WOMENS-HEALTH Messages for October, 1998: Re: TAMPON DANGERS-CARCINOGENS

Re: TAMPON DANGERS-CARCINOGENS

From: William D. McIntosh, MD (anonymous@obgyn.net)
Thu, 22 Oct 1998 20:46:49 -0500 (CDT)

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Reply: anonymous@obgyn.net: "Re: TAMPON DANGERS-CARCINOGENS"

At Wed, 21 Oct 1998, Lucille wrote: >
>I am writing to you to offer you this current information on the use of
>tampons and it's carcinogenic properties. Please share this information
>with your colleagues and patients, encourage an end to this dangerous
>product that can and does injure women. Please pay particular attention
>to the article by Karen Houppert "Pulling the Plug on the Tampon
>Industry" as Found at: http://critpath.org/~tracy/spot.html. Nearly all
>major brand tampons contain synthetic fibers (which are conducive to the
>bacteria which cause toxic shock) and go through a chlorine bleaching
>process (chlorine is highly carcinogenic).
>
>Please take into account, when diagnosing your patients, that you
>include questions about tampon use and the resulting symptoms.
>
>The following is being circulated widely here in Silicon Valley (San
>Jose, California) and we are all extremely worried about it. There is
>information here regarding alternative unbleached 100% cotton products,
>as well. This group and many others are focusing on informing the
>public and protecting women. Please support us and read on.
>
>RE: TAMPON ALERT - CONTINUED DANGER (See important websites thoughout
>and at the end of this message)
>
>I received the following over the internet. This is being forwarded by
>email all over Silicon Valley. This is so important to us all. It
>would appear that the Toxic Shock Syndrome, in another form
>(carcinogens), is still with us.
>
>Please do read this, even if you don't use tampons. Please take note of
>it, for your own health or that of a friend, loved one or a patient of
>yours. Physicians need to know this information in diagnosing symptoms
>of their patients and informing those with no current complaints, but
>who may be using tampons and subject to prolonged exposure.
>
>--
>=======================================================
>
>TEXT OF THE INTERNET MESSAGE:
>
>This seemed important enough to pass on:
>
>This is a message I received from a friend of mine. The information
>appears to be legitimate and of concern to most of us. Please pay
>particular attention to
>
>I heard many tampon makers would include asbestos in the tampon. Why?
>Because asbestos makes you bleed more... if you bleed more, you're
>going to need to use more. Why wasn't this against the law since
>asbestos is so dangerous? Because the powers that be, in all their
>wisdom (not), did not consider tampons as being ingested, and therefore
>wasn't illegal or considered dangerous.
>
>This month's Essence magazine has a small article about this and they
>mention two manufacturers of a cotton tampon alternative. The companies
>are:
>
>* Organic Essentials @ (800) 765-6491 and the
>* Black-owned terra femme @ (800) 755-0212.
>
>A woman getting her Ph.D. at University of Colorado @ Boulder sent
>this. Read on if you value your health ...
>
>I am writing this because women are not being informed about the dangers
>something most of us use - tampons. I'm taking a class this month and I
>have been learning a lot about biology and the woman, including much
>about feminine hygiene. Recently we have learned that tampons are
>actually dangerous (for other reasons than TSS). Read on if you're
>interested, if not, that's fine too. But I'll tell you this - after
>learning about this in our class, most of the females wound up feeling
>angry and upset with the tampon industry, and I for one, am going to do
>something about it. To start, I want to inform everyone I can, and
>e-mail is the fastest way that I know how.
>
>HERE'S THE SCOOP:
>
>Tampons contain two things that are potentially harmful:
>
>Rayon (for absorbency) and dioxin (a chemical used in bleaching the
>products). The tampon industry is convinced that we, as women, need
>bleached white products - they seem to think that we view the product as
>pure and clean. The problem here is that the dioxin produced in this
>bleaching process can lead to very harmful problems for a woman.
>
>Dioxin is potentially carcinogenic (cancer-associated) and is toxic to
>the immune and reproductive systems. It has been linked to
>endometriosis as well as lower sperm counts for men - for both, it
>breaks down the immune system.
>
