01 July 2020 
If you’ve ever been a parent, or needed any type of medicated powder for yourself, chances are you’ve come across talcum powder. Commonly found in baby powders, foot powders, and other medicated powders, this ingredient seems harmless—especially since it’s something found in products on many shelves at the stores. However, recent studies suggest that talcum powder has been linked to all sorts of medical problems, the most serious of which is ovarian cancer. If you’ve been diagnosed with ovarian cancer, it’s important to know if talcum powder had anything to do with your diagnosis and what you should do if that is the case.
What Exactly Is Talcum Powder?
Made from a mineral called talc, which includes magnesium, silicone, and oxygen, talc in powder form has been used to prevent friction and reduce moisture. For this reason, it’s been effective in helping with rashes and keeping skin dry.
For all of the health risks it is linked to, you can surprisingly find talcum powder in the following common products:
- Baby powder
- Foot powder
- Perfumed powders
- Makeup products
- Medicated powders
- Sanitary pads
Because of its common use, but high health risk, it’s important to try to find alternatives to the products listed above in order to prevent future health problems. Talcum powder is an ingredient still seen on products all over shelves—making it easy to forget that it could be dangerous.
The Risks Associated With Talcum Powder
Talcum powder use has been linked to many health problems. The following are a just a few examples:
- Respiratory problems in infants
- Talcosis, a lung irritation
- Pneumonia and asthma symptoms (which can lead to respiratory diseases and lung cancer)
- Ovarian cancer
Talcum Powder and Ovarian Cancer
Ovarian cancer is one of the more serious risks that talcum powder has been linked to. Women who have used talcum powder around their groin area have an enormous 20 to 30 percent higher risk of developing ovarian cancer than those who have not used any talc-based powder for personal hygiene purposes.
Many women have used talcum powder around the groin area for things like vaginal odor and chafing prevention. Many women have used the powder without realizing that particles of the powder can travel through the vagina, uterus, Fallopian tubes, and all the way to the ovaries. It can take years for this to dissolve.
Growing Number of Talcum Powder Lawsuits
Every day, more and more women are coming forward with their talcum powder cases. Ovarian cancer is an extremely serious issue to have to deal with, and it’s helpful to know that there are plenty of women that have sought legal action for the wrongs that companies have committed against customers.
The fault of unknowingly using a potentially dangerous product like talcum powder lies not with the customer, but with the company manufacturing the products. Companies like Johnson & Johnson have been under fire for not labeling their products with a warning about the use of talc-based powders. California and Illinois both have class action suits filed against Johnson & Johnson, a leading baby powder provider, which seeks to make the company warn customers about the health problems its products can cause.
Is Talcum Powder Responsible for Your Ovarian Cancer?
With the growing number of cases dealing with talcum powder and ovarian cancer links, it is especially important that people don’t shy away from wanting to go through a trial if they feel that they have been wronged. You should feel comfortable seeking legal action against talcum powder manufacturers if you or somebody you know has been diagnosed with ovarian cancer after using any talc-based powder. You deserve justice for what’s happened, and Kennedy Law Firm, LLP, is prepared to provide you with the best legal support possible. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions or are interested in a consultation.
