BACK TOTOP Browse A-ZSearchBrowse A-ZABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ0-9 E-mail FormEmail ResultsName:Email address:Recipients Name:Recipients address:Message: Print-FriendlyBookmarksbookmarks-menuTalcum powder poisoningTalc poisoning; Baby powder poisoningTalcum powder is a powder made from a mineral called talc. Talcum powder poisoning may occur when someone breathes in or swallows talcum powder. This can be by accident or on purpose.This article is for information only. DO NOT use it to treat or manage an actual poison exposure. If you or someone you are with has an exposure, call the local emergency number (such as 911), or the local poison control center can be reached directly by calling the national toll-free Poison Help hotline (1-800-222-1222) from anywhere in the United States. Poisonous Ingredient Talc can be harmful if it is swallowed or breathed in. Where Found Talc may be found in:Certain products that kill germs (antiseptics) Some baby powders Talcum powder As a filler in street drugs, like heroinOther products may also contain talc. Symptoms Most symptoms of talcum powder poisoning are caused by breathing in (inhaling) talc dust, especially in infants. Sometimes this happens by accident or over a long period of time. Breathing problems are the most common problem of inhaling talcum powder. Below are other symptoms of talcum powder poisoning in different parts of the body.BLADDER AND KIDNEYSUrine output is greatly decreased Urine output is greatly decreasedDecreased urine output means that you produce less urine than normal. Most adults make at least 500 milliliters of urine in 24 hours (a little over ...Read Article Now Book Mark Article No urine outputEYES, EARS, NOSE, and THROATCough (from throat irritation) Eye irritation Throat irritationHEART AND BLOODCollapse CollapseFainting is a brief loss of consciousness due to a drop in blood flow to the brain. The episode most often lasts less than a couple of minutes and y...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Low blood pressureLow blood pressureLow blood pressure occurs when blood pressure is much lower than normal. This means the heart, brain, and other parts of the body may not get enough...Read Article Now Book Mark Article LUNGSChest pain Cough (from particles in the lung) CoughCoughing is an important way to keep your throat and airways clear. But too much coughing may mean you have a disease or disorder. Some coughs are d...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Difficulty breathing Rapid, shallow breathing WheezingNERVOUS SYSTEMComa (decreased level of consciousness and lack of responsiveness) ComaDecreased alertness is a state of reduced awareness and is often a serious condition. A coma is the most severe state of decreased alertness from whi...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Convulsions (seizures) Drowsiness DrowsinessDrowsiness refers to feeling more sleepy than normal during the day. People who are drowsy may fall asleep when they do not want to or at times whic...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Lethargy (generalized weakness) Twitching of arms, hands, legs, or feet Twitching of the facial musclesTwitching of the facial musclesA facial tic is a repeated spasm, often involving the eyes and muscles of the face.Read Article Now Book Mark Article SKINBlisters BlistersA vesicle is a small fluid-filled blister on the skin.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Blue skin, lips, and fingernails Blue skinA bluish color to the skin or mucous membrane is usually due to a lack of oxygen in the blood. The medical term is cyanosis.Read Article Now Book Mark Article STOMACH AND INTESTINESDiarrhea Vomiting Home Care Seek medical help right away. DO NOT make the person throw up unless poison control or a health care provider tells you to. If the person breathed in the talcum powder, move them to fresh air right away. Before Calling Emergency Have this information ready:Person's age, weight, and condition Name of the product (ingredients, if known) Time it was swallowed or inhaled Amount swallowed or inhaled Poison Control Your local poison control center can be reached directly by calling the national toll-free Poison Help hotline (1-800-222-1222) from anywhere in the United States. This hotline will let you talk to experts in poisoning. They will give you further instructions.Poison control centerFor a POISON EMERGENCY call:1-800-222-1222ANYWHERE IN THE UNITED STATESThis national hotline number will let you talk to experts in poisoning. This ...Read Article Now Book Mark Article This is a free and confidential service. All local poison control centers in the United States