This year's flu season is being called an epidemic by the Centers for Disease Control with some medical centers suffering a shortage of the flu vaccine and medical supplies.

There are still vaccines available to North Texans. If you have not received your flu shot and need to know where to go, below is a list of locations, organized by county, where you can still get a flu shot.

Vaccine Finder | Dallas County | Tarrant County | Collin County | Denton County

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Find a flu shot near you with this link: Flu Vaccine Finder

Dallas County: (earliest clinics open at 8a)

Dallas County Health Department Children's Immunization Clinic
2377 North Stemmons Freeway in Dallas
Room 159, first floor
8 a.m. – 4 p.m. Monday through Friday*
*Children's clinic is open until 6 p.m. Wednesdays
214-819-2163 or 214-819-1903

Oak Cliff Branch Immunization Clinic
1113 E. Jefferson Boulevard, Suite 200 in Dallas
8 a.m. – 4 p.m. Monday through Friday
214-948-0425

John West Branch Immunization Clinic
3312 N. Buckner Boulevard, Suite 200 in Dallas
8 a.m. – 4 p.m. Monday through Friday
214-321-5747

Carrollton Farmers Branch Immunization Clinic
2774 Valwood Parkway in Farmers Branch
8 a.m. – 4 p.m. Monday through Friday
972-241-2684

Irving Branch Immunization Clinic
440 S. Nursery Road in Irving
8 a.m. – 4 p.m. Monday through Friday
972-721-3661

North Dallas Branch Immunization Clinic
8202 Spring Valley Rd. #100
8 a.m. - 4 p.m. Monday through Friday
214-358-0926
* This clinic location is located at the corner of Waterfall Way and Spring Valley behind the laundromat.

Dallas County Health & Human Service Refugee Clinic
8202 Spring Valley Rd. #100
8 a.m. - 4 p.m. Monday through Friday
214-570-1469
214-570-1465(F)
* This clinic location is located at the corner of Waterfall Way and Spring Valley behind the laundromat.

Grand Prairie Immunizations
1413 Densman Street in Grand Prairie
8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. every first four Wednesdays of the month

Lancaster Immunizations
Cedar Valley College
3030 N. Dallas Avenue
12 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. every first Thursday of the month

Seagoville Immunizations
Church of Christ
510 N. Kaufman Street
1 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. every first Friday of the month

Cockrell Hill Immunizations
Anson Jones Elementary School
3901 Meredith Street
1 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. every second Wednesday of the month

Balch Springs Immunizations
Balch Springs Recreation Center
4372 Shepherd Lane
1:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. every third Thursday of the month

Dallas Immunizations
Ridgewood Clinic
6445 E. Lovers Lane
12 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. every third Friday of the month

Grand Prairie Immunizations
Immaculate Conception
1710 Small Street
8:30 a.m. – 12 p.m. every fourth Monday of the month

Tarrant County: (clinics only open at 8am)

Arlington                                 
536 W. Randol Mill Rd., 76011
Monday – Friday
8 am – Noon & 2 – 4 pm
817-548-3990
 
Lake Worth                         
3800 Adam Grubb Rd., 76135
Monday – Friday
8 am – Noon & 2 – 4 pm
817-238-4441
 
Watauga                               
6601 Watauga Rd., 76148
Monday - Friday
8 am – Noon & 2 – 4 pm
817-514-5036
 
Bagsby-Williams                      
3212 Miller Ave., 76119
Monday – Friday
8 am – Noon & 2 – 4 pm
817-531-6738
 
La Gran Plaza Mall*                  
4200 South Frwy., 76115
Monday – Friday
8 am – Noon & 2 – 4 pm
817-920-5752      
*Saturdays available,  please call for details
 
Southwest                              
6551 Granbury Rd., 76133
Monday – Friday
8 am – Noon & 2 – 4 pm
817-370-4530

Collin County Health Care Services: (only one clinic that opens at 7:30am)

825 N. Mc Donald St. # 130
McKinney, Texas 75069
Hours: Monday - Friday, 7:30am - 11am & 1pm - 4pm

Denton County: (clinics open at 7am Mon-Thurs; 8am Fri)

Denton Office
535 S. Loop 288
Denton, Texas 76205
(940) 349-2900
(940) 349-2905 Fax

Lewisville Office
190 N. Valley Parkway, Suite 203
Lewisville, Texas 75067
(972) 434-4700
(972) 434-4701 Fax

Days and Hours of Operation (for both Denton and Lewisville clinics):
Clinic Hours: Monday - Thursday 7:00am to 11:30am and 1:00pm to 5:30pm
Fridays 8:00am to 11:30am & 1:00-4:30pm

Two years ago drugmakers spent 14-million dollars promoting prescription testosterone. Last year they spent 100-million dollars. And sales are soaring, topping two billion dollars in 2012. But Consumer Reports says most men don’t need testosterone treatments.

