Cosmetic ingredients: Silk powder triggers asthma?

Silk is also used in cosmetics

Did you know that there are more than 10,000 different ingredients in cosmetics? What's more, new ingredients are constantly being developed.

• More comfortable to use
• Something new
• What consumers will like

For such a variety of purposes, countless raw materials are used as ingredients in cosmetics .

Silk is one of them.

Yes, it's the silkworm cocoons used in clothing, etc. And it's also used in cosmetics when it's ground into a fine powder.

It is used in makeup bases, foundations, face powders, etc. to reduce shine and leave the skin feeling smooth and silky.

Silk powder: pros and cons

It is true that wearing smooth, lustrous silk against your skin can create the appearance of radiant skin.

But is it safe to apply to the skin?

Even if you research it, you'll find a wide variety of opinions online, including "it's good for skin," "it's bad for skin," "it dries out skin," and "it changes the texture of your skin."
Therefore, in this article, we examine safety based on objective evidence and research.

Safety of Silk Powder

There is an organization called CIR that evaluates the safety of cosmetic ingredients. It was established in the United States in 1976.

Since then, CIR has been regarded as the most reliable organization for safety evaluation of cosmetic ingredients distributed around the world.

And here is the data that CIR verified regarding the safety of silk powder. The research report is over 100 pages long. In it, I found some points that concerned me.

Silk may cause asthma or allergies.

Silk can cause asthma

The study looked at the relationship between silk sensitization and asthma in 871 children living in China.
They found that children who were sensitized to silk were 2.6 times more likely to develop asthma than non-sensitized children.

In addition, a study of 64 children (male and female under the age of 15) whose asthma was caused by silk showed that the average age at onset was 4 years and 2 months. Most asthma symptoms appeared 10 months after first contact with silk.

Additionally, of the children with asthma symptoms, 61% also had allergic rhinitis, and 14% also had conjunctivitis.

Allergic reactions to silk

Additionally, according to the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology , allergic reactions to silk are not uncommon, and in some cases can result in serious symptoms such as anaphylaxis and respiratory allergies.

Most allergic reactions to silk occur in clothing, bedding, etc. Therefore, some people may think that it is okay to use it in cosmetics.

However, silk powder is made from silk that has been broken into much smaller particles than those found in fabric products.
When applying silk powder to your face, some powder will fly up, which means there is a high possibility that it may be inhaled through your mouth or nose.

"Because it's a familiar material."

"Because it's a name I've heard before."

That has nothing to do with safety.
Because cosmetics are applied to the skin every day, it is important to choose them carefully.

People like this should be especially careful with silk

As mentioned above, silk can pose a risk of triggering asthma or causing allergies, so the following people may want to be cautious about using silk powder:

• People with asthma
• People who had asthma as children
• People with weak respiratory or bronchial systems
• Children under 15 years old

Also, keep in mind that silk is a " natural ingredient " and may be marketed as "natural ingredients that are gentle on the skin."