Kohler-Andrea State Park, near Sheboygan, Wisconsin
Talc · Baby powder · Cosmetics
Mesothelioma from Talc Products
Many people diagnosed with mesothelioma never worked around asbestos. For some, the exposure came from talcum powder, baby powder, or makeup and cosmetic products. Jon Neumann helps patients and families across Wisconsin, Illinois, and Minnesota.
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Experience with talc-related mesothelioma
Since 2002, Jon Neumann has helped patients and families impacted by mesothelioma, including people whose exposure came from talc-containing consumer products.
Read Jon’s backgroundTalc matters Jon has handled
Jon has negotiated with many of the largest manufacturers, distributors, and retailers of talc-containing products. Companies named as defendants in talc mesothelioma matters he has handled include:
- Arkema (Desenex)
- Colgate-Palmolive (Cashmere Bouquet)
- Conopco (Unilever)
- Coty
- Estée Lauder (Clinique)
- Johnson & Johnson (Johnson’s Baby Powder, Shower to Shower)
- LVMH (Dior)
- Mary Kay
- Mennen (Mennen Shave Talc, Baby Magic)
- Merck (Dr. Scholl’s)
- Noxell (Cover Girl, Noxzema)
- Perrigo (store-brand powders)
- Pfizer (Coty products, including Airspun, Emeraude, Exclamation, L’Aimant, L’Origan, Muguet des Bois, and Sand & Sable)
- Puig
- Sanofi (Gold Bond)
- Shulton (Old Spice and Desert Flower talc)
- Target (store-brand powders)
- Vi-Jon (store-brand powders)
Being named as a defendant is not a finding of liability. Listing a company does not mean that it settled a claim, that it was found responsible, or that all of its products contained asbestos. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
How can talc contain asbestos?
Reviewed by Jon Neumann, Founding Attorney · Last reviewed
Talc is a soft mineral that is mined from the earth and ground into a fine powder. It has been used for generations in baby powder, body powder, and makeup. Talc and asbestos are both naturally occurring minerals, and they can form close together in the same deposits. U.S. Geological Survey geologists have found that talc deposits formed by certain geologic processes consistently contain amphibole minerals, sometimes in the form of asbestos. If the talc ore is not carefully selected and tested, asbestos fibers can end up in the finished product.
Shaking out powder or applying makeup creates a fine dust that is easy to breathe in. When the talc is contaminated, that dust can contain asbestos fibers. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has stated that “there is no established safe threshold for adverse health effects from asbestos exposure.” The World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer classifies talc containing asbestos as carcinogenic to humans, its highest category. The American Cancer Society states that talc containing asbestos is generally accepted as being able to cause cancer if it is inhaled.
Sources: U.S. Food and Drug Administration, “Talc”; FDA proposed rule, 89 Fed. Reg. 105490 (Dec. 27, 2024); Van Gosen et al., U.S. Geological Survey, Environmental Geology (2004); International Agency for Research on Cancer, July 2024; American Cancer Society, “Talcum Powder and Cancer”; ATSDR, Toxicological Profile for Asbestos.
Products that have been at issue
Asbestos claims have involved many kinds of talc-containing products. You do not need to remember every brand or product you used. We investigate that for you.
Powders
- Talcum powder and baby powder
- Scented body powder and dusting powder
- After-shower and after-bath powder
- Foot powder and medicated powder
- Men’s aftershave talc
Makeup and cosmetics
- Loose face powder
- Pressed face powder and compacts
- Blush, bronzer, and eye shadow
- Other cosmetic products made with talc
Barbershops and salons
- Neck and shaving powder used by barbers
- Powders used in beauty salons
- Cosmetics used by makeup artists
Who may have been exposed
- People who used talc powders or cosmetics regularly, often for many years
- Children who were powdered as babies, and the parents and caregivers who applied the powder
- Barbers, hairstylists, and salon workers who used powders every day
- Family members who shared a bathroom where powder, makeup, or cosmetics were used
A risk known for decades
What government records, medical journals, and company statements show.
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1973
The FDA proposes limits on asbestos in talc
The FDA proposed requiring cosmetic talc to be at least 99.9 percent free of amphibole asbestos and 99.99 percent free of chrysotile asbestos. After industry objections, the FDA said in 1975 that it would delay any final rule. The rule was never adopted.
Source: Rosner, Markowitz & Chowkwanyun, American Journal of Public Health (2019).
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1976
Researchers find asbestos in consumer powders
Researchers at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine reported that 10 of 20 consumer talcum, body, and baby powders they tested contained tremolite or anthophyllite, and 2 contained chrysotile. All three are forms of asbestos.
Source: Rohl et al., Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health (1976).
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1976
The industry adopts a voluntary test
The cosmetics industry’s trade association adopted its own voluntary method for testing talc, known as J4-1. Its screening step could reliably detect amphibole asbestos only at about 0.5 percent by weight, so lower levels could be reported as “not detected.”