Even if you’re worried about erectile dysfunction, treatment with testosterone usually isn’t the answer. Erectile dysfunction almost always stems from other problems: reduced blood flow, emotional problems, or a drug side effect.

And using testosterone treatments, which can cost $400 a month or more, has serious risks. A study in the New England Journal of Medicine showed that men using one testosterone gel, Testim 1%, for six months had more heart attacks and other cardiovascular events.

Testosterone treatments can have serious side effects, including worsening of enlarged prostate, possible increased risk of prostate cancer, enlarged breasts, sleep apnea, blood clots in the legs, and for younger men, lower fertility.

Consumer Reports’ medical experts say starting testosterone is a big deal. It should only be done after a long and careful conversation between doctor and patient. And there’s another caution: family members being accidently exposed to testosterone gels. The hormone can cause women to develop male characteristics and children to enter an early puberty.

The company that makes Axiron did not return NBC 5's calls for comment. The makers of Testim said they had no comment.

NBC 5 contacted AbbVie, the makers of Androgel, and they offered this statement:

Hypogonadism is a chronic but treatable condition recognized by The Endocrine Society.

AndroGel has more than 10 years of clinical, safety, published and post-marketing data, with therapeutic risks well documented in the prescribing label. It is approved by the FDA to treat adult men with low or no testosterone (hypogonadism) who have been diagnosed by a physician.

We encourage discussion between physicians and patients that leads to proper diagnosis based on symptoms, lab tests and a patient's other health needs.

Eli Lilly and Co., the maker of Axiron, provided NBC 5 with this statement:

• Axiron is a prescription medication, approved by the FDA, for men with certain conditions associated with a deficiency or absence of testosterone.
• Testosterone deficiency is a recognized clinical condition, with signs/symptoms that can impact millions of patients.
• Lilly does not condone the use of our medicine for off-label purposes.
• Most importantly, we encourage patients to talk to their physicians to weigh the benefits and risks before taking any prescription.

Regarding DTC advertising:

• Given the increasingly complex healthcare system, we know that patients are seeking more information about diseases and treatments, asking questions, evaluating information and making choices. We believe that DTC advertising provides many benefits, including raising awareness of diseases and conditions that are often undiagnosed, untreated or under-treated. Advertising helps encourage patients with serious diseases to seek professional help.
• Additionally, pharmaceutical companies spend significantly more on research and development than on marketing and promotion. For example, in 2006, the pharmaceutical industry spent $56.1 billion on research and development versus the combined drug promotional activities spending of $12 billion.[i]
• As a company responsible for developing new, innovative medicines, Lilly is committed to providing advertising that is truthful, accurate, and balanced. To that end, we work diligently to adhere to internal standards, FDA requirements and PhRMA’s Guiding Principles when designing and launching DTC communications.

Complete Ratings and recommendations on all kinds of products, including appliances, cars & trucks, and electronic gear, are available on Consumer Reports’ website.

Lots of video games on the market are advertised as a fun way to get fit. Consumer Reports checked out five: Nike Plus Kinect Training, Your Shape Fitness Evolved 2013, Just Dance 4, U-F-C Trainer, and Zumba Core. They cost anywhere from $20 to $50.

Testers assessed the workout the games provide, using a monitor to measure heart rate. It turns out all the games aren't equally effective. Some are a lot more strenuous and provide a real fitness challenge, whereas some of them are more just party games and really don't provide a great workout.

Nike Plus Kinect Training and Your Shape will give you tougher workouts, while Just Dance 4 is less grueling.

The gaming console you use can also make a difference in how much of a workout you get. Consumer Reports says that the Xbox is going to the most effective for these types of games, because using the Kinect, the camera can actually track your full body's movements, whereas with the Wii U or the Playstation 3, it can only see the controller, not your full body. So it's easier to cheat the system, and it’s not tracking your body as accurately.