use this national number. You should call if you have any questions about poisoning or poison prevention. It does NOT need to be an emergency. You can call for any reason, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. What to Expect at the Emergency Room Take the container to the hospital with you, if possible.The provider will measure and monitor the person's vital signs, including temperature, pulse, breathing rate, and blood pressure. Symptoms will be treated as appropriate.The person may receive:Blood and urine tests Breathing support, including a tube through the mouth into the lungs, and a breathing machine (ventilator) Chest x-ray ECG (electrocardiogram, or heart tracing) Fluids through a vein (by IV) Medicine to treat symptoms The person may be admitted to the hospital. Outlook (Prognosis) How well someone does depends on how much talcum powder they swallowed and how quickly they receive treatment. The faster medical help is given, the better the chance for recovery. Breathing in talcum powder can lead to very serious lung problems, even death.Use caution when using talcum powder on babies. Talc-free baby powder products are available.Workers who have regularly breathed in talcum powder over long periods of time have developed serious lung damage and cancer.Injecting heroin that contains talc into a vein may lead to heart and lung infections and serious organ damage, and even death.Open ReferencesReferencesGo LHT, Cohen RA. Pneumoconioses. In: Broaddus VC, Ernst JD, King TE, et al, eds. Murray & Nadel's Textbook of Respiratory Medicine. 7th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2022:chap 101.Kuschner WG, Blanc PD. Acute responses to toxic exposures. In: Broaddus VC, Ernst JD, King TE, et al, eds. Murray & Nadel's Textbook of Respiratory Medicine. 7th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2022:chap 103.Meehan TJ. Care of the poisoned patient. In: Walls RM, ed. Rosen's Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 10th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:chap 135.AllVideoImagesTogRelated Information Review Date: 11/2/2023 Reviewed By: Jesse Borke, MD, CPE, FAAEM, FACEP, Attending Physician at Kaiser Permanente, Orange County, CA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team. The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. No warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, is made as to the accuracy, reliability, timeliness, or correctness of any translations made by a third-party service of the information provided herein into any other language. © 1997- A.D.A.M., a business unit of Ebix, Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited. © 1997- All rights reserved. A.D.A.M. content is best viewed in IE9 or above, Firefox and Google Chrome browser.Content is best viewed in IE9 or above, Firefox and Google Chrome browser.
Talcum powder poisoningTalc poisoning; Baby powder poisoningTalcum powder is a powder made from a mineral called talc. Talcum powder poisoning may occur when someone breathes in or swallows talcum powder. This can be by accident or on purpose.This article is for information only. DO NOT use it to treat or manage an actual poison exposure. If you or someone you are with has an exposure, call the local emergency number (such as 911), or the local poison control center can be reached directly by calling the national toll-free Poison Help hotline (1-800-222-1222) from anywhere in the United States. Poisonous Ingredient Talc can be harmful if it is swallowed or breathed in. Where Found Talc may be found in:Certain products that kill germs (antiseptics) Some baby powders Talcum powder As a filler in street drugs, like heroinOther products may also contain talc. Symptoms Most symptoms of talcum powder poisoning are caused by breathing in (inhaling) talc dust, especially in infants. Sometimes this happens by accident or over a long period of time. Breathing problems are the most common problem of inhaling talcum powder. Below are other symptoms of talcum powder poisoning in different parts of the body.BLADDER AND KIDNEYSUrine output is greatly decreased Urine output is greatly decreasedDecreased urine output means that you produce less urine than normal. Most adults make at least 500 milliliters of urine in 24 hours (a little over ...Read Article Now Book Mark Article No urine outputEYES, EARS, NOSE, and THROATCough (from throat irritation) Eye irritation Throat irritationHEART AND BLOODCollapse CollapseFainting is a brief loss of consciousness due to a drop in blood flow to the brain. The episode most often lasts less than a couple of minutes and y...