Our skin is exposed to environmental aggression on a daily basis, causing it to lose its youth and vitality. The air that our skin comes in contact with, the water that runs on it, the cosmetics that we use, and the skin care products that we apply contribute to this daily assault. Many skin care products and cosmetics contain heavy metals such as lead, cadmium and copper that can aggravate the situation and cause great harm to our skin.
Children are inquisitive & adventurous. We should never underestimate the risk of exposure from things they come in contact with. Certain toys / toy parts contain hazardous heavy metals such as lead & mercury and these metals not only accumulate on the skin but can also penetrate through the skin into the body. Heavy metals can have serious effects on a growing child’s mental and/or physical development.

Sources of exposure (examples):

Lead – air pollution, bathtubs, tap water, tobacco smoke, paints, dust, hair dyes, certain cosmetics, soil, pottery, certain toys, newsprint

Cadmium – air pollution, cigarette smoke, highway dusts, tap water, welding fumes, tobacco smoke, sewage sludge, art supplies

Mercury – air pollution, certain cosmetics, tap water, paints

Arsenic – air pollution, drinking water, metal ore smelting, wood preservatives

Common signs:

• Skin rashes
• Skin itching
• Skin pigmentation
• Skin blotchiness
• Sensitive skin