Body & Beauty / Compounds / Triclosan

Triclosan on your skin: a safety profile

Low risk

Dermal absorption of triclosan from consumer products is well-documented; significant percutaneous absorption occurs from soaps and personal care products, contributing to detectable blood and urine concentrations after normal use. Following the FDA 2016 OTC final rule, triclosan in hand soaps, body washes, and similar rinse-off products has been largely removed from the US market, substantially reducing dermal exposure in the general population. Triclosan-containing toothpastes (the remaining major consumer source) deliver primarily oral/mucosal rather than skin exposure. Occupational dermal exposure remains relevant for medical device manufacturing workers and in clinical settings where triclosan-impregnated materials are used. In the EU, triclosan-containing cosmetics are subject to concentration limits but remain available, meaning European consumers may have higher dermal exposures than post-ban US consumers. Overall dermal risk at current exposure levels is low given regulatory restriction of the primary dermal exposure sources.

What is triclosan?

The IUPAC name is 5-chloro-2-(2,4-dichlorophenoxy)phenol.

Also known as: 5-chloro-2-(2,4-dichlorophenoxy)phenol, Cloxifenolum, 2,4,4'-Trichloro-2'-hydroxydiphenyl ether, Triclosanum.

IUPAC name
5-chloro-2-(2,4-dichlorophenoxy)phenol
CAS number
3380-34-5
Molecular formula
C12H7Cl3O2
Molecular weight
289.5 g/mol
SMILES
C1=CC(=C(C=C1Cl)O)OC2=C(C=C(C=C2)Cl)Cl
PubChem CID
5564

Risk for people

Low risk

Dermal absorption of triclosan from consumer products is well-documented; significant percutaneous absorption occurs from soaps and personal care products, contributing to detectable blood and urine concentrations after normal use. Following the FDA 2016 OTC final rule, triclosan in hand soaps, body washes, and similar rinse-off products has been largely removed from the US market, substantially reducing dermal exposure in the general population. Triclosan-containing toothpastes (the remaining major consumer source) deliver primarily oral/mucosal rather than skin exposure. Occupational dermal exposure remains relevant for medical device manufacturing workers and in clinical settings where triclosan-impregnated materials are used. In the EU, triclosan-containing cosmetics are subject to concentration limits but remain available, meaning European consumers may have higher dermal exposures than post-ban US consumers. Overall dermal risk at current exposure levels is low given regulatory restriction of the primary dermal exposure sources.

Regulatory consensus

8 regulatory and scientific bodies have classified Triclosan. The classifications differ — that's the data.

AgencyYearClassificationNotes
EPA CTX / EPA OPP—Not Yet Determined
EPA CTX / Genetox—Genotoxicity: negative (Ames: negative, 3 positive / 7 negative reports)
EPA CTX / Genetox—Genotoxicity: negative (Ames: negative, 3 positive / 7 negative reports)
EPA CTX / Skin-Eye—Eye Irritation: Eye Irrit. 2 (score: high)
EPA CTX / Skin-Eye—Skin Irritation: Skin Irrit. 2 (score: high)
EPA CTX / Skin-Eye—Skin Irritation: Not classified (score: low)
EPA CTX / Skin-Eye—Eye Irritation: Category 6.4A (Category 2A) (score: high)
EPA CTX / Skin-Eye—Skin Irritation: Category 6.3A (Category 2) (score: high)

Regulators apply different standards of evidence — animal-data weighting, exposure-pattern assumptions, epidemiological power thresholds — which is why two scientific bodies can review the same data and reach different conclusions. The disagreement is the data.

Where you encounter triclosan

  • Industrial Facilities — Manufacturing plants, Chemical storage areas, Waste treatment sites
  • Occupational Environments — Factories, Warehouses, Transportation vehicles
  • Personal Care — shampoo, conditioner, lotion, cosmetics, sunscreen

Safer alternatives

Lower-risk approaches that achieve a similar outcome to Triclosan:

  • Soap and water (mechanical removal)
    Trade-offs: None for handwashing. Not suitable for leave-on products.
    Relative cost: Lower (ingredient elimination)
  • Benzalkonium chloride (for specific applications)
    Trade-offs: Also raises aquatic toxicity concerns at high concentrations
    Relative cost: 1.2-2×
  • Physical/mechanical pest control (IPM)
    Trade-offs: More labor-intensive. May not be sufficient for severe infestations.
    Relative cost: 1.2-2×

Frequently asked questions

Is triclosan safe for you?

Dermal absorption of triclosan from consumer products is well-documented; significant percutaneous absorption occurs from soaps and personal care products, contributing to detectable blood and urine concentrations after normal use. Following the FDA 2016 OTC final rule, triclosan in hand soaps, body washes, and similar rinse-off products has been largely removed from the US market, substantially reducing dermal exposure in the general population. Triclosan-containing toothpastes (the remaining major consumer source) deliver primarily oral/mucosal rather than skin exposure. Occupational dermal exposure remains relevant for medical device manufacturing workers and in clinical settings where triclosan-impregnated materials are used. In the EU, triclosan-containing cosmetics are subject to concentration limits but remain available, meaning European consumers may have higher dermal exposures than post-ban US consumers. Overall dermal risk at current exposure levels is low given regulatory restriction of the primary dermal exposure sources.

What products contain triclosan?

Triclosan appears in: Manufacturing plants (Industrial facilities); Chemical storage areas (Industrial facilities); Factories (Occupational environments); Warehouses (Occupational environments); shampoo (Personal care).

Why do regulators disagree about triclosan?

Triclosan has been classified by 8 agencies including EPA CTX / EPA OPP, EPA CTX / Genetox, EPA CTX / Genetox, EPA CTX / Skin-Eye, EPA CTX / Skin-Eye, with differing conclusions. Regulators apply different standards of evidence (animal data weighting, exposure-pattern assumptions, epidemiological power thresholds), which is why two scientific bodies can review the same data and reach different conclusions. See the regulatory consensus table on this page for the full picture.

See Triclosan in the body app

Look up products containing triclosan, compare to alternatives, and explore the full data record.

Open in body View raw API data

Sources (2)
  1. US FDA: Safety and Effectiveness of Consumer Antiseptics — Topical Antimicrobial Drug Products for Over-the-Counter Human Use (Final Rule, 21 CFR 310.545) (2016) — regulatory
  2. EU Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS): Opinion on Triclosan — Safety Assessment in Cosmetic Products (2009) — regulatory

Reference data, not professional advice. Aggregates publicly available regulatory and scientific data; not a substitute for veterinary, medical, legal, or regulatory advice. Why we built ALETHEIA →