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One of the primary things people know about asbestos is that it's extremely harmful to your health. From a young age, you are taught to stay away from it and avoid areas that could have asbestos, like dusty crawlspaces and basements. 

Although many know that asbestos exposure is risky, many details about this material still remain a mystery. Taking the time to learn more before asbestos removal can help you make informed choices. Here are things you probably didn't know about asbestos.

Asbestos Comes in Various Forms

If you are like most people today, you probably assume that asbestos is one material, but this isn't true. Asbestos comes in six different forms that share similar properties, such as sturdiness, heat resistance, and chemical inactiveness.

They include amosite (brown asbestos), chrysotile (white asbestos), crocidolite (blue asbestos), and rare actinolite, tremolite, and anthophyllite. Remember that all other types of asbestos have proven to be harmful to human health, so caution must be exercised when handling the material, particularly during removal.

Asbestos Fibers Don't Leave the Body After Ingestion

Most of the toxins you come across are usually flushed out of your body, enabling the body to recuperate after some time. However, this isn't the case with asbestos fibers — after inhalation, asbestos fibers remain in the body. 

In fact, they usually find their way into the lungs, where they attach themselves and cause damage over time. Some fibers also penetrate the stomach and cannot be removed because of their sharp and needle-like nature. The only way to be safe is to wear the right protective gear during asbestos removal to protect your respiratory and digestive systems.

Several Medical Conditions Are Linked to Asbestos

Once you inhale asbestos fibers, it will pose a huge health risk. You can easily develop different but similar health conditions like asbestosis, asbestos-induced lung cancer, non-malignant pleural ailment, and mesothelioma. These conditions are pretty severe and fatal so consider protecting yourself and your loved ones to avoid exposure.

Asbestos Illnesses Take Time to Develop

All the aforementioned asbestos-related illnesses usually take many years to develop. This means that you might even forget that you were exposed to these fibers by the time you get ill. For instance, mesothelioma happens to be aggressive and rare, but it is deadly and has no cure. 

Once you inhale the fibers, it will take more than ten years to notice the symptoms. People even take over four decades to detect signs of mesothelioma, something that is scary. So, do not expect to suffer from asbestos-related illnesses right away after exposure — it will take time.

If you need asbestos removal, contact a company like Ohana Environmental Construction Inc.