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Women have a lot of things to worry about when it comes to preserving their safety and avoiding the dangers that exist in our world; too much sun will cause skin cancer, your cell phone may cause brain cancer, and genetically you may be pre-disposed to breast cancer. But according to medical professors, it’s the little things in life that can hurt you. Dangerous carcinogens aren’t just lurking in our atmosphere; they are in our grocery isle. In your shampoo, your cologne, the baby’s powder, the stuff in your garden, and maybe even your milk.

Cheap and readily available, asbestos was originally used in many consumer products without regard to its potential hazard. According to the National Cancer Institute, up to 5,000 consumer products have at some point contained asbestos, including small appliances, hair dryers, and building materials. Many of these products are still in use, posing serious exposure risks when they are handled, repaired or damaged. According to the Mesothelioma Cancer Center, asbestos related illnesses can take 15-60 years to develop after the point of exposure. That means that, while most of these products no longer contain dangerous amounts of asbestos, we are still at risk for eventually developing the asbestos cancer mesothelioma.

Asbestos is not a banned material, but it is no longer used as abundantly as it once was. However, researchers have discovered that products containing talc (cosmetics, baby and body powders, deodorants) are contaminated with asbestos fibers. A number of studies have also suggested a link between ovarian cancer and talc exposure to internal tissues.

As a general rule, many pediatricians advise parents to not use talc powders on babies. And until we know more, women would do best to avoid using talc containing products in make-up, personal hygiene and beauty products.