Halloween in a time of spooky fun for everyone, but it stands to reason that on a night so full of treats, there are some tricks as well. The trouble with these tricks is that they can really harm your health if you're not careful in selecting your Halloween accessories. So if you're looking for some ideas for Halloween accessories that won't make you sick, then here's what you need to know.

Colored Contacts

A mainstay of Halloween accessories, colored contacts are perfect for when your costume needs that extra bit of differentiation from your own looks to really present a perfect imitation of the character. Unfortunately, many merchants sell colored contacts in unsafe ways – like on a store shelf – that can cause you eye infections or other ocular issues; these problems can last past the actual time you spend wearing the contacts and can even cause eye problems that will never go away. To make sure your costume is both accurate and safe, always buy your colored contacts from an optometrist; sure, they'll be a couple of dollars more, but at least you'll know that they'll be safe to wear.

Wild Makeup

Many costumes require cosmetic help in order to change the color of your skin, detail a fake tattoo, or create scars on perfectly smooth skin. However, many Halloween make up kits contain ingredients like lead, cobalt, and nickel that can be incredibly harmful for your skin and for your health, causing skin rashes and even diseases, depending on how long it stays on your skin. Buying your makeup from reputable brands (Covergirl, Maybelline, M.A.C., Smashbox, Sephora, etc.) will prevent these Halloween troubles and let you party the night away without the fear of what your skin will look like in the morning.

Fake Teeth

Also in the corner of toxic materials are those little fake teeth that are so important to costumes as cats, wolves, vampires, and other creatures of the night. Paint or sealant contaminated with lead (which is a neurotoxin) is still a risk for these accessories, especially those made in China – and since they go in your mouth, your risk of the lead getting in your body is much higher than if the tainted accessory was a bracelet or a candy bucket. To be safe, look for accessories made in the United States, which have a far lower chance of lead contamination, or create your own false teeth out of baked clay or other natural ingredients.

For more information, contact medical centers near you, such as Snow Creek Medical Center.