It’s an easy way to pass the time on the train, in a waiting room or if you suffer from insomnia.
But now researchers are warning that scrolling on social media could lead to off-phone behavior that makes you happier cancer risk.
On social media, users can be inundated with influencers or advertisements promoting skincare, fragrance or makeup items, leading to a wave of online impulse purchases.
However, many beauty and personal hygiene products contain carcinogenic or hormone disrupting chemicals such as phthalates, parabens and ‘forever chemicals’.
According to the researchers at Rutgers University, who led the study, using more of these products, under the influence of social media, leads to a person have greater exposure to these chemicals, which can increase the risk of cancer.
Dr. Emily Barrett, a biostatistician who led the research, said: ‘We often hear that social media can harm children’s mental health and social-emotional development.
‘This study suggests another cause for concern: the potential of social media to increase the use of personal care products that often contain endocrine-disrupting and potentially carcinogenic chemicals.
‘Teenagers… are undergoing rapid changes, including in their hormones. This can be a sensitive period when better product choices can reduce chemical exposure.”
Researchers warned that using social media more frequently could increase the risk of cancer due to increased use of potentially dangerous products purchased through social media applications (stock image)
Endocrine disrupting and carcinogenic chemicals are added to personal care products to increase their quality and shelf life.
Parabens, such as propylparaben, are used as a preservative in makeup and other products, while phthalates, such as diethyl phthalate, can help stabilize odors, and PFAS or “forever chemicals” can be used in skin products to make skin look shinier after use.
The FDA regulates the use of these chemicals and takes action when there is reliable scientific evidence that they can harm human health. Although many of these ingredients are banned in Britain and the EU, they still are allowed at certain levels in US products.
Some scientists, based largely on animal studies, have raised concerns that when a person is exposed to more of these chemicals, he or she may increase the risk of damage to cells that can lead to cancer.
Recent reports indicate that PFAS are now rarely used in cosmetics, while parabens and phthalates continue to be used.
In the study, scientists surveyed 143 students at Princeton High School in New Jersey about their social media and product use.
In total, students reported spending two hours and 35 minutes on social media every day, with Instagram and YouTube being the most popular platforms.
Of students, almost 40 percent said they follow an influencer with a product line, while 40 percent said they have purchased products online.
In the study, students said they used social media for an average of about two hours and 35 minutes per day (stock image)
They all used personal care products such as soap, toothpaste and shampoo, but many also reported using fragrances and makeup. Girls used about twice as many products as boys.
After adjusting for factors such as gender and grade level, researchers found a clear link between social media and product use.
Those who followed influencers with product lines used 30 percent more products on average than those who did not follow these influencers.
Those who reported looking at hair and beauty guides used 40 percent more products than those who didn’t.
The names of the products were not disclosed, but researchers raised concerns that they could contain phthalates, parabens, phenols or other chemicals that could affect hormones and increase a person’s risk of developing cancer.
None of the students were diagnosed with cancer during the study period, but the researchers warned that their product use could increase their risk of the disease later in life.
Of students, only 19 percent said they checked the ingredient list of products and five percent regularly used an app or website to identify healthier products.
Previous research has linked regular social media use to behavioral problems and a higher risk of a diagnosis of ADHD, depression or anxiety.
This article is one of the first to draw a possible link between social media use and cancer.
About eight in ten adults use social media, often checking in for about two hours and 24 minutes per day. According to some studies, this increases to more than four hours per day among teenagers.
While there is no set benchmark for how long social media use is healthy, experts generally recommend spending less than two hours per day on the platforms.
The research was published in the Journal of Exposure, Science and Environmental Epidemiology.