If you're looking for a game that can give you a tough workout, Consumer Reports recommends trying Nike Plus Kinect Training.

For a good cardio workout that also provides some fun, Consumer Reports recommends Zumba Core. The quick dance steps get your heart rate up — and keep it interesting.

Zumba Core is available for Xbox Kinect, which does the best job of making sure you get a good workout. But if you have a Wii U or Sony Playstation, it’s available for those, too. Just make sure you don't game the system, or you might as well stay on the couch and play Mario Brothers.

Complete Ratings and recommendations on all kinds of products, including appliances, cars & trucks, and electronic gear, are available on Consumer Reports’ website.

A Denton woman chose preventative surgery after seeing relatives live with breast cancer.

Genetic testing for breast cancer has recently drawn media attention since actress Angelina Jolie wrote her personal story for the New York Times about electing a double mastectomy after genetic testing results classified her as a high risk case of developing breast cancer.

Marilyn Mitchell of Denton chose a double mastectomy. And like Jolie, Mitchell hopes her story inspires other women to investigate their options.

Cancer survivors and fellow celebrities are praising Angelina Jolie's decision to undergo — and share the deeply personal details about — a preventative double mastectomy.

The surgery was completed last month after Jolie discovered that she carried the "faulty" BRCA1 gene and her doctors estimated that she had an 87 percent chance of developing breast cancer.

In a widely shared op-ed published in The New York Times Tuesday, Jolie explains that her mother had died of breast cancer and she wanted to take a proactive role to avoid the same fate.

She explained that she decided to share the details of her medical decision to inspire other women to be proactive about their health.

"I hope that other women can benefit from my experience," she wrote. "Cancer is still a word that strikes fear into people's hearts, producing a deep sense of powerlessness. But today it is possible to find out through a blood test whether you are highly susceptible to breast and ovarian cancer, and then take action."

The first to weigh in was her longtime partner, Brad Pitt, who said in a statement to London's Evening Standard that all he wants is for Angelina to have a long and healthy life with him and their children. "Having witnessed this decision firsthand, I find Angie's choice, as well as many others like her, absolutely heroic," he added.

The local battle against West Nile virus is starting early this year, following the deadliest season ever in 2012.

Tuesday morning, Dallas County Health Department Director Zachary Thompson updated commissioners on the county’s attack plan. 

This year, the county is focused on finding infected mosquitoes early and eliminating them before they can spread the virus.

Thompson said Senate Bill 186, just approved by Gov. Rick Perry, will also help.  The bill allows code enforcement officers to quickly access abandoned and foreclosed properties to clean up standing water and pools where mosquitoes are breeding.

Dallas County became the epicenter for the outbreak in 2012 with the most people infected in the country: 371 cases and 20 deaths. The county doesn’t want a repeat of last year after controversy surrounded its decision for delayed aerial spraying.

Local mosquitoes have already tested positive for the virus.  Richardson, Highland Park, Flower Mound, and Lewisville already started ground spraying after mosquitoes tested positive.

The city of Dallas is also taking action and tripling its traps.

Joey Zapata, Dallas assistant city manager, talked at a meeting at City Hall about the measures the city is taking to fight the virus.

"The mood is that this is a manageable virus that we're going to have around us for a while," he said.

Zapata told council members that the city started doing "off-season" mosquito trapping and testing for the virus back in December. In the peak of West Nile virus season, the city will deploy 90 traps, up from the 30 used in the past.

Zapata also noted that the city now has an extra truck to use in the ground spraying of chemicals to kill mosquitoes. Ground spraying is only used in an area after a test comes back positive for the virus.

The use of mosquito dunks got plenty of attention from council members. Dunks are dropped in pools of water to kill mosquito larvae.

In the past, Dallas did not give out dunk to residents. This year, the city plan to give away 46,000 dunks to fight the spread of the virus.

"It's a lesson that we learned from last year," Zapata said. "It's just to make it important, make it a first, critical step to making sure that we're addressing breeding mosquitoes."

Starting next month, Dallas residents can also expect to hear and see plenty of radio and TV ads talking about fighting West Nile virus.

People are urged to do their part to defend against West Nile virus with the three D’s:

• DEET:  Use insect repellents that contain DEET.
• Drain:  Remove all areas of standing water.   Change water in wading pools, pet dishes and birdbaths several times per week.
• Dress: Avoid mosquito bites by wearing long, loose and light-colored clothing outside during dusk and dawn hours.

