It has been used in skin care and cosmetic products, industry, ceramics, roofing, plastics, and paper since the 1890s. Even if you were never exposed to it as an infant or child, chances are you’ve heard of it: talcum power.
Since the 1970s, studies have shown that talc May be carcinogenic – even studies conducted by one of its largest commercial producers, the American pharmaceutical company Johnson & Johnson. But many studies and experts suggest that when talc is contaminated with asbestos it becomes conclusively carcinogenic. Johnson & Johnson says this is a talc product “It should not contain asbestos.”
However, after several court cases and billions of dollars in payouts, Johnson & Johnson stopped making talcum powder with talc in early 2020 and now makes it with cornstarch instead.
Where do you buy talc?
DW found that despite decades of controversy surrounding talcum powder and its alleged or real links to cancer, people still use it.
So, if you’re looking for talcum powder – you use it to soothe the feeling of dry skin on your body or to prevent rashes – commercial talcum can be purchased at drug stores.
But to be safe, choose a powder made from cornstarch. A review of scientific research Published in 2000, concluded that “perineal powders specifically containing cornstarch have not been predicted to be a risk factor for ovarian cancer.”
While this finding pertains specifically to the perineum, an area of sensitive skin between the genitals and the anus, it is important because there have been major concerns that applying talcum-based talcum powder to the perineum could lead to the development of ovarian cancer in some women.
However, keep in mind that it is still disputed whether there is a direct causal relationship between talcum powder and ovarian cancer.
Talc is ‘probably’ carcinogenic – Asbestos is carcinogenic
The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), an organization of the World Health Organization (WHO), said in 2024 that a working group of international experts “Talc is classified as possibly carcinogenic to humans.” But still, IARC offered warnings. It said the finding was based on:
- Limited evidence of cancer in humans (for ovarian cancer)
- Substantial evidence of cancer in experimental animals
- There is strong mechanistic evidence that talc displays key characteristics of carcinogens in human primary cells and experimental systems
“A causal role for talc has not been fully established,” IARC wrote in the paper.
In the early 1970s, Talc was found to be “co-located in ovarian tumor tissue”. According to a commentary published in the journal Epidemiology in 2019.
Johnson & Johnson hired its own researcher to investigate the link between talcum powder and ovarian cancer in the 1970s. Their findings confirmed the presence of talc but not asbestos in ovarian cancer tissue.
Research on the carcinogenicity of asbestos is more conclusive. WHO says this clearly “All forms of asbestos […] Are carcinogenic to humans.”
Question: Why not remove asbestos?
Answer: IARC says it is challenging to accurately measure asbestos contamination in talc. And industries, including mining companies, have long struggled to remove asbestos from talc products.
How does asbestos ‘contaminate’ talc?
Asbestos can contaminate talcum during the mining process. Both minerals occur naturally, have similar properties, and are found close to each other in rocks.
They are both composed of silicon, magnesium, iron, oxygen and hydrogen. Asbestos has been found to form Inside Talc, however, is present both in the form of microscopic deposits and larger, so-called discrete areas.
But the biggest problems appear to be the lack of standardized methods to test talc for asbestos contamination, and the fact that asbestos fibers are hard to distinguish from talc fibers.
In December 2024, the US Food and Drug Administration proposed a new rule for standardized test methods to detect and identify asbestos in cosmetic products containing talc. This is only in the US, and the rule was still under review at the time of writing.
How does asbestos-contaminated talc cause cancer?
For example, if asbestos fibers are inhaled, they can become trapped in the lungs and remain there for years. If those fibers cause inflammation and scarring, called fibrosis, it can lead to cancer.
The scar tissue does not expand or contract properly, which can lead to difficulty breathing, which is one of the primary symptoms.
People who mine talc are at risk through inhalation of talc and asbestos fibers. Others working in the construction or plastics industries may also be at risk – talc is used as a reinforcing filler; It is heat resistant and reduces shrinkage of the material.
In personal use: If particles pass through the vagina, for example, the uterus and fallopian tubes, and reach the ovaries, there may be a risk of cancer.
What types of cancer can asbestos-talc cause?
Asbestos in talc can cause mesothelioma, which is cancer of a thin, protective layer of tissue – the mesothelium – that covers many organs, including the lungs, heart and testicles.
Lung cancer can form when talc-asbestos fibers get into the lungs and cause cells to genetically change. Due to this the tumor starts growing.
And ovarian cancer: This is probably the most documented form of cancer caused by asbestos-talc, not least because in 2018 Johnson & Johnson paid out nearly $5 billion to 22 women who claimed the company’s talcum powder caused the women’s ovarian cancer. In October 2025, Contenders in the UK Filed a similar lawsuit against the company,
Edited by: Carla Bleiker