Mattcheco t1_isrrkxk wrote on October 18, 2022 at 5:46 AM

Reply to comment by rather_be_gaming in Hair straightening chemicals associated with higher uterine cancer risk by BoundariesAreFun

The dose makes the poison.

Z3t4 t1_iss2zu7 wrote on October 18, 2022 at 8:27 AM

There is no safe dose of carcinogens

Wandering_Scholar6 t1_issmmi3 wrote on October 18, 2022 at 12:28 PM

There is an acceptable dose, which is effectively background. Basically statistically insignificant increase in cancer risk.

While you are correct that any amount of carcinogens could cause cancer the idea that there is no safe dose suggests that any amount is deadly, which is simply untrue. We require some carcinogenic products to live (looking at you bananas) and produce others naturally.

Not to say that reducing known carcinogenic products from our lives is a bad thing. I would certainly encourage that but a little bit is ok.

Mattcheco t1_issddcb wrote on October 18, 2022 at 10:53 AM

That’s not true, you can ingest an amount of carcinogen that won’t affect a healthy person. Formaldehyde for example is naturally created and used in the human body.

Z3t4 t1_isselbo wrote on October 18, 2022 at 11:07 AM

That's not how it works, not everybody that is exposed to a carcinogen develops cancer.

But there is not amount of carcinogen that you can take with no possibilities of developing it.

So there is no safe dose.

Mattcheco t1_isseswb wrote on October 18, 2022 at 11:09 AM

That’s why I said “healthy person” you’re being pedantic but it’s still a silly argument considering things like breathing regularly contain carcinogens, or eating slightly burnt toast, or red meat.

Z3t4 t1_issiqh2 wrote on October 18, 2022 at 11:52 AM

Plenty of healthy people develop cancer. We all take carcinogens everyday.

That's how reality works, there is no "safe".

Only risk management.