Mircroplastics (and dyes)

Recently I read an article – that I can no longer find! – on microplastics. The article stated that they were sampling fecal matter and found microplastics in it. Then I saw another article about finding microplastics in heart tissue during open heart surgery. And then there was another article…

I seemed to see a steady stream of these articles.

As you know, I am not a scientist but I do enjoy digging a little bit into topics. I came to find that microplastics can brush off clothing we wear if it is made from plastic – you know those “Made from recycled water bottles” hoodies and ball caps? And lycra based clothing like yoga pants? They are in tattoo ink. Microplastics are in make-up. They slough off the sides of water bottles. They are in body scrubs!

Here was an article I found as I was writing this piece

Then I got to thinking about dyes – the ones in the colorful hair that so many like to sport these days. Dyes in make-up. Dyes in foods. Dyes in tattoo inks. Dyes in clothing that rub off on the skin. Dyes in paper that leave marks when wet.

Have you ever had your hair colored and then had a headache for several days? It might not have been the very next day, but maybe later that month? A possible reaction to the hair dye??

And then I got to wondering if this could actually impact muscle tissue. Finding microplastics in heart tissue obviously shows direct impact. I was wondering about something a bit more subdued. Could microplastics and dyes in the dermis (skin layer) cause discomfort or aches and pains in the muscles below?

Short answer: I don’t know.
But it does make me wonder.

Ways to lessen exposure that come to my mind…

1. Carry water in glass or stainless steel water bottles and stop buying bottled beverages. This is good for you but also for the environment and everyone else.
2. Consider the fabric clothing is made of before you wear it. Cotton, linen, wool are all natural and have very healing effects on the body. True story…We were looking for shirts for the handball choir one year and the one that everyone liked was a bright flashy purple. I looked at the tag to see what it was made of…”CATATONIC POLYESTER”. Catatonic! My handbell skills were already pretty miserable! The last thing I needed was to be robed in something that was CATATONIC!!
3. Re-evaluate whether or not your system can handle another tattoo and opt out.
4. Re-evaluate whether or not your system can handle hair coloring dye slathered all over your scalp. Your liver does need to process that.
5. Don’t heat food in the microwave in plastic.