So here's a refresher: Titanium dioxide is a naturally occurring mineral. It's used as a coloring agent to brighten and whiten things like period products. It can also appear as Pigment White 6 and White Pigment in packaging.
Keep in mind that sometimes titanium dioxide might also be listed as “white pigment” or “pigment white 6” so look for those terms as well.
► Exposure can irritate the eyes, nose and throat. since it has been shown to cause lung cancer in animals. a carcinogen. Such substances may also have the potential for causing reproductive damage in humans.
That said, well-known brands like Tampax and L. include TiO2 in their products, while brands like Rael, Cora, and The Honey Pot currently do not have this ingredient in their pads or tampons. So the million-dollar question: is it safe to have titanium dioxide in pads and tampons?
Think tampons and pads are just simple pieces of cotton? Think again – these products may contain traces of dioxin from bleach, pesticide residues from conventional, non-organic cotton, and mystery “fragrance” ingredients.
First, organic tampons are typically made from 100 percent organic cotton unlike regular tampons, which are made of rayon and/or non-organic cotton. Organic tampons are also bleached with peroxide, while conventional tampons are bleached to be bright-white with chlorine.
Regular tampons are recognized as safe to use by the FDA and by other expert organizations and medical experts.
Health Concerns
The International Agency for Research on Cancer designates titanium dioxide (TiO2) as a carcinogen, largely due to studies that have found increased lung cancers due to inhalation exposure in animals.
Exposure to titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2 NPs) that are widely used in food, medicine, sunscreen products and cosmetics is reported to cause ovarian damage and lower fertility in animals. However, the potential effects of TiO2 NPs application on premature ovarian failure (POF) have rarely been evaluated to date.
The FDA has found that regulated amounts of titanium dioxide are considered safe.
Titanium toxicity can elicit a number of symptoms, including fatigue, headaches, blurring of vision, respiratory inflammation, lymphedema, and hyperpigmentation of the nails and skin [[12], [13], [14]].
There is some evidence that ingested titanium dioxide does not completely exit the body. A 2015 review of animal studies and a few human studies suggests titanium dioxide can get absorbed into the bloodstream and expose other organs to damage.
THE ANSWER. No, there's no evidence titanium dioxide in tampons causes reproductive harm.
The EFSA 2021 safety assessment of titanium dioxide has concluded that there is "a concern for genotoxicity of TiO2 particles cannot be ruled out". "Based on this concern, EFSA's experts no longer consider titanium dioxide safe when used as a food additive.
Yellowish discharge is often caused by menstrual blood mixing with normal discharge before or after your period, but it can also be a sign of a hormonal imbalance or an infection. The presence of yellow discharge on its own isn't an immediate cause for alarm.
But the nanoparticles found in “food-grade” titanium dioxide may accumulate in the body and cause DNA damage—which is one way chemicals cause cancer and other health problems.
Long term TiO2NP administration (90 days) to mice can be accumulated within ovarian cells, resulting in ovarian dysfunction, mating and pregnancy rate reduction, ovarian inflammation and follicular atresia (13, 17).
A benefit: High coverage power. A con: Titanium dioxide can irritate very sensitive skin; Omiana customers switching from other brands can largely attest. Another benefit: Titanium dioxide in makeup provides some UV protection.
EU nations are generally not allowed to set food safety standards that affect international trade on an individual basis. The concern with titanium dioxide centers on its tendency to break into nanoparticles that can accumulate in the lungs and elsewhere in the body.
In addition to Skittles, other candies that contain titanium dioxide include Nice! mints, Trolli sour gummies and Ring Pops, according to Environmental Working Group.
Skittles, Starburst and thousands of other sweet treats marketed to children contain titanium dioxide – an additive European food safety regulators say is no longer safe for human consumption.
Pads are easier and safer to use as compared to tampons. Pad can be a really good choice particularly if you're the kind of person who forgets a tampon is inside you only to find the bacteria which is growing inside is having a vampire party in your pants.
Why does my tampon leak? Typically, a leaky tampon means you've left your tampon in for too long, or you're using the wrong absorbency. Be sure to change your tampon every 4-6 hours. If you find that you are leaking through your tampon after just four hours, it's time to start using the next absorbency up.