An atomic past, omni-present, and the future of PFAS in women's health

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, a mouthful to say, are a very important group of synthetic chemicals that has a real impact on human health, especially fertility and child development (they also wreak havoc in the plant and animal kingdoms).

These chemicals are resistant to water, oil, and heat. So I want you to start thinking about your materials and if it needs to do any or all of those things it probably contains PFAS.

Oppenheimer and PFAs

Oppenheimer and his team have their hands in not only the atomic bomb but also in creating PFAS aka “forever chemicals”. Scientists needed a way to separate uranium and found that fluorine gas (fluoro) would bind with carbon (alkyl) to form a highly resistant material polyfluoroalkyl. It is estimated there are about 9,000 manipulations of PFAS each with its own time to break down and most of them being at least 1000 years. That is a scary number especially that once these chemicals are in your body they don’t leave but stay in your fatty tissues.

Phthalates (make plastics malleable) are everywhere but they leave the body via urine because they are water soluble. Making it easier for humans to intentionally reduce exposure to reduce them in the body.

PFAS in Your Cosmetics, Textiles and Home Goods

By the 1950s, PFAS found their way into everyday products like textiles, cosmetics, and home goods. Imagine the convenience of stain-resistant (because PFAS repel water) carpets, jackets, business wear. Now imagine the beauty of long lasting (because it resists water and oils) makeup from mascara to lip liner and lipstick to foundations and powders. PFAS were truly seen as magical chemicals that could make our lives easier.

PFAS have been sneaking (literally they often aren’t included on ingredient labels) into our homes and bodies through daily consumer products. There are too many possible products to list, it can be overwhelming to think of every product in your home. Chances are if you are sitting on a chair right now and reading this it was coated with a PFA flame retardant, if you put on waterproof mascara or sunscreen that it had PFAs, that the phone you are scrolling on uses them in the electronic components. Anything that is water--resistant, stain repellent, Fire-repellant, waxy or long lasting is probably coated or contains Polypolyfluoroalkyl (PFA) chemicals.

Now you might be thinking I can’t avoid them and give up. This is intentional. Corporations want us to accept these chemicals as normal and give up feeling defeated. We are not going to give up!

1. Pass on buying products that aren’t clearly labeled, lack any certifications or that you don’t know what is on the ingredient label after a quick search

2. Support people working to make the policy changes needed for a safe chemical future.

Uncovering the Dangers: Regulations & Awareness

Scientists started to realize that PFAs were a health risk in the 1970’s. There has been nearly 50 years of little action on regulations of these chemicals. I think what always makes my blood boil is that these chemical corporations and their C-suite also have to live on this polluted planet. They also will suffer from the health repercussions of the continued use of these chemicals. Even after 50 years of research on their impacts governments and organizations are working to just set limits on how much PFAS can be in our products- not completely eliminating them. The government is also asking companies to find safer alternatives- 50 years later. This means that in the future, you might have access to products that don't contain these potentially harmful chemicals, but business as usual leaves testing up to a corporation, and from a chemical standpoint they often switch for a chemical that is more hazardous but not regulated (more to come on this with sulfates)

The Science Behind PFAS and Their Impact on Hormones and Fertility*

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I am 32 years old, and have yet to have a child and this is my biggest driver into exploring the chemicals in my products. Having a background in chemical and environmental health I started reading into published scientific literature to see the connections that researchers were having between chemicals and disease. I feel an urgent pull from deep in me to continue down this path to try to protect my fertility to do everything in my power to be able to be a maker of life. Fertility for so long was an indicator of being women I find myself afraid to know if the life I have lived up to this point has resulted in premature death of my eggs, or a toxic environment for my unborn child. These chemicals that I dig into can all pass through the placental barrier and they impact how this sweet child I long for will develop in the womb and their life. Once outside of the womb these chemicals will continue to leave my body especially PFAs because they are stored in fatty tissues a primary way that they are excreted is through breast milk. They will then enter into your child. I can not accept this as normal. I can not accept that this has to be the way for my child and your child and for generations to come, so I write, learn and fight for these chemicals to be regulated for their to be more controls on the front end and that we no longer allow chemical corporations to do their own testing. In the simplest sense this is knowing that if you tell your toddler not to do something they are going to do it and then to your face say they didn’t. When we think of our chemical corporations I need you to shift from viewing them as fully functioning adults with good intentions but a toddler throwing a tantrum that doesn’t want to share its toys and only wants more of them.

Messing with Hormones: The PFAS Connection

PFAs just like phthalates and other chemicals disrupt our hormones, and you might be tired of hearing this and start to think well they all disrupt our hormones or everything causes cancer, but stay vigilant in repeat after me it is not normal for so many products to have these chemicals that can disrupt our body.

There are 8 glands in the body that product hormones these are located all over from the

hypothalamus in the brain to thyroid, kidneys and ovaries. These hormones then enter the blood stream and cruise around until they find a receptor cell. Once it hits the receptor cell it delivers a message. These messages could be telling the cell to grow faster, to with hold water from the kidneys to absorb sugar for example. When these chemicals mimic our hormones they can go in and mess up the messages and the results can be cancerous cells, eggs not releasing, early puberty. This is how chemicals in our bodies manifest as disease.

Taking Action – 3 Ways to Reduce PFAS in Your Home and Lifestyle

After learning about PFAS and their potential impacts, you might be wondering how to protect yourself. Here are three simple ways to start making a positive change.

1. Reduce the amount of cosmetics in your routine.

2. Have product free days

3. Support PFAS Regulations and Follow Mindful Materials Edu to stay informed on class action lawsuits and new information about PFAs

A Healthier Future

Understanding PFAS and their impact on hormones, fertility, and our home empowers us to make informed choices. By being mindful of the products we bring into our lives, we can take steps towards a healthier and safer future for ourselves and the environment.

Remember, you have the power to make a difference by advocating for safer products and spreading the word about the importance of reducing our exposure to "forever chemicals" like PFAS. Let's work together to create a world where our well-being comes first!