Sources: Rosner, Markowitz & Chowkwanyun, American Journal of Public Health (2019); FDA proposed rule, 89 Fed. Reg. 105490 (Dec. 27, 2024).
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1977 · retracted 2026
A medical journal commentary, later retracted
The Lancet published an unsigned commentary arguing against government-mandated asbestos testing of cosmetic talc. In March 2026, the journal retracted it after documents showed that its author had been a paid consultant to Johnson & Johnson and had shared the article with the company before publication. The editors called the undisclosed conflict of interest “a clear breach of publishing ethics.” Johnson & Johnson disputes that the commentary reflects misconduct.
Sources: The Lancet, Retraction: Cosmetic talc powder (March 2026); Rosner & Markowitz, The Lancet (March 2026); Retraction Watch, March 25, 2026.
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2019
A baby powder recall
Johnson & Johnson voluntarily recalled one lot of Johnson’s Baby Powder after the FDA reported that a sample from that lot contained chrysotile, a type of asbestos. The company disputed the finding.
Source: FDA, October 18, 2019.
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2020
FDA testing results, and companies move away from talc
The FDA reported that, in a year-long sampling assignment, it found asbestos in 9 of 52 talc-containing cosmetic products tested. Johnson & Johnson stopped selling talc-based baby powder in the United States and Canada. Reuters reported that other major cosmetics companies were also moving away from talc in some products, while maintaining that their talc was safe.
Sources: FDA, March 9, 2020; IndustryWeek, May 2020; Reuters, June 9, 2020.
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2022
Worldwide discontinuation and a new federal law
Johnson & Johnson announced that it would end sales of talc-based baby powder worldwide in 2023, while maintaining that its cosmetic talc is safe. Congress passed the Modernization of Cosmetics Regulation Act, which directed the FDA to require standardized asbestos testing for talc-containing cosmetics.
Sources: Johnson & Johnson, August 11, 2022; FDA proposed rule, 89 Fed. Reg. 105490 (Dec. 27, 2024).
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2024–2025
Federal testing standards proposed, then withdrawn
The FDA proposed a testing rule in December 2024, stating that “there is no established safe threshold for adverse health effects from asbestos exposure.” In November 2025, the FDA withdrew the proposal and said it would issue a new one.
Sources: FDA proposed rule, 89 Fed. Reg. 105490 (Dec. 27, 2024); Withdrawal, 90 Fed. Reg. (Nov. 28, 2025).
The information above comes from government records, medical journals, news reports, and company statements and is provided for general information. Claims typically involve products sold years or decades ago, not products sold today. Naming a company or product does not mean that every product it made contained asbestos, or that it caused any particular person’s illness. Whether a claim exists depends on the facts of each case.
Further reading: Gardiner Harris, No More Tears: The Dark Secrets of Johnson & Johnson (2025); interview on NPR’s Fresh Air, April 10, 2025.
What to save
If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with mesothelioma, these items can help the investigation. Please keep them in a safe place. Do not open or test old containers yourself.
- Any old containers, compacts, or packaging you still have, even if empty
- Photos of products on bathroom shelves or vanities in family photos
- The names of products you remember, roughly when you used them, and where you bought them
- The names of people who can confirm what you used, such as family members, friends, or coworkers
Please do not send records or photos through the website form or by text. Wait until you have spoken with Jon Neumann.
Questions about talc and mesothelioma
Reviewed by Jon Neumann, Founding Attorney · Last reviewed
I never worked around asbestos. Could talc be the cause of my mesothelioma?
It is possible. Mesothelioma is caused almost entirely by asbestos, and some talc products have been found to contain asbestos. When a patient has no work exposure, the investigation looks closely at the personal care and cosmetic products used at home, often going back decades.
My doctor said there is no known cause for my mesothelioma. Should I still ask about talc?
Yes. Mesothelioma is caused almost entirely by asbestos, but many patients are never asked about the personal care products they used. When no work exposure is found, talc-containing powders and cosmetics used years ago may be the source. A careful history of the products you used can help find the answer.
I don’t remember the brand names. Can I still have a case?
Yes. Most people cannot remember every product they used years ago. Family members, old photos, and store and purchase histories can help. We investigate that for you.
The product is no longer sold, or the company went bankrupt. Does that end a claim?
No. A claim may still be possible against the companies that made, supplied, or sold the product, or their successors. Some companies that went bankrupt set up asbestos trust funds to pay claims.
My loved one died of mesothelioma. Can our family still file a claim?
Often, yes. Family members may be able to bring a wrongful death claim, and a claim for the person’s own injuries may continue on behalf of the estate. Filing deadlines differ by state and depend on the facts, so please contact us soon.
Does this page cover ovarian cancer claims?
No. Jon’s practice is devoted entirely to helping patients and families impacted by mesothelioma.
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