The Impact of Toilet Paper on the Body

Just how well does our skin protect us against toxins and irritants?

Not so very long ago, most scientists believed human skin to be an impermeable barrier to inorganic particles—a thin but durable layer of protection against the myriad irritants and toxins large and small with which our bodies come into contact each day.

Not as well as you might think.

Findings since the 1980s suggest otherwise. While it’s true that substances with larger particle size are typically unable to penetrate the skin’s surface, recent studies indicate that smaller-sized particles can easily penetrate and make their way into our bloodstreams. What’s more, even the smallest amount of damage to the skin’s outermost layer—say, the removal of 5-10 micrometers (about 1/30th the width of a human hair)—dramatically increases rates of absorption.

Simple changes to your daily routine to reduce your exposure to toxins.

What might cause such damage? Sun exposure, for one, which can thin out the outermost layer of skin. Hence the importance of toxin-free sunscreens. Repeated abrasion, for another. Hence the importance of—you guessed—toxin-free toilet paper.

The benefits of tree-free, toxin-free toilet paper.

We call them precious environments for a reason. These are parts of our body regulated by a delicate biochemical balance. The skin there is already more porous, more prone to irritation when that balance is upset. Why are we rubbing ourselves raw with tree-based papers made fluffy and white by formaldehyde and bleaching agents? These chemicals should have no place anywhere near the human body, much less near its most vulnerable, permeable parts.

At PlantPaper, we believe that what we put on our bodies should be as responsibly, thoughtfully made as what we put in our bodies. That’s why PlantPaper is made without formaldehyde, bleaching agents of any kind, scents, dyes, or BPA. Because when it comes to our most precious environments, skin-deep is a whole lot deeper than it seems.