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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