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Low blood pressureLow blood pressureLow blood pressure occurs when blood pressure is much lower than normal. This means the heart, brain, and other parts of the body may not get enough...Read Article Now Book Mark Article LUNGSChest pain Cough (from particles in the lung) CoughCoughing is an important way to keep your throat and airways clear. But too much coughing may mean you have a disease or disorder. Some coughs are d...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Difficulty breathing Rapid, shallow breathing WheezingNERVOUS SYSTEMComa (decreased level of consciousness and lack of responsiveness) ComaDecreased alertness is a state of reduced awareness and is often a serious condition. A coma is the most severe state of decreased alertness from whi...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Convulsions (seizures) Drowsiness DrowsinessDrowsiness refers to feeling more sleepy than normal during the day. People who are drowsy may fall asleep when they do not want to or at times whic...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Lethargy (generalized weakness) Twitching of arms, hands, legs, or feet Twitching of the facial musclesTwitching of the facial musclesA facial tic is a repeated spasm, often involving the eyes and muscles of the face.Read Article Now Book Mark Article SKINBlisters BlistersA vesicle is a small fluid-filled blister on the skin.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Blue skin, lips, and fingernails Blue skinA bluish color to the skin or mucous membrane is usually due to a lack of oxygen in the blood. The medical term is cyanosis.Read Article Now Book Mark Article STOMACH AND INTESTINESDiarrhea Vomiting Home Care Seek medical help right away. DO NOT make the person throw up unless poison control or a health care provider tells you to. If the person breathed in the talcum powder, move them to fresh air right away. Before Calling Emergency Have this information ready:Person's age, weight, and condition Name of the product (ingredients, if known) Time it was swallowed or inhaled Amount swallowed or inhaled Poison Control Your local poison control center can be reached directly by calling the national toll-free Poison Help hotline (1-800-222-1222) from anywhere in the United States. This hotline will let you talk to experts in poisoning. They will give you further instructions.Poison control centerFor a POISON EMERGENCY call:1-800-222-1222ANYWHERE IN THE UNITED STATESThis national hotline number will let you talk to experts in poisoning. This ...Read Article Now Book Mark Article This is a free and confidential service. All local poison control centers in the United States use this national number. You should call if you have any questions about poisoning or poison prevention. It does NOT need to be an emergency. You can call for any reason, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. What to Expect at the Emergency Room Take the container to the hospital with you, if possible.The provider will measure and monitor the person's vital signs, including temperature, pulse, breathing rate, and blood pressure. Symptoms will be treated as appropriate.The person may receive:Blood and urine tests Breathing support, including a tube through the mouth into the lungs, and a breathing machine (ventilator) Chest x-ray ECG (electrocardiogram, or heart tracing) Fluids through a vein (by IV) Medicine to treat symptoms The person may be admitted to the hospital. Outlook (Prognosis) How well someone does depends on how much talcum powder they swallowed and how quickly they receive treatment. The faster medical help is given, the better the chance for recovery. Breathing in talcum powder can lead to very serious lung problems, even death.Use caution when using talcum powder on babies. Talc-free baby powder products are available.Workers who have regularly breathed in talcum powder over long periods of time have developed serious lung damage and cancer.Injecting heroin that contains talc into a vein may lead to heart and lung infections and serious organ damage, and even death.Open ReferencesReferencesGo LHT, Cohen RA. Pneumoconioses. In: Broaddus VC, Ernst JD, King TE, et al, eds. Murray & Nadel's Textbook of Respiratory Medicine. 7th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2022:chap 101.Kuschner WG, Blanc PD. Acute responses to toxic exposures. In: Broaddus VC, Ernst JD, King TE, et al, eds. Murray & Nadel's Textbook of Respiratory Medicine. 7th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2022:chap 103.Meehan TJ. Care of the poisoned patient. In: Walls RM, ed. Rosen's Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 10th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:chap 135.