc instead. Just been a couple of weeks but he’s already developed a strange lump in his armpit. I told him today to give up the talc and get checked out.

It wouldn't be the talc after two weeks.

Some antiperspirants contain aluminium, not sure about Nivea.

It could just be a lymph node reacting to an infection or has he had a vaccination recently?
Best get it checked out by the GP.

As a teen in the 60s, we used scented versions. They came in Christmas gift sets.

The emphasis seems to be on baby versions though and going for the big pharma for money.

Mine were 78 and 83, but I never heard any of the concerns that you seem to have heard. I just never used it on them.

Siptree

I am a bit sceptical about the number of cases linking to ovarian cancer. I don't know how someone can know it was definitely talc that caused it. I could understand breathing it in might cause lung cancer if there were traces of asbestos in it. I just find it hard to imagine how it works up to ovaries presumably via the vagina.

Is the puffing action of applying the talc? Maybe that’s how microscopic particles it ends up in the womb.
I did use to use J BT but switched to Femfresh talc, but only used under my boobs.

Yes I did 1967, 69 and 73 There was no knowledge of a problem
I can’t remember in what quantities or how often probably not that much as I had little money but I would think after a nappy change or bath
There is so much different information now mine also slept on their tummies as we were told to do
My son as a baby was fed on diluted Carnations milk as per instructions on the tin there are no instructions now so I expect that’s not safe now He’s still at 56 a great athlete with a very fit physique and hates anything creamy 🤣 ……
We didn’t have all the knowledge we have now it’s ever changing …Mine also played out and didn’t sit in hunched over phones, as babies they crawled in the gardens amongst soil and insects they were left outside shops in their prams as was my little dog tied to the hook outside….. the dog not the baby

Perhaps in 30 years years time when I m not around there will be all new knowledge and today’s generation will be looked on in shock at what they did to their babies !