The hype in "hypoallergenic".(Consumers Union In Action)(Column)

Americans may be tough, but apparently they want their skin to be soft--not to mention clean and fragrant. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, the average adult slathers on seven different skin-care products each day. The list includes moisturizers, sunscreens, makeup, perfume, aftershave, shampoo, skin cleansers, and deodorants.

Unfortunately, personal-care products may produce unwelcome side effects: skin irritations and allergies. Dermatologic studies suggest that up to 10 percent of the population may have some adverse reaction to cosmetics and toiletries over time. Fragrance is the most common cause, but preservatives and emulsifiers may also act as irritants.

Years ago, manufacturers of cosmetics and toiletries removed many allergens, including musk ambrette, a fragrance ingredient, and ethylenediamine, a preservative. To trumpet that effort, they began labeling many products "hypoallergenic."

What they meant was that these products were less likely to cause irritation or other reactions. The question, however, is less likely than what? Although "hypoallergenic" has since been slapped on everything from moisturizers to jewelry, there are no laws or regulations defining the term or governing its use with cosmetics and toiletries. Vincent DeLeo, M.D., chairman of dermatology at St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center and Beth Israel Medical Center in New York, says that "responsible companies test quite a bit to rid products of ingredients that cause reactions, but many may not."

To give the label meaning, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), back in 1975, promulgated a regulation that would have required cosmetics and toiletry manufacturers to conduct scientific tests on human subjects showing that hypoallergenic products ...