By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support great journalism.
These Claires products may be exposing your child to asbestos
1603edc66c71a71ce205cbb1500aab2ca337cf5bcdb51facfc502c3af38a866c
The kids accessories chain recently pulled more than a dozen items from its stores after a family in Rhode Island discovered that a makeup pallet contained asbestos. - photo by Herb Scribner
Claires has issued a recall for some of its products after a mother who works for a law firm that specializes in asbestos litigation discovered one of the store's makeup kits contained asbestos.

After sending the kit to a lab for testing, Rhode Island mother Kristi Warner complained to the company that its makeup pallet, which Warner bought for her 6-year-old daughter, contained asbestos, according to WJAR-TV, a Rhode Island NBC affiliate.

Warner, who works for the Deaton Law Firm, which specializes in asbestos litigation and targets businesses for negligent actions against families, mailed the makeup kit to an independent lab in North Carolina, called the Scientific Analytical Institute, where tests revealed the makeup contained tremolite asbestos, which contains toxic and cancer-causing material.

"I physically sank, Warner told WJAR. I ended up sitting on the ground, just trying to wrap my head around how something like that could end up in our home.

Asbestos has been linked to mesothelioma, a disease in which cancer cells create a thin layer of tissue on the lung, chest wall or abdomen area, according to the National Cancer Institute. Exposure to asbestos through skin contact can lead to "a high risk of swallowing or breathing in the asbestos," according to MesoWatch, which provides information on mesothelioma and exposure.

Warner and her boss John Deaton bought 17 products from nine different states to determine if other children were at risk, KRIS-TV reported.

Sean Fitzgerald of Scientific Analytical Institute says he found tremolite asbestos in every single product.

"The fact that the majority of the products came from the store shelves in the last two weeks means that there are other children being exposed," Fitzgerald said.

Clare's has issued a statement: At Claires the safety of our customers is of paramount importance, and we are passionate about the safety and integrity of our products. We work closely with our vendors to ensure our products are tested and assessed in line with the relevant country regulations and guidelines,

The company said it will pull items from its shelves and take necessary action once they find results from their own investigation.

A list of affected products can be found on Claires website.

According to the Daily Mail, the Scientific Analytical Institute made news earlier this year when it discovered asbestos in Justice makeup products, too. Justice said its own investigation found no asbestos existed in its products.
Its toxic: New study says blue light from tech devices can speed up blindness
93cbd7a5475cccd1cee701424125d3abaa9b4beaa58d3663208f656cbbbd7661
A new study from the University of Toledo found that blue light from digital devices can transform molecules in your eyes retina into cell killers. - photo by Herb Scribner
It turns out checking Twitter or Facebook before bed is bad for your health.

A new study from the University of Toledo found that blue light from digital devices can transform molecules in your eyes retina into cell killers.

That process can lead to age-related macular degeneration, which is a leading cause of blindness in the United States, according to the researchs extract.

Blue light is a common issue for many modern Americans. Blue light is emitted from screens, most notably at night, causing sleep loss, eye strain and a number of other issues.

Dr. Ajith Karunarathne, assistant professor in the UT Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, said our constant exposure to blue light cant be blocked by the lens or cornea.

"It's no secret that blue light harms our vision by damaging the eye's retina. Our experiments explain how this happens, and we hope this leads to therapies that slow macular degeneration, such as a new kind of eye drop, he said.

Macular degeneration is an incurable eye disease that often affects those in their 50s or 60s. It occurs after the death of photoreceptor cells in the retina. Those cells need retinal to sense light and help signal the brain.

The research team found blue light exposure created poisonous chemical molecules that killed photoreceptor cells

"It's toxic. If you shine blue light on retinal, the retinal kills photoreceptor cells as the signaling molecule on the membrane dissolves," said Kasun Ratnayake, a Ph.D. student researcher working in Karunarathne's cellular photo chemistry group. "Photoreceptor cells do not regenerate in the eye. When they're dead, they're dead for good."

However, the researchers found a molecule called alpha-tocopherol, which comes from Vitamin E, can help prevent cell death, according to Futurism.

The researchers plan to review how light from TVs, cellphones and tablet screens affect the eyes as well.

"If you look at the amount of light coming out of your cellphone, it's not great but it seems tolerable," said Dr. John Payton, visiting assistant professor in the UT Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. "Some cellphone companies are adding blue-light filters to the screens, and I think that is a good idea."

Indeed, Apple released a Night Shift mode two years ago to help quell blue lights strain on the eyes, according to The Verge. The screen will dim into a warmer, orange light that will cause less stress on the eyes.