When you hop in the bath and shower, your main goal is to get clean. While certain products can leave you feeling and smelling your best, doctors, dermatologists and public health experts are urging people to check the labels. Some personal hygiene products, like body washes, can mess up your hormones and have a ripple effect on your overall health.
“We use so many products every day…and they all contain different chemicals that can be absorbed through our skin,” points out Dr. Brintha Vasagar, MD, MPH, a family physician and public health expert.
While the discussion of chemicals in skincare products is controversial and scary, experts emphasize that awareness can help you make informed decisions for your health. They shared more about a hygiene habit that can affect your hormones, why it’s important to avoid it and how to do so.
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This Common Hygiene Habit Can Harm Your Hormones and Health, Doctors Warn
Using body washes that contain endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) can affect hormonal health. “Endocrine disruptors alter, block or copy hormonal signals—throwing the endocrine system into upheaval and creating a myriad of issues,” explains Dr. Anna Chacon, MD, a dermatologist. “Cumulative exposure to these disruptors can greatly affect hormonal health.”
Research published in a July 2025 review in Frontiers in Reproductive Health noted that endocrine exposure has been linked to health concerns, such as:
- Immune system malfunction
- Reproductive concerns
- Developmental delays
- Increased cancer risk
Dr. Shanina C. Knighton, Ph.D., RN, CIC, a research associate professor at Case Western Reserve University’s Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing, noted that EDCs might alter the body’s signals at key windows, such as during fetal development, puberty and pregnancy.
Dr. Viktoryia Kazlouskaya, MD, Ph.D., a clinical dermatologist, cautions that much of the reporting on endocrine disruptions and human health is based on animal studies. She shares that designing human research on EDC-related harms is a challenging task.
Still, there’s a growing awareness among researchers and consumers like us that some of the products we use, like body washes, can contain endocrine disruptors that affect our health.
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What Are Some Examples of Endocrine Disruptors in Skin Care?
Dr. Kazlouskaya says commonly discussed EDCs found in body washes include:
- Glycol ethers (used as solvents)
- Heavy metals
- Phthalates
- Ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate (EHMC)
- Benzophenone-3 (BP-3)
- Homosalate
- Parabens
Word to the wise: You may need to do some decoding to determine whether these items are in your body wash.
“Phthalates are often hiding under ‘fragrance/parfum’ on the ingredient list, and parabens, which are anything starting with methyl-, propyl- and butyl- on the ingredient list,” Dr. Knighton explains.
Yes, scented body washes may give you a signature scent like warm vanilla or lavender. However, research suggeststhat fragrances might disrupt the endocrine system and potentially mess with hormonal regulation, creating a domino effect that negatively impacts reproductive and metabolic systems. Plus, some data link fragrance exposure to neurological issues like headaches.
A growing body of research also suggests that parabens can disrupt the endocrine system.
So, why are endocrine disruptors in body wash and other personal care items? It’s complicated. From a manufacturer’s standpoint, “Endocrine disruptors can be useful in helping soaps get sudsy and adding fragrance to personal products,” Dr. Vasagar explains.
The TL;DR on why there aren’t more regulations on it: Change takes time. “A lot of time,” Dr. Knighton reports.
“Triclosan, an antibacterial ingredient once in soaps and body washes, was banned from over-the-counter wash products in 2016 by the FDA. It took many decades of research and testimonies for this to occur,” Dr. Knighton says.
Some of that testimony included insights into the ingredient’s endocrine-disrupting harms.
Related: Most People Forget To Clean This One Spot on Their Bodies—and It’s a Breeding Ground for Bacteria
How Do EDCS Affect Hormones?
“Human studies tie some EDC exposures to reproductive, metabolic, thyroid and developmental effects,” Dr. Knighton explains.
Dr. Knighton says that the EDCs in your body wash can enter the body through different routes, including:
- Absorption through your skin, eyes and mucous membranes
- Inhalation, such as when you breathe in the body wash’s fragrance
- Ingestion—with body wash, this one is more common in young children, but it can accidentally happen to anyone
However, here’s where things get muddy: Dr. Knighton shares that we don’t know which entry point—if any—poses the biggest health risks. Frustratingly, it is also still unknown what qualifies as a “safe amount” of exposure to endocrine disruptors (whether once or over time) or how long some of them remain in the body. So, she can’t advise people to use no more than a “shot glass worth of scented body wash per week” to protect their health.
