The Health Dos and Don'ts of Halloween Costumes

by Lexi Petronis

While putting your Halloween costume together this year--whether or not it's something like this sexy pineapple (to round out a sexy fruit salad group costume, of course)--keep these dos and don'ts in mind. Because, yes, even Halloween costumes can be health-ified!

DO:
* Take that mask home from the store and scrub it with rubbing alcohol. After all, other shoppers have already tried that sucker on plenty of times--and researchers have found that they end up teeming with bacteria as a result (ew).

* Have some sort of reflective material on your costume if you're going to be wandering outside in the dark--taking kids out trick-or-treating or bar-hopping with friends.

* Use luminescent zinc sulfide if you're going to use glow-in-the-dark makeup. This is the only kind of glow-in-the-dark cosmetic approved by the FDA (for limited use).

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* Make sure your costume doesn't drag on the ground--if it's too long, you might trip and fall.

* Try out any makeup or glue you've never used before on a small patch of skin on your arm a few days before you're planning on wearing your costume, just to see if you suffer a reaction or any kind of side effects.

* Consider a hilarious fitness-inspired costume! I mean, how perfect are these Olivia Newton-John and Richard Simmons ideas?

DON'T:
* Cozy up to a lit jack-o-lanterns or dancles if you're wearing flammable materials. If you're buying a costume from a store, look for flame-resistant fabrics such as nylon or polyester.

* Forget to look at the labels of the makeup you're going to use. Things that aren't supposed to go on your face really shouldn't go on your face; if the label says not to get the makeup near your eyes, don't let it near your eyes. There's a list of FDA-approved color additives on fda.gov; be sure your makeup uses them so that you avoid any potential irritations or dangers.

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* Use nonprescription contact lenses. Yeah, they may seem like the perfect detail for your costume, but they're actually illegal (even though you can buy them online and in various stores), and, according to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, they can result in eye damage: corneal abrasions and eye ulcers, which could lead to infection and require serious medical treatment.

* Worry about cutting extra-big eyeholes into your mask so that you can see better, or making a few slices to the nose and mouth area so that it's easier to breathe.

* Wash makeup and glue off at the end of the night, in order to avoid irritation, rashes, and the chance that it might flake off into your eyes as you sleep. And take it off as the label suggests--cold cream, soap and water, eye makeup removers.

What Halloween costume are you planning this year? And would you add anything else to this list of dos and don'ts?

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