Face powder poisoning

Face powder poisoning occurs when someone swallows or breathes in this substance.

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 your local emergency number (such as 911), or your local poison 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

The ingredients in face powder that can be harmful are:

• Baking soda
• Talcum powder
• Many other types of powder

Where Found

Face powder contains these ingredients.

Symptoms

Symptoms of face powder poisoning include:

• Abdominal pain

  Abdominal pain

  Abdominal pain is pain that you feel anywhere between your chest and groin. This is often referred to as the stomach region or belly.

   

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• Blurred vision
• Breathing difficulty
• Burning pain in the throat
• Burns to the eye (if it gets in the eye)
• Diarrhea (watery, bloody)

  Diarrhea

  Diarrhea is when you pass loose or watery stool.

   

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• Rash
• Vomiting

  Vomiting

  Nausea is feeling an urge to vomit. It is often called "being sick to your stomach. "Vomiting or throwing-up is forcing the contents of the stomach ...

   

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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 swallowed face powder, give them water or milk right away, unless a provider tells you not to. DO NOT give anything to drink if the person has symptoms that make it hard to swallow. These include vomiting, convulsions, or a decreased level of alertness.

If the person breathed in the 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
• Amount swallowed

Poison Control

Your local poison center can be reached directly by calling the national toll-free Poison Help hotline (1-800-222-1222) from anywhere in the United States. They will give you further instructions.

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 with you to the hospital, 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.

The person may receive:

• Activated charcoal
• Blood and urine tests
• Breathing support, including a tube through the mouth into the lungs and a breathing machine (ventilator)
• Chest x-ray
• EKG (electrocardiogram, or heart tracing)
• Fluids through a vein (by IV)
• Laxatives
• Medicines to treat symptoms
• Tube through the mouth into the stomach to wash out the stomach ( gastric lavage )

  Gastric lavage

  Gastric suction is a procedure to empty the contents of your stomach.

   

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If the poisoning is severe, the person may be admitted to the hospital.

Outlook (Prognosis)

How well someone does depends on how much face powder they swallowed and how quickly they receive treatment. The faster medical help is given, the better the chance for recovery.

Face powders are not very poisonous, so recovery is very likely.