It also doesn’t help that it’s hard to draw a direct line between the chemicals in your body wash and the health concerns associated with EDCs. These chemicals are often found in other products, and we are exposed to other EDCs through air, water, food and our diet.
The key takeaway? Do your best to limit exposure wherever possible, such as through the use of body wash.
“Most studies recommend people cut down on their use of products with certain ingredients to reduce their exposure rather than looking for a certain number,” Dr. Knighton explains. “Unlike food ingredient lists, which share the ingredients from most prominent in an item to least, along with the calories and breakdown of fat [and] sodium, percentages and amounts are not shared on body washes and soaps.”
Related: The Common Habit That’s Quietly Wiping Out Your Gut Bacteria
How To Choose a ‘Cleaner’ Body Wash
All of the above information about how body wash and other personal care products mess with your hormones may seem scary. However, it’s possible to find options that lower your exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals.
“It would be impossible to remove all exposures to endocrine disruptors in your life, but rather than feel overwhelmed, focus on small changes that will make the biggest impact,” Dr. Vasagar emphasizes.
So, take a breath—and try to take the below advice from a place of empowerment instead of fear.
1. Look for certifications
There are a ton of “certifications” out there to the point that these additions to labels can feel like more noise. However, some certifications—such as from patient advocacy groups—carry more weight.
“Some products designed for sensitive skin carry a ‘Seal of Acceptance’ from organizations like the National Eczema Association,” Dr. Kazlouskaya says. “These products are often free from common irritants and harsh chemicals.”
2. Become a label sleuth
“Read labels so you can avoid top offenders like BPAs, phthalates and parabens,” Dr. Vasagar says.
Do we have definitive knowledge of the long-term effects of these chemicals? Do we know what doses are needed for someone to experience these harms? No and no, she concedes. However, she says that cutting back on exposures when possible can set your family up for success.
Related: Here’s How Often You Should Actually Replace Your Shower Curtain, According to Microbiologists
3. Run a sniff test
Dr. Chacon urges people to stick to unscented body washes—and be mindful of brands trying to casually slip “natural fragrance” on a label like it’s NBD. It might be.
“‘Natural fragrance’ is usually still chemically formulated and is another example of greenwashing in the beauty industry,” she says.
Dr. Chacon notes that products with “natural fragrance” can still add to your overall lifetime exposure to ECDs. A 2024 review in Endocrines also noted that synthetic and natural substances can act as EDCs.
4. Tap resources
Navigating this space—which is still largely unregulated—can feel like the Wild West. However, there are evidence-based resources available. Dr. Knighton shares that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) lists body wash products and ingredient lists.
“A lot of the ingredients…are in other products we use regularly,” she says. “The EPA has a Safer Choice program that provides ways to make products with simple ingredients, as well as a…list of products that are deemed safe.”
Dr. Kazlouskaya adds that your dermatologist can also assist you with healthier body wash choices.
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Sources:
- Dr. Brintha Vasagar, MD, MPH, a family physician and public health expert
- Dr. Anna Chacon, MD, a dermatologist
- Role of personal care products as endocrine disruptors affecting reproductive age women. Frontiers in Reproductive Health.
- Dr. Shanina C. Knighton, Ph.D., RN, CIC, a research associate professor at Case Western Reserve University’s Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing
- Endocrine Disruptors. National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences.
- Dr. Viktoryia Kazlouskaya, MD, Ph.D., a clinical dermatologist
- The impact of perfumes and cosmetic products on human health: a narrative review. Frontiers in Toxicology.
- Studying paraben-induced estrogen receptor- and steroid hormone-related endocrine disruption effects via multi-level approaches. The Science of the Total Environment.
- Endocrine-disrupting chemicals: Mainstream recognition of health effects and implications for the practicing internist. Journal of Internal Medicine.
- Triclosan and Its Consequences on the Reproductive, Cardiovascular and Thyroid Levels. International Journal of Molecular Science.
- Synthetic Endocrine Disruptors in Fragranced Products. Endocrines.
- Personal care. EPA.
- Safer Choice. EPA.
