Asbestos

What Is Asbestos?

Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral valued for strength, heat resistance, and fireproofing properties. It was commonly added to construction materials and industrial products for these reasons between the 1930s and early 1980s.
However, anyone exposed to asbestos could go on to develop serious health issues, including mesothelioma, lung cancer, asbestosis, and more, later in life. Today, thousands of women are suffering from serious asbestos-related diseases like these.

Key Facts About Asbestos Exposure in Women

• Women ran a high risk of asbestos exposure if they or a family member worked in a job that relied on asbestos, such as shipbuilding or textile work, or used talc-based consumer products like makeup or powders.
• The number of deaths from mesothelioma among women rose by 25% between 1999 and 2020, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
• In 2021, over 33,000 women died from asbestos-related lung cancer or mesothelioma, per a BMJ Public Health study.
• Roughly 23% of mesothelioma cases in women are linked to on-the-job asbestos exposure, per the CDC.
• Women had a 10 times greater risk of mesothelioma if they had a male relative who worked with asbestos-containing products due to the dangers of secondary or take-home exposure, according to the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

If you got sick with mesothelioma, lung cancer, or another disease due to asbestos, don’t blame yourself or your family. Manufacturers of asbestos-containing products knew the dangers but hid them for decades to keep profits high.

Asbestos has upended the lives of far too many women, but we’ll stand by you after a diagnosis. From helping you understand your medical options to pursuing financial compensation for health care bills, we’re ready to support you. Get started with a free, no-obligation case review.

Types of Asbestos

There are 6 types of asbestos fibers, and there is no safe level of exposure to any of them, according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Asbestos fibers were used in unique ways to make various products.

Types of asbestos include:

• Actinolite: Dark green fibers were used in drywall, cement, insulation, and more.
• Amosite: Also known as brown asbestos, these brittle fibers were often used in insulation.
• Anthophyllite: These yellow and brown fibers were occasionally used in materials like cement and insulation.
• Chrysotile: Otherwise called white asbestos, this was the most commonly used type, accounting for about 95% of all worldwide uses. These flexible fibers were added to everything from fabrics to brakes to plastics.
• Crocidolite: This type was used in insulation, tiling, and cement. It’s also called blue asbestos and the fibers are very easily breathed in or swallowed.
• Tremolite: These white or grey-colored fibers frequently contaminated talc deposits, according to OSHA.

The 6 types of asbestos are classified into two “families,” those being the serpentine and amphibole families. Chrysotile is the only type in the serpentine family, and all others are in the amphibole family.

How Were Women Exposed to Asbestos?

Women risked exposure to asbestos in a variety of different ways. They may have worked at a job that used asbestos-containing materials, or lived with a family member who did, which led to take-home or secondary exposure.

Additionally, many household products that women often used, such as baby powder, talcum powder, and more, may have contained asbestos fibers. Learn about how women may have been exposed below.

Occupational Asbestos Exposure in Women

Asbestos exposure often happens in workplaces. This is known as occupational exposure. While many high-risk asbestos job sites were in male-dominated industries, it was still possible for women to be exposed on the job too.

Job sites where women risked exposure to asbestos included:

• Factories, where asbestos was manipulated into products
• Plane hangars, as women repairing planes risked exposure to brake pads, insulation, and more
• Shipyards, as asbestos was used aboard virtually all U.S. Navy ships for decades
• Textile mills, where asbestos fibers were woven into fabric

Women could still be at risk of exposure to asbestos at their jobs even in the present day. This is because older buildings may still have “legacy asbestos” left on site, and if it’s disturbed, it could expose anyone in the vicinity.

For example, women working as teachers have become sick with cancers like mesothelioma after working in aging schools that contained asbestos for long spans of time.

Secondary Asbestos Exposure

Not all asbestos exposure happens at work, and in fact, many women were put at risk through what’s known as secondary asbestos exposure.

Also known as take-home exposure, this occurred when a woman’s loved ones came home from work sites that used asbestos with fibers stuck to hair, clothing, or skin.

Women risked secondhand asbestos exposure through:

• Driving in cars used by loved ones who worked with asbestos
• Hugging loved ones coming home from work
• Washing clothes contaminated with asbestos

Men often worked with or around asbestos-containing products on construction sites, in shipyards, and during military service. Nearly 50% of women with mesothelioma suffered secondhand exposure to asbestos from male family members, according to a study from The Danish Medical Journal.

“My father would come home from work, and I’d run up and hug him. He was covered in dust from a worksite. We didn’t know that it included asbestos.”
– Julie, mesothelioma survivor

Asbestos Exposure Through Talcum Powder

Women ran a high risk of exposure to asbestos through consumer goods, most notably talcum powder. Asbestos and talc are found near each other in rock deposits. When talc is mined for use in baby powder or cosmetic goods, asbestos fibers can be released and contaminate supplies.

