Washing your hands or hair are not at the top of the list for activities that may be harmful to health; they are very much the opposite. But a new mouse study suggests that long-term exposure to an antimicrobial commonly found in liquid hand soap, shampoo and other personal hygiene products - triclosan - could cause cancer and liver fibrosis. Previous research has suggested that triclosan may be harmful to health. Some studies claim the agent promotes bacterial resistance, while other research suggests it alters hormone regulation in mice.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) state that there is not enough evidence to suggest triclosan is hazardous to humans, but that studies indicating a possible health risk warrant further review. Now, the FDA have another study to consider, after Prof. Tukey, Prof. Hammock and their team found that triclosan proved toxic to mice through a mechanism…
