DEA-Diethanolamine

In 1999 the National Toxicology Program (NTP) completed a study that found an association between cancer in laboratory animals and the application of diethanolamine (DEA) and certain DEA-related ingredients to their skin (Source: Study #TR-478, Toxicology and Carcinogenesis Studies of Diethanolamine (CAS No. 111-42-2) in F344/N Rats and B6C3F1 Mice (Dermal Studies), July 1999—web site).

This study "found that repeated skin application to mouse skin of the cosmetic ingredient diethanolamine (DEA), or its fatty acid derivative cocamide-DEA, induced liver and kidney cancer." The report went on to explain that high concentrations of DEA-based detergents are commonly used in a wide range of cosmetics and toiletries. "Lifelong use of these products thus clearly poses major avoidable cancer risks to the great majority of U.S. consumers," the report stated. It is important to note that this conclusion was a stretch. Taking results from high concentrations used on mice and extending them to long-term topical use by humans is not exactly scientific.

The FDA is in the process of carefully evaluating the studies and test data to determine the risk, if any, to consumers. The Agency believes that at the present time there is no reason for consumers to be alarmed based on the usage of these ingredients in cosmetics.

Some people may want to avoid DEA in cosmetics, but given the research data the issue of risk seems rather alarmist. There is as yet no real evidence demonstrating that people using cosmetics with DEA are anymore prone to cancers than those not using them.

Paula Begoun