Notably, talc-based baby powder made by companies like Johnson & Johnson repeatedly tested positive for asbestos fibers, yet a corporate cover-up meant the risks were hidden for decades. Women like you trusted baby powder to use on yourself and your children — never knowing that it could contain this toxic material.

Today, tens of thousands of women have come forward blaming asbestos-laced talc for cases of mesothelioma, ovarian cancer, and other serious illnesses.

Asbestos-Containing Products

Besides talcum powder, women may have risked exposure to asbestos from a variety of different materials and products. This is because up to 5,000 products used asbestos before the health risks were fully understood.

Notable asbestos-containing products included:

• Adhesives
• Appliances
• Art supplies
• Boilers
• Brake pads
• Bricks
• Cables
• Ceiling and floor tiles
• Cement
• Cigarette filters
• Drywall
• Electrical products
• Engines
• Gaskets
• Gloves
• HVAC systems
• Insulation
• Ironing boards
• Makeup powders
• Piping
• Plastics
• Pumps
• Shingles
• Siding
• Toothpaste
• Valves
• Wires

As women used these products, they risked releasing asbestos fibers into the air that they breathed in every day, putting them in danger of getting sick later on in life.

Other Types of Asbestos Exposure Affecting Women

Women may have risked exposure to asbestos in different ways throughout their lives, increasing their chances of getting sick.

Additional ways asbestos exposure occurred included:

• Environmental exposure, which occurred by living near old buildings, mines, or contaminated sites, where fibers were common in the soil or air. Women are at a higher risk of illnesses like mesothelioma from environmental exposure than men, per Frontiers in Public Health.
• Home renovations, such as working on drywall, floor or ceiling tiles, shingles, or insulation could have released asbestos fibers and exposed families.
• Legacy exposure, which is a big risk today as older buildings, cars, and products may still contain asbestos.

Victims may not have even realized that they were being exposed to asbestos — only to be diagnosed with mesothelioma, lung cancer, or other related illnesses years down the line.

How Asbestos Causes Diseases

Anyone exposed to asbestos, even in small amounts, could go on to develop serious illnesses later in life due to the long-term damage that the harmful fibers cause.

Here’s how asbestos causes illnesses:

1. Asbestos fibers could be released from working with products, washing contaminated clothes, or using consumer goods
2. The fibers can get stuck in the body if breathed in or swallowed
3. The body can’t break the fibers down, and over time, chronic irritation leads to serious illnesses

Men and women exposed to asbestos won’t get sick immediately. Instead, it usually takes decades for symptoms to appear, as most asbestos-related diseases have a long latency period of 10-50 years.

Asbestos-Related Diseases Affecting Women

Asbestos exposure is linked to several serious diseases and types of cancer, some of which exclusively affect women or impact them at higher rates than men.

Many asbestos-related diseases are very dangerous to a woman’s health, but it’s important to know that medical care could help women live longer with any of them.

Mesothelioma

Malignant mesothelioma is a rare and aggressive cancer only caused by asbestos exposure, and women are commonly diagnosed decades after being exposed. This cancer develops in the linings of major organs.

Common types of mesothelioma include:

• Pleural mesothelioma, which affects the lining of the lungs. This is the most common type overall for men and women, per the CDC.
• Peritoneal mesothelioma, which develops in the abdominal lining. Rates of this type are higher among women than men, according to the CDC. In fact, women are up to 3 times more likely to develop peritoneal mesothelioma.
• Pericardial mesothelioma develops in the lining of the heart and is the rarest type affecting both sexes.
• Testicular mesothelioma impacts the lining of the testicles, making it exclusive to males and the least common type.

Women who received a combination of mesothelioma treatments, including surgery, lived for around 38 months on average, with a 5-year survival rate of 28.2%, according to a Translational Lung Cancer Research study.

Some women have even become long-term mesothelioma survivors. For example, Jill lived for 16 years with peritoneal mesothelioma thanks to treatment. Like so many women before her, she’d been exposed to asbestos decades earlier through her father’s career in the U.S. Navy — but became a beacon of hope to others.

“Just because you have cancer and your doctor says you have a year to live doesn’t mean you must suddenly agree to those terms and begin preparing to die.”
– Jill, mesothelioma survivor

Lung Cancer

Anyone exposed to asbestos could develop lung cancer if they breathed in the toxic fibers, which can cause long-term irritation and chronic damage. Asbestos alone can cause lung cancer, but the fibers also worsen the damage that smoking does to the lungs.

In one heartbreaking example, a plumber from California and his wife were both diagnosed with lung cancer linked back to asbestos exposure. The wife’s diagnosis stemmed from secondary asbestos exposure, and she later passed away from it.

