Reference summary — not medical advice or a personal risk estimate.
Body wash / shower gel
Liquid body cleansers. Sulfate-based surfactants can carry 1,4-dioxane as a manufacturing contaminant.
Also known as: shower gel, liquid soap
What this does NOT mean
Finding a factor documented in this product category does not establish that ordinary use of body wash / shower gel causes cancer. It means research — through regulatory testing, recall records, or IARC review — has found that chemical present in this category. Whether it matters for you depends on formulation, dose, frequency, and route of exposure.
What has been documented
- 1,4-DioxaneIARC Group 2BIARC Group 2BContamination · high confidence
Byproduct of ethoxylation used to make sulfate surfactants (SLES). US FDA sets no limit; NY State caps at 1 ppm.
Evidence source: US EPA
- FormaldehydeIARC Group 1IARC Group 1Byproduct of ingredients · medium confidence
Preservative systems may release formaldehyde.
Evidence source: EPA CPDat
- DiethanolamineIARC Group 2BIARC Group 2BContains · medium confidence
DEA and cocamide-DEA used as foaming agents in some body wash formulas.
Evidence source: IARC
How to read this page
A factor appearing on this page means it has been documented in this product category — through EPA / FDA testing, IARC monographs, or regulatory recall records. Whether it presents a meaningful personal risk depends on the specific formulation, dose, and how you're exposed. Click any factor to read what science actually says about it, and where.