NBC 5's Omar Villafranca contributed to this report.

The battle against West Nile virus is starting early in the city of Dallas.

Assistant City Manager Joey Zapata talked at a meeting at City Hall about the measures the city is taking to fight the virus that killed 20 people in Dallas County last year.

"The mood is that this is a manageable virus that we're going to have around us for a while," he said.

Zapata told council members that the city started doing "off-season" mosquito trapping and testing for the virus back in December. In the peak of West Nile virus season, the city will deploy 90 traps, up from the 30 used in the past.

Zapata also noted that the city now has an extra truck to use in the ground spraying of chemicals to kill mosquitoes. Ground spraying is only used in an area after a test comes back positive for the virus.

The use of mosquito dunks got plenty of attention from council members. Dunks are dropped in pools of water to kill mosquito larvae.

In the past, Dallas did not give out dunk to residents. This year, the city plan to give away 46,000 dunks to fight the spread of the virus.

"It's a lesson that we learned from last year," Zapata said. "It's just to make it important, make it a first, critical step to making sure that we're addressing breeding mosquitoes."

Starting next month, Dallas residents can also expect to hear and see plenty of radio and TV ads talking about fighting West Nile virus.

An Arlington father, pastor and transplant recipient is encouraging other Hispanics to learn more about organ donation.

The Rev. Angel Mercado, the pastor of a Spanish-speaking Christian congregation in Arlington, and his family want to use their ministry to educate Hispanics about organ donation and transplantation.

"I believe God has gifted us with many things we can gift to others to enhance their way of living," said Liza Solares, Mercado's daughter. "And I'll share this message as long as I can."

Baylor transplant specialist Dr. Maria Lepe-Suastegui said the family's message is important. Not only are more Hispanic donors needed, but many Hispanics who need transplants aren't getting them.

"It is a problem, particularly as Hispanic patients die twice as much from liver disease than any other minority group," she said.

As a man of faith, Mercado prayed and asked God to heal him -- first when he needed both a liver and kidney transplant and again when he learned a second kidney transplant was necessary.

"I thought that by prayer and being faithful to the Lord and fasting, I was going to get healed," he said. "It never happened."

The need for the second transplant weighed heavily on Mercado.

"I lost my encouragement. I lost my desire for ministry and for everything," he said. "I was just living -- existing; not really living."

Eventually a kidney transplanted from Mercado's daughter Liza was successful.

"I didn't see the healing through prayer or fasting; the healing came through my daughter,” Mercado said. "That's a wonderful thing, that God uses human beings to better the life of others."

According to the Mayo Clinic, many people believe their religion opposes organ donation. But the Mercados said they want people to know that most religions don't oppose organ donations.

May is ALS awareness month. ALS stands for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, a disease for which there is no cure and for which there are no treatments.

Bobby Thietje and his partner Morgan Grounds recently paid a visit to Paul and Kathy Tavano.  Bobby, diagnosed in 2011, and Paul, diagnosed in 2009, both have ALS.

"My first symptoms were muscle vacillations, quite extensive," Paul Tavano said.

As for Thietje, he said in words almost unintelligible, "I noticed I was slurring words with the letter R, so I would think of other words that didn't have an R."

They each sought out medical assistance as soon as they noticed symptoms, but diagnosing their symptoms as ALS was not a quick process and medical professionals try to first diagnose it as anything else.

"It's a diagnosis by exclusion," Grounds said, "because there is no test for ALS. It took us about a year." 

Thietje said it was rough when he got the final verdict.

"The final test was a spinal tap and I went to the doctor’s office and he says it was negative, so that meant I have ALS," Thietje said.

Paul's wife Kathy said she found herself thinking things she never thought she would.

"You were praying it would be a disease, like cancer.  Cancer, diseases like that, you have a chance.  ALS, there is nothing you can do, you don't have a chance," Kathy Tavano said.

The disease progresses at different rates with different people, and even after the diagnosis, there is still a torturous wait for the patient and their family to try to determine how long they'll live.

For Paul Tavano, that wait for that news took another nine months.

"They monitor you and see what's happened over that period of time," he said.

Paul Tavano's progression has been slow. Thietje, diagnosed two years later, has had a very different experience. Thietje has trouble speaking and needs a brace to hold his head up. Breathing problems have started as well, but he is trying to keep a positive attitude.

