But wait – there’s more!

Because nothing can be simple (and apparently because chemistry is very complex), there are LOTS of names that PEG can go by. There are hundreds of chemicals that include the PEG molecule or are bonded with it. Literally hundreds. The most recognizable one is sodium laureth sulfate, which can be found in lots of products that suds. My rule of thumb has become “Google anything that ends in -eth” because words that end in -eth are usually fatty acids that have been ethylated, which usually involved PEG.

This is a total chemistry rabbithole that I’m not remotely equipped to explain. There have been times that we have been searching an ingredient and my husband recognized the PEG by the chemical drawing of the molecular structure (Cue the regret that I never took chemistry…). There have been times I’ve found it by accident, just googling anything I didn’t recognize as previously googled and safe. My eyes have crossed looking at ingredient labels so many times, I’ve lost count. To help with this overwhelm, I’ve got a note in my phone of things I KNOW to be off limits.

In addition to PEG being in thousands of products, there are also chemicals created with PEG (PEGylated) or that contain the PEG molecule. One of the most popular of these is polysorbate. You’ll see Polysorbate-20, -40, -60, -80 on ingredient labels; the number refers to the number of chains of PEG in the molecule. They are used as wetting agents (food, cosmetics, and eye drops), excipients in medicines, stabilizers in a variety of applications (including the skin test for tuberculosis), emulsifiers (in cosmetics and foods), and surfactants (in food, cosmetics and detergents).

The synonyms for polysorbates abound as well. Polysorbates are also known as polyoxyethylene [#] sorbitan [fatty acid exposed to PEG]. According to the Environmental Working Group, polysorbate 20, polysorbate 60, and polysorbate 80 have dozens of synonyms between them.

It seems I add more to the list every time I pick up something to check ingredients. It’s truly overwhelming and crazy-making all at the same time. Thank god for my therapist (and telehealth!!)! Touching base with her through this process has kept me from spiraling into a hypervigilant storm of fear and trepidation.

Armed with a note in my iPhone and the Google app, the purge began.

Click here to continue reading the PEG series.

Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional and nothing in this post is meant, or should be interpreted, as medical advice. If you have questions about your health, speak to a medical professional who is familiar with your health situation and medical history.