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Mascara: Bacteria Breeding Grounds
Marie Morgan
Honors Biology 5/6
Makeup, it’s an essential part of almost every girls wardrobe. From the dramatic to the
subtle, almost every girl has worn makeup, in fact, most do every day, and what look would be
complete without mascara, but does this cosmetic come with risks? Some people won’t leave the
house with at least two or three coats of mascara on their lashes. So, think about it, what are you
really doing to your eyes? Could it be a secret breeding ground for bacteria? If so, what bacteria
grow there? And why is it such good environment for their growth?
Now, as most people who wear mascara would know, it is recommended that you throw
out your used tubes of mascara away every six weeks to three months. Mascara is expensive in
most cases, so why do we have to throw it away so fast? Most of this has to do with the fact that
mascara is the makeup that is the most susceptible to the growth of bacteria. Too begin with,
there are already microscopic organisms present around the eye. When a mascara wand is placed
too the eye, these organisms are then present on the wand. After this, they are introduced to the
mascara inside the tube. Staphylococcus epidermidis, Streptococcus species, and even some
forms of fungi are often introduced to the eye when mascara is used.
Staphylococcus epidermidis is a type of spiral, anaerobic, cocci bacteria. These bacteria
can mostly be found in the skin or mucous cells of humans. These types of bacteria are common
in clusters. They are commonly associated with infections involving prosthetics, but they also
cause infections in open wounds, boils, and septicaemia, which is a bacterial infection that
resembles meningitis.
Streptococcus is a bacteria that comes in two forms, group A and group B. Group A,
which can enter through the mouth, nose, eyes, and open sores, can cause infections that range
from sore throats, skin infections, or even life threatening invasive diseases, though they
sometimes don’t cause any signs of sickness. These bacteria are commonly found on human skin
or within the throat. Two of the most dangerous diseases caused by this bacteria are Necrotizing
fasciitis, which is often referred to as the “flesh-eating” disease because the bacteria releases
toxins that break down flesh and muscle, and Streptococcal toxic shock syndrome, which is also
caused by a toxin being release. This toxin breaks down organs such as the kidneys, liver, and
lungs, and cause a dangerous drop in blood pressure and shock. Group B Streptococcus is a
serious disease in newborns and pregnant women.
Bacteria can be classified in three groups. These groups are based on their reactions to
oxygen gas. These are aerobic bacteria, anaerobic bacteria, and facultative anaerobic bacteria.
They can also be classified by how they make energy. In this case, they are either autotrophs or
heterotrophs.
If bacteria are aerobic, this means that the bacteria require gaseous oxygen to live and
grow. If bacteria are anaerobic, they cannot survive in the presence of gaseous oxygen. These
are the types of bacteria that often cause food poisoning. Lastly, if bacteria are facultative
anaerobic, it means that they prefer to live in the presence of gaseous oxygen, but they can also
survive in the absence of it. If they are heterotrophic, this means that they must take in food from
their environment and breakdown the complex chemicals to produce the energy they need to
survive by using either respiration or fermentation. Autotrophic bacteria, on the other hand, do
not need to take in a food source from their environment to produce energy. These bacteria used
fixed carbon dioxide as their energy source. They are either photoautotrophic or
chemoautotrophic. If they are photoautotrophic, they use sunlight to make energy. If they are
chemoautotrophic, they use nitrogen or sulfur. Chemoautotrophic bacteria are quite uncommon,
while most are photoautotrophic.
In general, there are three different types of bacteria. Bacteria exist everywhere, including
on our skin, the air we breathe, foods such as yogurt, in soil, and inside our bodies, and most,
despite popular belief, do not cause us harm. These three main types of bacteria are called
Cocci, Bacillus, and Spirochetea.
Cocci are some of the simplest bacteria. They are also some of the smallest. The word
Cocci means berry-shaped. They are given this name because they are small and spherical. Many
of the bacteria in this category are, in fact, pathogenic. This means that they do cause disease.
Such bacteria are Staphylococcus aureus which cause deadly diseases such as meningitis,
Staphylococcus epidermis which can cause boils and spots to appear on the skin, and Moraxella
catarrhalis which are the cause of lower respiratory infections.
The second type of bacteria is Bacillus. These are more complicated then Cocci bacteria.
They can either be long or short and are usually rod shaped. These can form spores to protect
them from harsh conditions. These can remain viable for up to 100 years. Some Bacillus causes
diseases. Examples of this are Yersinia pestis which cause bubonic, pneumonic, and
sceptacaemic plagues, and the bacteria Bacillus anthracis which causes anthrax.
Spirochetea is the final and most complex type of bacteria. This type of bacteria can be
shaped like a curved rod, or they can take on a corkscrew shape. This type of bacteria is often
found in stagnant water and sewage. Spirochetea can often cause diseases such as cholera and
lyme disease.
So, these are the types of bacteria that can invade you mascara tubes, and, ultimately,
invade your body also. Some studies have shown that the bacteria growth within three months, in
certain tubes of mascara, was about 36.4% growth, but why is it that bacteria grow so much, and
so rapidly in mascara tubes? Well, that answers pretty simple, the environment within the tube of
mascara is the perfect habitat for bacteria to grow. The whole process of how the bacteria grow
so well within the tube has to with how mascara is used. To begin with, air is pushed into the
tube when the wand is pulled out or pushed back into the tube. This air introduces bacteria into
the tube. Then, when the wand is replaced, air becomes trapped in the tube. Since the air is then
trapped within the tube, the bacteria begin to grow inside if it. Mascara tubes also often provide a
humid environment, from the mixture of incoming air and moisture within the mascara itself.
This is an ideal growth condition for bacteria, and they will thrive in the warmth and moisture.
In conclusion, mascara does, in fact harbor bacteria that can potentially enter the body,
causing infection and sickness. They can enter through the eye or through scratches on the eye
caused by the mascara wand. The warmth and moisture within mascara tube can cause bacteria
to grow rapidly. For this reason, mascara should be replaced every six weeks to three months to
avoid excessive growth of bacteria.
Bibliography
Chiu, Diane. Studies on Mascara Use and Bacteria. Retrieved May 2, 2010. From:
http://beautyalert.biz/blog/studies-on-mascara-use-and-bacteria/
Mascara+Air=Bacteria. (2009). Retrieved May 2, 2010. From:
http://www.bellasugar.com/Mascara-Air-Bacteria-2860445
Group B Streptococcus. Retrieved May 2, 2010. From: http://www.dhpe.org/infect/strepb.html
Staphylococcus epidermidis. Retrieved May 2, 2010. From:
http://www.wrongdiagnosis.com/medical/staphylococcus_epidermidis.htm
Septicaemia. Retrieved May 2, 2010. From: http://www.meningitis.org/
Life Science Reference - Biology Online. Retrieved April 8 2010. From: http://www.biologyonline.org/dictionary/Bacteria
Microscopy-UK Full Menu of Microscopy and Microscopes on the Web. Retrieved April 8
2010.from: http://www.microscopy-uk.org.uk/mag/indexmag.html?http://www.microscopyuk.org.uk/mag/artjan05/mebacteria.html