What do the Clean, Low, Watch and Swap levels mean?

They are cut from a continuous concern level the app computes from the sourced claims that the chosen evidence lens shows: each claim counts its concern class, tier weight, confidence and dose relevance, combined worst-first with a decay so one serious finding outweighs many small ones, then scaled by how much of the substance reaches you in this use. Clean is below 0.35, Low below 1.1, Watch below 2.0 and Swap above that, on a 0 to 3 scale.

Is M-Aminophenol safe on skin (rinsed off)?

Q: Is m-aminophenol safe on skin (rinsed off)?

Under the app's default Cautious lens, m-aminophenol on skin (rinsed off) rates Watch: worth watching; the app would list a cleaner alternative type. 5 sourced concerns count (irritant · allergen, consensus tier; irritant · allergen, consensus tier; suspected carcinogen, emerging tier). This is research with sources, not medical advice.

Personal care1 use researched5 sourced claims

Where it turns up: hair dye coupler, color modifier. Detox My Life researched m-aminophenol under one use, because the same substance means something different in each use. Every claim below carries its evidence tier, how sure the research is that it applies here, and the sources it cites. The level is computed by the app's own deterministic engine, so the page says exactly what the app would.

Level by use and lens

Use	Mainstream	Cautious (default)	Based	Concerns · favour · fringe
On skin, rinsed off	Watch	Watch	Watch	5 · 0

Mainstream shows consensus claims only; Cautious adds emerging research; Based adds fringe claims, labelled as such. The last column counts, under Cautious, the sourced concerns, the findings in its favour and the fringe claims Based would add.

Safer swaps: the app's swap catalog covers the products this turns up in: Hair dye. Alternatives are always types, never brands.

On skin, rinsed off Watch

Under the default Cautious lens m-aminophenol on skin (rinsed off) rates Watch: worth watching; the app would list a cleaner alternative type. Mainstream (consensus only) rates it Watch; Based (adds the fringe) rates it Watch. Researched 2026-09-03.

Sourced concerns (5)

ConsensusIrritant · allergenconfidence 90%

M-aminophenol can cause skin irritation and serious eye damage upon dermal and ocular contact during its use in rinse-off hair dye products.

Why here: Direct contact with the hair dye product containing m-aminophenol, even for a rinse-off application, can lead to immediate irritant effects on the skin and eyes.
What would have to be true: Dermal and ocular contact with hair dye formulations containing m-aminophenol.

Sources the engine cites:

M-AMINOPHENOL - CAMEO Chemicals - NOAA — noaa.gov (1992) · regulator or public body
3-Aminophenol | C6H7NO | CID 11568 - PubChem — nih.gov (1977) · regulator or public body
2 web articles (scientiamag.org, helloseen.com), linked in the app.

ConsensusIrritant · allergenconfidence 90%

Cosmetic products containing m-aminophenol are required to carry a label warning regarding a risk of sensitization.

Why here: M-aminophenol is a common ingredient in oxidative hair dyes, which are applied to the scalp and hair and then rinsed off, allowing for direct skin contact and potential sensitization.
What would have to be true: Dermal contact with hair dye formulations containing m-aminophenol, typically at a maximum in-use concentration not exceeding 1.0% when mixed with hydrogen peroxide. Patch tests are recommended to identify sensitivity before full application.

Sources the engine cites:

Dermatological adverse effects of hair dye use: A narrative review — ijdvl.com (2023) · review
3 web articles (moumoujus.com, scientiamag.org, cosmileeurope.eu), linked in the app.

EmergingSuspected carcinogenconfidence 70%

The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has found limited evidence of carcinogenicity for m-aminophenol.

Why here: Despite being a rinse-off product, dermal absorption of hair dye ingredients can occur, leading to systemic exposure and potential long-term health effects.
What would have to be true: Dermal exposure from hair dye products.
The other side: The Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel has concluded that m-aminophenol is "not likely to be carcinogenic in humans.".

Sources the engine cites (no regulator, review or study among them):

1 web article (helloseen.com), linked in the app.

EmergingEndocrineconfidence 60%

M-aminophenol is listed as a potential endocrine disruptor.

Why here: Dermal absorption of cosmetic ingredients, even in rinse-off products, can lead to systemic exposure and potential interference with hormonal systems.
What would have to be true: Dermal exposure from hair dye products.

Sources the engine cites (no regulator, review or study among them):

1 web article (helloseen.com), linked in the app.

EmergingEnvironmentalconfidence 60%

M-aminophenol is identified as a concern for wildlife and environmental toxicity by EU GHS Hazard Labeling Codes.

Why here: Rinse-off hair dye products containing m-aminophenol are washed down drains and can enter aquatic environments, potentially impacting wildlife.
What would have to be true: Release into the environment through wastewater from rinse-off products.
The other side: Environment Canada states that m-aminophenol is "not suspected to be an environmental toxin.".

Sources the engine cites (no regulator, review or study among them):

1 web article (helloseen.com), linked in the app.

Not researched here

The engine has no dossier for m-aminophenol when cooked with heat, in cold food, as a finishing ingredient, in heated food packaging or other uses. The app researches an ingredient for the use it infers from your product, so a scan fills these in; this page only shows what has already been researched and source-verified.

This is research, not medical advice. Detox My Life shows sourced claims sorted by evidence tier. It does not diagnose, treat, or tell you to start or stop anything. Talk to a qualified professional about your health.

Scan your own. The app reads any product label with your camera, works out how you are about to use it, and researches every ingredient for that use with live sources. Every scan adds to a Detox Score for your home, where 50 is a typical home in your region, and a plan of next swaps.

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