Other Concerns
Use restrictions (moderate), Persistence and bioaccumulation (moderate), and Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs) (low)SYNONYMS
1,1'-HEXAMETHYLENE BIS(5-(P-CHLOROPHENYL)BIGUANIDE) DIHYDROCHLORIDE, 2,4,11,13-TE TRAAZATETRADECANEDIIMIDAMIDE, N,N'-BIS(4-CHLOROPHENYL)-3,12-DIIMINO-, DIHYDROCHLORIDE, CHLORHEXIDINE DIHYDROCHLORIDE, CHLORHEXIDINE HYDROCHLORIDE, CHLORHEXIDINIUM DICHLORIDE, DIHYDROCHLORIDE 2,4,11,13-TE TRAAZATETRADECANEDIIMIDAMIDE, N,N'-BIS(4-CHLOROPHENYL)-3,12-DIIMINO-, DIHYDROCHLORIDE N,N'-BIS(4-CHLOROPHENYL)-3,12-DIIMINO-2,4,11,13-TETRAAZATETRADECANEDIIMIDAMIDE, N,N''-BIS(4-CHLOROPHENYL)-3,12-DIIMINO-2,4,11,13-TETRAAZATETRADECANEDIIMIDAMIDE, DIHYDROCHLORIDE, N,N'-BIS(4-CHLOROPHENYL)-3,12-DIIMINO- DIHYDROCHLORIDE 2,4,11,13-TE TRAAZATETRADECANEDIIMIDAMIDE, and N,N'-BIS(4-CHLOROPHENYL)-3,12-DIIMINO-2,4,11,13-TETRAAZATETRADECANEDIIMIDAMIDE, DIHYDROCHLORIDEUnacceptable
Unacceptable: EWG VERIFIED products cannot contain this ingredient
Chlorhexidine is a synthetic preservative and antiseptic.
Common concerns
See how this product scores for common concerns.
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LOWCancer
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MODERATEAllergies & Immunotoxicity
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LOWDevelopmental and Reproductive Toxicity
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MODERATEUse Restrictions
Ingredient concerns
- CONCERNS
- DATA SOURCES
Products with this Ingredient
conditioner | 40 products |
hair color and bleaching | 22 products |
hair treatment/serum | 8 products |
hair styling aide | 3 products |
mask | 1 products |
detangler | 1 products |
Persistence and bioaccumulation
CONCERN | REFERENCE |
---|---|
Persistent or bioaccumulative and moderate to high toxicity concern in humans | Open scientific literature |
Allergies/immunotoxicity
CONCERN | REFERENCE |
---|---|
Human any toxicant or allergen - strong evidence | Open scientific literature |
Human immune and respiratory toxicant or allergen - strong evidence | Association of Occupational and Environmental Clinics |
Limited evidence of immune system toxicity or allergies | National Library of Medicine HazMap |
Use restrictions
CONCERN | REFERENCE |
---|---|
Restricted in cosmetics (recommendations or requirements) - use, concentration, or manufacturing restrictions - Japan - restricted for use in some types of cosmetics (concentration limit) | Japan's Standards for Cosmetics |
Restricted in cosmetics (recommendations or requirements) - use, concentration, or manufacturing restrictions - Use is restricted in Canadian cosmetics | Canada - Prohibited and Restricted Cosmetics Ingredients |
Determined safe for use in cosmetics, subject to concentration or use limitations - Safe for use in cosmetics with some qualifications | Cosmetic Ingredient Review Assessments |
Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs)
CONCERN | REFERENCE |
---|---|
Limited evidence of skin irritation | National Library of Medicine HazMap |
Data gaps
CONCERN | REFERENCE |
---|---|
Risk assessment method deficiencies and data gaps - Maximum reported "as used" concentration is basis of safety assessment by industry safety panel (Cosmetic Ingredient Review, CIR) - implicit safe concentration limit in product | Cosmetic Ingredient Review Assessments |
6264 studies in PubMed science library may include information on the toxicity of this chemical | NLM PubMed |
Multiple, additive exposure sources
CONCERN | REFERENCE |
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Designated as safe for general or specific, limited use in food | FDA Food Additive Status |
- Open scientific/peer reviewed literature
- AOEC (Association of Occupational and Environmental Clinics). 2009. AEOC exposures codes and asthmagen designation.
- NLM (National Library of Medicine). 2006. HazMap — Occupational Exposure to Hazardous Agents.
- Japan Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare. 2006. Standards for Cosmetics. Evaluation and Licensing Division. Pharmaceutical and Food Safety Bureau.
- Health Canada. 2007. List of Prohibited and Restricted Cosmetic Ingredients. Canada's Cosmetic Ingredient Hotlist. March 2007.
- CIR (Cosmetic Ingredient Review). 2006. CIR Compendium, containing abstracts, discussions, and conclusions of CIR cosmetic ingredient safety assessments. Washington DC.
- NLM (National Library of Medicine). 2012. PubMed online scientific bibliography data. http://www.pubmed.gov.
- FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration) 2006. Food Additive Status List. Downloaded from http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/%7Edms/opa-appa.html, Oct 16, 2006.
Understanding scores
Cosmetics and personal care products are not required to be tested for safety before being allowed on the market. The Skin Deep® scoring system was designed to help the public understand whether a product is safe to use or whether it contains ingredients of concern.
Every product and ingredient in Skin Deep gets a two-part score – one for hazard and one for data availability. The safest products score well by both measures, with a low hazard rating and a fair or better data availability rating.
HOW WE DETERMINE SCORESHazard score
The Skin Deep ingredient hazard score, from 1 to 10, reflects known and suspected hazards linked to the ingredients. The EWG VERIFIED™ mark means a product meets EWG’s strictest criteria for transparency and health.
Data availability
The Skin Deep data availability rating reflects the number of scientific studies about the product or ingredient in the published scientific literature.