"Everyone is going to die, but you don't know when. You can get in your car and boom. So, I live each day and appreciate what I have," Thietje said.

Meanwhile, the families of those diagnosed try to find ways to help their loved ones, such as the annual golf tournament the Tavanos hold every year to benefit ALS research.

"I can't do anything to change the disease for Paul, that is going to stop it or reverse it, but I can do something that may find a treatment or a cure.  We want to change it for other people," Kathy Tavano said.

For more information on how you can help, head to http://www.wewillcureals.com/.

Service dogs who spend their days visiting patients at hospitals giving hope and help became patients themselves Wednesday at Hollywood Animal Hospital.

Doctor Rob Swinger is giving free eye exams to registered service and working dogs as part of a national, monthlong program run by the American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists, now in its sixth year.

"A dog that's leading a blind person around needs to have darn good vision so that's what we're looking for today," Swinger said. "So what we're doing is making sure these dogs don't have a problem that would limit them in doing their service."

VIDEO: Firefighter Saves Struggling Dog

During the exam, doctors look for problems including redness, squinting and retinal disease. Swinger quickly discovered something wrong during a checkup for one dog, Gracie.

"I just found out that Gracie has some cataracts and I had noticed some clouding around her eye, so now we can do something to prevent it from getting worse," owner Michelle Fishkin said.

Puppy With Severed Paw Found in Miami

The 35 dogs screened on Wednesday included a group of golden retrievers from Memorial Regional Hospital.

"The dogs are actually incorporated into the patient's therapy, so they're maneuvering down hallways and there's other patients with walkers, stretchers," said Memorial's director of nursing, Tracy Meltzer. "The hallways are very crowded, people are coming and going, so it's very important that the dogs have good eyesight."

Man Rescues Homeless Dog Hit by Car in Little Haiti

After the 15-minute exam, comfort could be found at both ends of the leash.

"It's amazing, just seeing the smiles on these people's faces and the pictures of their dogs, helping other people, it's been a great day," Swinger said.

More Local Stories:

• Pelican in Distress Rescued at Haulover Beach
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• A Look at Miami Marine Stadium as Restoration Campaign Continues

Two Denton County communities are beginning their fights against West Nile virus sooner and more aggressively than last year.

Flower Mound started ground spraying for mosquitoes on Tuesday night. It will also spray on Wednesday and Thursday nights from 10 p.m. through 4 a.m.

"We all kind of got caught by surprise last year, the way it ramped up last year," said Chuck Dumas, environmental health manager for Flower Mound. "We really want to take steps and work with citizens."

Lewisville also sprayed Tuesday night and will have more spraying Wednesday night.

Mosquito caught in traps in both cities have tested positive for West Nile virus.

Flower Mound will also be set out more traps sooner to keep better surveillance of the virus. Last year, it put out two traps per week every week in June and ramped up from there. This year, Flower Mound set out two traps per week in April and will have four traps per week in May.

The town is also offering free mosquito larvae dunks to drop in bird baths or pools of standing water to prevent mosquitoes from breeding.

Flower Mound had 28 human cases of West Nile virus in last year's outbreak.

No cases have been reported in the town so far this year.

Highland Park and Richardson sprayed for mosquitoes last month.

The 2012 West Nile virus-related death toll in Dallas County continues to climb in 2013.

On Tuesday, Dallas County Health and Human Services confirmed a person in their 70s who lived in the 75214 zip code died in April after being diagnosed in 2012 with the neuroinvasive form of the disease.

Further information about the victim has not been released because of medical confidentiality and privacy reasons, DCHHS said.

While DCHHS has confirmed West Nile virus in mosquitoes this season, there have been no new human cases reported.

Several cities have started testing trapped mosquitoes for West Nile virus in hopes of staying ahead of the virus.

The cities of Frisco, Mesquite, North Richland Hills, Dallas, McKinney and Garland are already trapping and testing mosquitoes. So far, they no insects have tested positive.

After two mosquitoes tested positive in Lewisville, the city plans to conduct ground spraying in certain areas Tuesday and Wednesday evening.

Only one mosquito tested positive for the virus in Flower Mound, but city leaders will also spray the area Tuesday and Wednesday.

Dallas County health officials are reminding everyone that the best way to avoid exposure to West Nile virus is to practice the four Ds: 

• Use an EPA-approved insect repellent  such as those containing DEET,
• Drain any standing water,
• Dress in protective clothing when outdoors and
• Take extra care during Dust and Dawn hours.