>Last September the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reported that
>there really is no set "acceptable" level of exposure to dioxin - given
>that it is cumulative and slow to disintegrate, the real danger comes
>from repeated contact (Karen Houppert "Pulling the Plug on the Tampon
>Industry"). I'd say using about 5 tampons a day, five days a month,
>for 38 menstruating years is "repeated contact", wouldn't you? Rayon
>contributes to the danger of tampons and dioxin because it is a highly
>absorbent substance and therefore when fibers from the tampons are left
>behind in the vagina (as usually occurs), it creates a breeding ground
>for the dioxin, and stays in a lot longer than it would with just cotton
>tampons. This is also the reason why TSS (toxic shock syndrome) occurs.
>
>WHAT ARE THE ALTERNATIVES?
>
>Using feminine hygiene products that aren't bleached (which causes the
>dioxin) and that are all cotton (the rayon will leave fiber1s and
>"breeding grounds" in the vagina). Other feminine hygiene p0roducts
>(pads/napkins)contain dioxin as well, but they are not nearly as
>dangerous since they are not in direct contact with the vagina. The
>pads/napkins need to stop being bleached, but obviously tampons are the
>most dangerous. So, what can you do if you can't give up using tampons?
>
>Use tampons that are made from 100% cotton, and that are unbleached.
>Unfortunately, there are very, very few companies that make these safe
>tampons. They are usually only found in health food stores. Countries
>all over the world (Sweden, Germany,British Columbia, etc.) have
>demanded a switch to this safer tampon, while the U.S. has decided to
>keep us in the dark about it. In 1989, activists in England mounted a
>campaign against chlorine bleaching. Six weeks and 50,000 letters
>later, the makers of sanitary products switched to oxygen bleaching (one
>of the green methods available) (Ms. magazine, May/June 1995).
>
>Personally I think it's time that the U.S. switches, and we need to
>make our voices heard.
>
>WHAT TO DO NOW:
>
>Tell people. Everyone. Inform them. We are being manipulated by this
>industry and the government, let's do something about it! Tell everyone
>to write to the companies - Tampax (Tambrands), Playtex, O.B., Kotex.
>Call the 1-800 numbers on the boxes.
>
>LET THEM KNOW THAT WE DEMAND A SAFE PRODUCT - ALL-COTTON, UNBLEACHED
>TAMPONS.
>
>WEBSITES TO LOOK AT: (This is what I found when I searched with
>"tampons" on the web:
>
>Health: Women's Health: Menstrual Cycles
>
> Toxic Tampons Pose Health Risks
>Read an article in Earth Island Journal which highlights the dangerous
>chemicals present in most tampons -- chlorine and dioxin. Dioxin has
>been linked to cancer and immune suppression. Found at:
>http://www.earthisland.org/ei/journal/tampons.html (NOT
>THERE ANYMORE)
>
>NATRACARE: This is a company that manufactures a full line of
>non-chlorine bleached feminine tampons. Chlorine bleach causes the
>formation of dioxin, a substance linked to cancer, endometriosis and
>immune system suppression. Found at: http://www.indra.com/natracare/
>
>S.P.O.T. (A MUST SEE SITE)
>More bad news on the women's health front. Nearly all major brand
>tampons contain synthetic fibers (which are conducive to the bacteria
>which cause toxic shock) and go through a chlorine bleaching process
>chlorine is highly carcinogenic).
>Found at: http://critpath.org/~tracy/spot.html (THIS IS A VERY IN-DEPTH
>STORY ABOUT THE HISTORY OF INDUSTRY ATTITUDES AND HOW THE INDUSTRY AND
>THE FDA HAS SWEPT THIS UNDER THE TABLE, INSPITE OF THE EVIDENCE. AND
>MUCH MORE!)
>
>The Tampon Health Web Site
>Seeks to educate the public about the hidden dangers of using commercial
>brand tampons.
> Found at: http://critpath.org/~tracy/spot.html
>

What a load of horse manure! It does serve one very good purpose, and that is to remind everyone that any idiot can spout any idiocy on the 'Net, and you have to be very careful about what you chose to believe.

-- William D. McIntosh, MD Clarksville, TN

This is for educational purposes only. It is not intended to replace consultation and examination by your physician or other health care provider.

Next message: D. Ashley Hill, M.D.: "Re: partial molar pregnancy"
Previous message: William D. McIntosh, MD: "Re: vertical vs. horizontal incisions"
In reply to: Lucille: "TAMPON DANGERS-CARCINOGENS"
Next in thread: Barbara: "Re: TAMPON DANGERS-CARCINOGENS"
Reply: Barbara: "Re: TAMPON DANGERS-CARCINOGENS"
Reply: anonymous@obgyn.net: "Re: TAMPON DANGERS-CARCINOGENS"

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