Top 10 Deadliest Products Marketed to Women

#10: X-ray Hair Removal

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We usually get X-rays at the dentist or in the hospital, but when they were first discovered in the late 1800s, they had a variety of different uses. In fact, some women used X-rays to remove unwanted hair. They were exposed to high levels of radiation for up to twenty hours without lead aprons to protect their skin and internal organs. While this did remove excess hair, it also caused skin lesions, enlarged blood vessels, and even cases of cancer. Today’s hair removal methods can still be painful, but they’re definitely a lot safer.

Today, most people know that douching is ineffective and unhealthy since it upsets the vagina’s natural cleansing process. To make matters worse, douches in the early to mid-twentieth century contained Lysol. Many ads claimed that douching with Lysol could eliminate vaginal odor and prevent pregnancy. It did neither, and the active ingredient called cresol sometimes led to burns or even death. Despite many lawsuits and doctors advising against it, douching was the most popular contraceptive until the birth control pill. As for keeping clean down there, it’s best to just let your body do its thing.

Also known as deadly nightshade, this plant’s name means “beautiful lady” in Italian. It has been used in medicine since ancient times, but is also extremely poisonous. Even so, women at the turn of the century would use belladonna extract as eye drops. It was an attempt to dilate their pupils, which was considered to be more attractive. It also came along with blurry vision, increased sensitivity to light, and elevated heart rates. Women who prolonged the use of drops could even go blind. Not surprisingly, belladonna is almost impossible to find for cosmetic purposes nowadays. If you want big anime eyes without the health risks, contacts are a much safer alternative.

During the Renaissance, women would apply lead-based makeup to get a clearer and paler complexion. Today, lead can still sometimes be found in cosmetic products like lipstick. No matter the time period, however, the side effects are far from pretty. Even the smallest amounts of lead can cause serious health issues down the line, including damage to the nervous system and kidneys, and high enough levels can even be deadly. Luckily, the FDA released new guidelines for lead in cosmetics recently, so you can pucker up with peace of mind.

Whitening creams are very popular in some Asian and African markets, since fairer skin has long been associated with wealth and status. While the creams’ effectiveness is up for debate, there is a dark side that goes along with it. Higher-end whitening creams with well-tested ingredients tend to be safe, but lower-end skin bleaching creams can contain hydroquinone and mercury. With enough usage, mercury can cause anything from organ damage, to diabetes, or even skin cancer. While some countries have since banned the sale of these creams, their physical and emotional consequences are more than skin deep.

Within the past few years, waist training has taken Instagram by storm and has stirred up its share of controversy. In terms of extremity however, it pales in comparison to its ancestor- the corset. Widely worn for centuries, this restrictive garment gives the wearer the illusion of a smaller waist. Wearing a corset now and then won’t kill you, but tight-lacing – or wearing very tight corsets – can make it harder to breathe and move around, and can also constrict your internal organs.

Mascara, falsies and eyelash extensions are safe and common ways to make your lashes pop, but their 1930s counterpart was a little more questionable. Lash Lure was marketed to American women as an eyelash dye, and was a big seller. As it turns out though, the dye was made with paraphenylenediamine, which is a type of coal tar. Many women had adverse reactions to Lash Lure, and one user even went blind. This led to a lot of negative publicity for the company, but also inspired the 1938 Food, Drug and Cosmetics Act, which forever changed how makeup is marketed and regulated in the United States.

This method of indoor tanning has been around for decades but it doesn’t come without serious risks. Bronzed skin comes at a price, whether you’re lying on the beach or getting into a tanning bed. The UV rays in tanning beds can be even stronger than those from the sun, increasing your chances of getting melanoma and other forms of skin cancer. Many countries have banned minors from using them, and tanning salons are completely banned in Australia and Brazil. If you still want that sun-kissed glow, opt for a spray tan temporary bronzing product instead.

It’s a common product with many uses, but baby powder made headlines recently for its possible link to ovarian cancer. Although studies are not conclusive, hundreds of lawsuits claim that Johnson & Johnson knew about the potential health risks, but didn’t warn women against using it for feminine hygiene. The company paid over $400 million in damages in 2017, but insists talcum powder is safe to use. The company continues to face even more lawsuits involving their baby powder, so the path to finding a definite link will be costly in more ways than one. Before we get to our #1 deadliest product, here are some dishonourable mentions: Radioactive Skincare Tampons and Toxic Shock Syndrome Toxic Chemicals in Black Haircare Products

In the early twentieth century, these drugs were marketed primarily to women as a sleep aid and to help with mood disorders, but they ended up doing a lot more harm than good. Not only are barbiturates very addictive, overdoses are often fatal. In the 1960s, the untimely deaths of Judy Garland, Marilyn Monroe and other celebrities from overdoses made headlines. Today, other drugs have replaced barbiturates to treat anxiety and insomnia, but they are still sometimes used to treat conditions like epilepsy and migraines. These drugs however aren’t as dangerous or as common as they once were.