Asbestosis

Asbestosis is a chronic lung disease that’s only caused by asbestos. This condition develops as asbestos fibers cause long-term damage to lung tissue. After decades, the lungs become stiff and harden, leading to worsening breathing issues.

In the most severe cases, asbestosis causes fatal complications like lung failure. A Frontiers in Oncology report noted that asbestosis may be the leading cause of respiratory deaths among women.

Ovarian Cancer

Ovarian cancer has been linked to asbestos exposure through talc-based products like baby powder. In particular, it’s believed that baby powder more easily allowed asbestos fibers to reach the ovaries, where they can cause long-term damage that leads to cancer.

In February 2026, a Pennsylvania court ordered Johnson & Johnson to compensate the family of a woman who died from ovarian cancer. She had used the company’s products for years.

If you or a loved one was exposed to asbestos-containing materials and later developed a serious disease or cancer, it wasn’t your fault. We’ll listen to what happened, review your available options, and help you navigate next steps.

Other Asbestos-Related Diseases

Besides those listed above, exposure to asbestos can cause many other illnesses.

Additional asbestos-caused illnesses include:

• Pleural effusions, fluid buildup around the lungs that causes pain and breathing issues
• Pleural plaques, buildups of a protein known as collagen in the lung lining
• Pleural thickening, in which the lung lining tissue becomes scarred
• Other types of cancers, including gastrointestinal cancer and throat cancer

Some of the noncancerous asbestos diseases can be the first signs of more serious problems. For example, a 41-year-old woman was diagnosed with mesothelioma after initial scans found a large pleural effusion, according to the Journal of Investigative Medicine High Impact Case Reports.

Asbestos Exposure Symptoms In Women

Asbestos exposure itself will not cause symptoms. Instead, symptoms of various asbestos-related diseases develop 10 to 50 years after first exposure. Many asbestos-caused illnesses share similar symptoms.

Common symptoms of asbestos exposure include:

• Bloating
• Chest pain
• Fatigue
• Fever
• Loss of appetite
• Persistent cough
• Shortness of breath
• Unexplained weight loss

“I kept thinking people are going to think that I’m a hypochondriac, but it got to the point where I couldn’t stand up straight. It was as if my insides were glued.”
– Mary Jane, mesothelioma survivor

However, since it takes a long time for symptoms to appear, and because certain illnesses like mesothelioma are so rare, many symptoms are easy to dismiss at first. But women who think something is wrong shouldn’t dismiss what they’re feeling. Keep digging and let your health care providers know you’re worried about asbestos.

Is Asbestos Banned in the U.S.?

As of 2026, asbestos isn’t fully banned in the U.S., so families across the country are still at risk from this dangerous mineral today.

In addition, the EPA’s proposed ban does not address the legacy asbestos problem, as older homes and other structures all over the country still contain asbestos products like insulation and shingles.

There’s no way to lower the risk of getting sick after being exposed to asbestos, so eliminating all uses, including legacy asbestos, is the only way to fully stop asbestos from taking more lives.

Legal Help for Women Harmed by Asbestos Exposure

Women facing diseases caused by asbestos often feel overwhelmed — not just due to the diagnosis, but also the health care costs they now face. For example, it can cost over $400,000 a year to treat mesothelioma.

Such high costs are unfair to anyone, but different types of legal action can help you and your family offset the costs. Top asbestos exposure attorneys will guide you through the legal process, supporting you and allowing you to more easily seek money you’re rightfully owed from companies that hid the dangers of asbestos.

Legal options for asbestos exposure include:

• Asbestos exposure lawsuits filed against manufacturers of asbestos-containing products. Lawsuits involving mesothelioma typically pay out $1 million or more.
• Asbestos trust fund claims that allow you to file claims for compensation without going to court. There’s over $30 billion available in trusts as of 2026.
• Wrongful death lawsuits, which can be filed if you lost a loved one to a disease caused by asbestos exposure. In mesothelioma wrongful death cases, many families get over $1 million.

We’ve partnered with a leading asbestos law firm, Sokolove Law, who may be able to help you. To date, the firm has recovered $5.3 billion for families harmed by asbestos.

Get a free case review now to find out if you’re eligible for asbestos compensation.

Supporting Women & Families Affected By Asbestos

Whether you were exposed through a loved one’s job, cosmetic products like talc, or some other way, you never expected that asbestos could cause you to get sick later in life.

Yet every year, women across the country continue to be diagnosed with serious asbestos-related illnesses like lung cancer, mesothelioma, and more.

If your family has been affected, we’re ready to serve as your guiding light through this difficult time.

Our dedicated, women-led team can help you with:

• Exploring treatments
• Pinpointing your exposure
• Seeking compensation
• Finding the support you need

Call (877) 446-3063 or get a free case review to explore your options and available support.