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3 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Thousands brave heat for Fourth of July parades ... Earthquake rumbles Eugene area ... J'ville planner at 'flash point' turns in resignation ... Thousands brave heat for Fourth of July parades ... Earthquake rumbles Eugene area ... J'ville planner at 'flash point' turns in resignation ... SINCE YOU ASKED Since You Asked: FDA mandates instructions on shampoo MailTribune.com Writer Posted Jul. 2, 2015 @ 12:01 am Posted Jul. 2, 2015 @ 12:01 am » Social News p bs:newslist StartDate="20121121" EndDate="p bs:datecalc Months="3"" DateSort="1" UseObjects="1" ObjectClass="81" Taxonomywords="2325,665" ExactTaxonomyMatch="1" Image="1" Count="4" --> Sometime's life hands me its least-pressing questions while I'm in the shower. This question lingers in my head every morning because it involves something that goes on my head.   It doesn't matter what brand of shampoo I buy, there are always instructions on the back of the bottle.  Some brands take a flippant "you know what to do" tone to it, but they all devote space to telling me to wet my hair, lather and rinse. It's been about half a century since someone first dropped a pearl into a bottle of Prell — doesn't everyone know the drill by now? — "Confident Shampooer," Medford   If there's such a thing as obvious observational humor, this question is just below airline food at the top. But you're not asking us rhetorically, so we're here to help. You can thank the Food and Drug Administration and the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act of 1938 for those seemingly needless instructions. Personal care products such as skin moisturizers, deodorants, toothpastes, hair colors and shampoos all fall under the classification of "cosmetics" according to the FDA.  The act defined cosmetics as "articles intended to be applied to the human body for cleansing, beautifying, promoting attractiveness or altering the appearance without affecting the body's structure or functions."   The 1938 act regulated abuses in food quality and packaging, prohibited false therapeutic claims for drugs and mandated pre-market approval for all drugs — doing away with sometimes frighteningly dangerous patent medicines.  Less excitingly, the act mandated cosmetics labels include instructions for safe use.  You may note that there are no instructions on hand soap or regular old bar of Ivory soap. Soap that doesn't make any beauty or health claims is regulated by the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Cosmetics with health claims, such as anti-cavity toothpastes, antiperspirants or anti-dandruff shampoos, are considered over-the-counter drugs, and follow a stricter regulatory requirements. Those labels need to include information such as active and inactive ingredients and precautions. Soaps with health claims, particularly antibacterial soaps, are also considered over-the-counter drugs, and are labeled as such.   Send questions to “Since You Asked,” Mail Tribune Newsroom, P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501; by fax to 541-776-4376; or by email to [email protected]. To see a collection of columns, go to mailtribune.com/youasked. We’re sorry, but the volume of questions received prevents us from answering all of them. MailTribune.com Writer Posted Jul. 2, 2015 @ 12:01 am » Comment or view comments /* $( document ).ready(function() { // Jquery mobile is trying to style the button and leaving a blank gry button on top of a white button $("#viafouracoms .vf-comment-controls li.vf-right").html(' Submit '); });*/ » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501