NBC 5's Omar Villafranca contributed to this report.

Ponies once abandoned by their owners have a new lease on life; helping children and people facing serious life challenges.

Sometimes healing can come from an unlikely companion. For 13-year-old Rachel Papson, her horse Flaminca helps ease the crippling pain in her feet caused by Lyme disease.

"She would just protect my heart if I gave it to her. She is just amazing," said Papson. "It's just a pure blessing from God. I just don't know how to express it; just a new world and I don't know what I'd do without her."

Throwaway Ponies are animals nobody wanted, but they're getting a second chance as therapeutic riding horses for children with physical and emotional disabilities.

"The horses help them learn. If they can handle a 1,000-pound animal, they can handle what life throws at them," said founder Karen Bander.

The organization started nine years ago as a backyard operation with three horses. Now it has more than 70 horses being used for therapy riding and hundreds more that have been adopted out.

The group said with the economy, it's about 30 percent more expensive to feed horses, making the number of abandoned ponies skyrocket. Now, they are receiving help from business executives who've also been laid off.

They call themselves Executives in Action and they help the organization with strategic planning and fundraising.

"So many have lost their jobs, through no fault of their own; now they can give back to the community by helping us," said Bander.

It's a safe haven, helping horses, while healing minds and bodies and healing hearts.

"These horses are a blessing," said Wendy Papson, Rachel's mom. "I truly believe they are a blessing from God to help her, because she is in pain every day and when she is with horses it is a time when she is at peace."

Throwaway Ponies is always looking for volunteers. They can be contacted at 214-202-1390.

More: ThrowawayPonies.org

Watch out, ladies — before you pucker up, make sure your lips aren't covered in poison.

A new analysis at the University of California, Berkeley’s School of Public Health tested 32 different lipsticks and lip glosses used by young Asian women commonly found in drugstores and department stores.

The results were troubling: They detected lead, cadmium, chromium, aluminum and five other metals, some of which were found at levels that could raise potential health concerns. Their findings were published online Thursday in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives.

Earlier studies also have found metals in cosmetics.

But the Cal researchers estimated risk by analyzing the concentration of the metals detected and consumers’ potential daily intake of the metals, and then comparing this intake  with existing health guidelines, according to UC Berkeley's News Center.

"Just finding these metals isn’t the issue; it’s the levels that matter," said study principal investigator S. Katharine Hammond, professor of environmental health sciences. "Some of the toxic metals are occurring at levels that could possibly have an effect in the long term."

Lipstick and lip gloss are of special concern because when they are not being blotted on tissue or left as kiss marks, they are ingested or absorbed, bit by bit, by the individual wearing them, the study authors said.

For most women, there is no reason to toss the lip gloss in the trash, the study authors said.

But they hoped their study – and discovery of metals in the makeup – would prompt more oversight by health regulators. There are currently no U.S. standards for metal content in cosmetics. The authors note that the European Union considers cadmium, chromium and lead to be unacceptable ingredients – at any level – in cosmetic products.

"I believe that the FDA should pay attention to this," said study lead author Sa Liu, a UC Berkeley researcher in environmental health sciences. "Our study was small, using lip products that had been identified by young Asian women in Oakland. But the lipsticks and lip glosses in our study are common brands available in stores everywhere. Based upon our findings, a larger, more thorough survey of lip products – and cosmetics in general – is warranted."

Using acceptable daily intakes derived from this study, average use of some lipsticks and lip glosses would result in excessive exposure to chromium, a carcinogen linked to stomach tumors. High use of these makeup products could result in potential overexposure to aluminum, cadmium and manganese as well. Over time, exposure to high concentrations of manganese has been linked to toxicity in the nervous system.

Average use was defined as a daily ingestion of 24 milligrams of lipstick a day. Those who slather on the lip color and reapply it repeatedly could fall into the high use category of 87 milligrams ingested per day.

Lead was detected in 24 products, but at a concentration that was generally lower than the acceptable daily intake level. However, the lead levels still raised concerns for young children, who sometimes play with makeup, since no level of lead exposure is considered safe for them, the researchers said.

Ann Rojas-Cheatham, director of research and training at the Asian Communities for Reproductive Justice in Oakland, co-authored the study. The National Institutes of Health and the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health Education Research Center helped support this research.