DIMETHICONE
Antifoaming Agent; Skin-Conditioning Agent - Occlusive; Skin Protectant; EMOLLIENT; SKIN CONDITIONING; SKIN PROTECTING
Also listed as
DIMETHYL SILICONE; HIGHLY POLYMERIZED METHYL POLYSILOXANE; METHYL POLYSILOXANE; SILICONE L-45; DIMETHICONE COPOLYOL; DC 1664; DIMETHICONE 350; DIMETICONE; DOW CORNING 1664; MIRASIL DM 20; VISCASIL 5M
Given the incomplete information made available by companies and the government, EWG provides additional information on personal care product ingredients from the published scientific literature. The chart below indicates that research studies have found that exposure to this ingredient -- not the products containing it -- caused the indicated health effect(s) in the studies reviewed by Skin Deep researchers. Actual health risks, if any, will vary based on the level of exposure to the ingredient and individual susceptibility -- information not available in Skin Deep.
| This ingredient: | |
 | Cancer |
| Developmental/reproductive toxicity |
 | Violations, restrictions & warnings |
| Allergies/immunotoxicity |
| Contamination concerns |
| Other moderate concerns for this ingredient: Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive) |
 | Lesser or emerging concerns for this ingredient: Ecotoxicology, Data gaps |
|
See products containing DIMETHICONE | |
About DIMETHICONE: Dimethicone is a mixture of fully methylated linear siloxane polymers end blocked withtrimethylsiloxy units. It conforms generally to the formula: In the United States, Dimethicone may be used as an active ingredient in OTC drug products. When used as an active drug ingredient, the established name is Dimethicone. See "Regulatory and Ingredient Use Information," regarding the labeling names for U.S . OTC Drug Ingredients in Volume 1, Introduction, Part A.
DIMETHICONE has reported used in the following product types: moisturizer (1540); facial moisturizer/treatment (1524); foundation (1099); anti-aging (924); sunscreen: makeup (658); conditioner (619); eye shadow (593); sunscreen: SPF 15-30 (516); hair color and bleaching (506); nail polish (392)
Violations, restrictions & warnings
| type of concern | product conditions | reference |
| Recommended restricted in cosmetics - use, concentration, or manufacturing restrictions - Product type restrictions or differences noted in safety assessment by industry panel | Cosmetic Ingredient Review Assessments |
Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive)
| type of concern | product conditions | reference |
| Classified as expected to be toxic or harmful | Environmental Canada Domestic Substance List | |
| show more | ||
Ecotoxicology
| type of concern | product conditions | reference |
| Suspected to be an environmental toxin and be persistent or bioaccumulative | Environmental Canada Domestic Substance List | |
| show more | ||
Data gaps
| type of concern | product conditions | reference |
| Risk assessment method deficiencies and data gaps - Maximum reported "as used" concentration is basis of safety assessment by industry safety panel (Cosmetic Ingredient Review, CIR) - implicit safe concentration limit in product | Cosmetic Ingredient Review Assessments | |
| 54 studies on toxicity in PubMed see search results -> | PubMed |
Multiple, additive exposure sources
| type of concern | product conditions | reference |
| Designated as safe for general or specific, limited use in food | FDA Everything Added to Food | |
| Designated as safe for general or specific, limited use in food | FDA Food Additive Status |
Persistence and bioaccumulation
| type of concern | product conditions | reference |
| Not suspected to be bioaccumulative | Environmental Canada Domestic Substance List | |
| show more | ||
Government, industry, academic studies and classifications
| government/industry list/academic study | appears on list as | classification(s) |
| FDA Food Additive Status | DIMETHYLPOLYSILOXANE | • Food additive: antifoaming (or defoaming) agent • Food additive: food additive for which a petition has been filed and a regulation issued • ZERO - In milk -173.340 • 110 parts per million - In dry gelatin dessert mixes • 250 parts per million In salt for cooking purposes • 10 parts per million - In other food in its ready-for-consumption state • 145.180(a) • Cnd Pineapple • 146.185(a) • Cnd Pineapple Juice |
| Cosmetic Ingredient Review Assessments | DIMETHICONE | •Safe as used in cosmetics according to industry panel (Cosmetic Ingredient Review, CIR) •Maximum reported "as used" concentration is basis of safety assessment by industry safety panel (Cosmetic Ingredient Review, CIR) - implicit safe concentration limit in product •Product type restrictions or differences noted in safety assessment by industry panel • |
| FDA Everything Added to Food | DIMETHYLPOLYSILOXANE | • Fully up-to-date toxicology information has been sought. |
| Cosmetic Ingredient Review Assessments | DIMETHICONE COPOLYOL | •Safe as used in cosmetics according to industry panel (Cosmetic Ingredient Review, CIR) •Maximum reported "as used" concentration is basis of safety assessment by industry safety panel (Cosmetic Ingredient Review, CIR) - implicit safe concentration limit in product • |
| Environmental Canada Domestic Substance List | DIMETHICONE | •This chemical was flagged for further attention by CEPA due to suspected aquatic toxicity and persistence. |
| Environmental Canada Domestic Substance List | SILOXANES AND SILICONES, DI-ME, HYDROXY-TERMINATED, ETHOXYLATED PROPOXYLATED | •This chemical was NOT flagged by CEPA for further attention. |
references
| government/industry list/academic study | reference |
| FDA Food Additive Status | FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration) 2006. Food Additive Status List. Downloaded from http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/%7Edms/opa-appa.html, Oct 16, 2006. |
| Cosmetic Ingredient Review Assessments | CIR (Cosmetic Ingredient Review). 2006. CIR Compendium, containing abstracts, discussions, and conclusions of CIR cosmetic ingredient safety assessments. Washington DC. |
| FDA Everything Added to Food | FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration). 2008. EAFUS [Everything Added to Food]: A Food Additive Database. FDA Office of Food Safety and Applied Nutrition. |
| Environmental Canada Domestic Substance List | EC (Environment Canada). 2008. Domestic Substances List Categorization. Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA) Environmental Registry. |
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