Beauty Pros 5x More at Risk for Breast Cancer

We know that breast cancer is now the leading cause of death for women in their late 30s to early 50s, and that one in eight American women–that’s 12% of us–will get the disease. But a recent study from the Breast Cancer Fund found 20 professions in which the risk is staggeringly high.

Take cosmetology, for example. Hairdressers show up to five times higher risk for breast cancer, along with food and beverage production workers. Manufacturing and machinery workers are at three times higher risk for breast cancer. With this report, the Breast Cancer Fund launched a campaign to reduce workplace exposures.

Some of the findings make sense to me–firefighters, for example, are at greater risk for breast cancer; flame retardant chemicals can be carcinogenic. But there are some confusing findings: Why would doctors be at higher risk for breast cancer, but not nurses?

Regardless of your profession, you can reduce your breast cancer risk by avoiding these 10 toxic chemicals commonly found in everyday life.

What do you think? Are you taking steps to protect your health? I’d love to hear about it in comments, below. Thanks!