Dr. Steve: Baby Product Dangers, Urban Cancer Myths & Plastic Surgery

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7:00am Segment Info:
A concerning report for parents... A new study finds that some baby shampoos, lotions and powders may expose infants to chemicals that have been linked with possible reproductive problems. The chemicals are called phthalates, and they’re used to stabilize fragrances. Researchers found phthalates in the urine of babies who recently used these products. Health officials are not sure if phthalates cause problems. Animal studies have suggested they can cause reproductive birth defects. Human studies are lacking on this issue, and the FDA does not limit their use.

What can parents do?

WATCH THE VIDEO & READ THE REST AFTER THE JUMP

There are products that are phthalate free. You can check the label for these chemicals they identified as DEP and DEHP, but they aren’t always on the label. That's because they're usually found in fragrances, and manufacturers are not required to list the individual ingredients of fragrances. So if you're concerned. You could opt for fragrance free products or stay away from these products completely. You really don't need them.

In other news, you always hear reports that deodorants, cell phones and coffee cause cancer - is that true? Or is it all urban myth?

You probably got the same emails as everyone else. You've heard most of these urban myths - mobile phones cause cancer. There's asbestos in tampons, dioxins leak out of plastic bottles and deodorant that you put under your arms every day can cause cancer as well.

Australian researchers decided to set the record straight and analyzed all of these issues to finally put them to rest. What they found is what you would think - all of these things are just myths. They're not true. And they do not cause cancer or disease. In fact, they say the real killers are right under our noses.

What are the things we need to be concerned about?

The top three are smoking, alcohol and deliberate exposure to the sun - three things that some people do all the time. Researchers say if we stopped all of these things we would dramatically lower our cancer risk.

Finally, we always think of Americans being crazy for plastic surgery, but it's also popular in Britain.

That's right, in both women and men.

According to the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons, more than 32,000 surgical procedures were done on men and women in Britain last year. That's up more than 12% from the previous year. Women had 37% more facelifts, and men had 61% more tummy tucks or procedures that remove excess skin or fat from their guts. To be fair, women had more than 90% of the work done.

What were the most popular procedures?

Overall, the most common surgical procedure for women was breast reductions or enhancements. For men, nose jobs were number one.

8:00am Ask The Doctor Segment Info:
1. Christina from East Brunswick asks: My job requires me to stand for 8 hours a day. After, when I sit down, I find that my legs and hips are stiff. What causes this? Is it a sign of arthritis?

Christina, the human body is not designed to stay in one position all day long. All that standing causes inflammation in your joints. When you sit and rest after a long day that inflammation manifests itself as stiffness. It's not arthritis in the true sense. It's really due to the fact that you're standing all day. The solution is to move around, and try to take breaks occasionally so you can sit, even if it's just for a few minutes.

2. Kenneth from Laurelton, NY asks: For the past few months when I sleep I grind my teeth. What causes this?

Kenneth, this is an issue that doctors don't know much about and there are lots of studies looking at this very issue. Anxiety, stress and tension call all cause grinding of the teeth. When it happens during sleep it may also be related to changes that occur during your sleep cycle. To protect your teeth you should get fitted with a nightguard by your dentist.

3. Hi, Dr. Steve. My name is Rocco from Long Island. What is the best way to fight the common cold?

Rocco there's been literally tons of research on how to treat the common cold - vitamin c, echinacea. To be honest, the studies are back and forth on this issue. The best thing you can do is rest meaning get as much sleep as possible. Drink lots of clear fluids to stay hydrated and eat if you're hungry. I always go for chicken soup. If you do that and you're healthy, you should get better in about a week.