A TikTok video recently went viral claiming that a certain brand of feminine products uses titanium dioxide in tampons.
@rachelmorgann__ TAMPON USERS LISTEN UP #fyp #tampons ♬ original sound – rachel morgan
The video spread like wildfire with millions of views and caused a tampon panic. But is there any truth to the claims that there is titanium dioxide in tampons?
According to doctors, no. “Doctors say you can rest assured: Tampons aren’t ‘toxic death sticks,’” reports Gizmodo.
“The virtual freak-out on TikTok over titanium dioxide—a natural mineral approved by the Food and Drug Administration that is used in a variety of products, including sunscreen, cosmetics, food, and toothpaste—appears to have started with one video posted at the beginning of the week. In the video, which has received nearly eight million views and 1.5 million likes at the time of publication, user Rachel Morgan holds up a box of 100% organic cotton core tampons from the brand L., owned by Proctor & Gamble, and tells users to stop what they’re doing and check the ingredients on the back of the box.”
Origin Of Titanium Dioxide In Tampons Panic
Morgan says that she was alerted to the “dangers” of the specific brand of tampons after seeing a TikTok video of a woman using the same brand. Morgan said the woman suffered two weeks of excessive bleeding accompanied by terrible pain, ovarian cysts and irreversible uterine damage.
“She’s getting checked for fucking cancer. You know why? Because one of the ingredients on the back of her container is titanium dioxide, which, if you don’t know, causes cancer,” Morgan said. “[My container] doesn’t say it, but it’s getting thrown out regardless, because how can I consciously just be like, ‘Oh sure, yeah, I trust you.’ So yeah, go check your fucking box, and if you had any adverse symptoms like her, call a fucking lawyer.”
Doctors on TikTok and other social media platforms assured tampon users they should not panic or toss their tampons, as there is zero scientific evidence that titanium dioxide in tampons can cause medical issues.
@drjenniferlincoln Should you worry? Short answer: no, but do what feels right for you. NOT funded by the tampon industry👍 #tampons #titaniumdioxide #obgyn ♬ original sound – Dr. Jennifer Lincoln
The video in question now comes with its own warning – Caution: Video flagged for unverified content.
Dr. Ryan Marino, a medical toxicologist and assistant professor at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, told Gizmodo in an email that “Inhaled titanium dioxide (primarily related to industrial exposure) is considered possibly carcinogenic. Marino emphasized that this is only when the mineral is inhaled and that it has only been demonstrated to be a true concern in rats, not humans.”
Not So Fast, TikTok: Doctors Debunk
Dr. Jennifer Gunter, an OB/GYN and go-to debunker of bonkers and fake online “news,” is one of the MDs who came out this week to try to tamp down the tampon panic and say that they are safe to use.
In a post on her Vajenda Substack, Gunter said that “As a result of the videos on TikTok, she had received panicked messages from women worried that their tampons were the cause of their pre-cancer of the cervix. These videos were “chemophobia,” Gunter stated, and used as scare tactics to stoke fear.
She debunked a widespread TikTok worry over titanium dioxide being absorbed by the vagina — Gunter tried to reassure people that this doesn’t happen because of titanium dioxide’s chemical composition.
“Titanium dioxide doesn’t dissolve in water, meaning the nanoparticles aren’t going to dissolve from the tampon string and get into the blood that might be pooling in the vagina and then get absorbed by the body,” she wrote. “Meaning, you don’t have to worry that the blood soaked tampon string is leaking titanium dioxide nanoparticles into your vagina.”
This brand is safe, so don’t toss your tampons! Have you seen other viral videos that scared you away from products? Tell us in the comments!
Keep Reading Below To Stay Informed About Recent Health And Wellness Trends:
