http://www.care2.com/greenliving/parabens-easy-greening.html
Parabens: Easy Greening
By Melissa Breyer, Producer, Care2 Green Living.
Have you noticed an increasing number of labels on personal care products with the words “paraben-free”? Parabens are synthetic chemicals used as an antimicrobial preservative and are found in a staggering array of products, from hand soap to toothpaste. They are known hormone disruptors (more about this below) and have been found in the tissue of breast cancer tumors, but the FDA and mainstream cosmetics industry maintain that they are safe. What?! We set out to get a handle on the paraben puzzle—here’s what we found.
What are parabens?
Parabens, short for “para-hydroxybenzoate,” are a class of preservatives widely used in cosmetics and personal care products (as well as pharmaceuticals and food)—they are used to prevent bacteria, yeast and mold. There are six types of parabens most commonly used in personal care products: methylparaben, ethylparaben, propylparaben, isobutylparaben, butylparaben and benzylparaben. Unlike some dizzyingly complicated chemical names, parabens are easy to spot on product labels because they end in “paraben.”
What are hormone disruptors?
In the 1990s the scientific community became increasingly aware that some synthetic chemicals are able to interfere with the function of our hormones—these chemicals are called hormone disruptors (also called endocrine disruptors). With this discovery, many ingredients previously considered safe, such as parabens, were now being considered for their hormone disrupting potential. Hormone disruptors act by mimicking our natural hormones. Our bodies are “fooled” by these imitation hormones, which results in the corruption of our natural hormonal processes. Within the category of hormone disruptors are xenoestrogens, synthetic chemicals that mimic estrogen. A number of studies have shown that parabens fall into the xenoestrogens’ group; xenoestrogens may be linked to high rates of breast cancer, and reproductive problems in women and decreased sperm counts, prostate and testicular cancer in men. The FDA acknowledges that estrogenic activity in the body is associated with certain forms of breast cancer.
Parabens and breast cancer
Which brings us to a study published in 2004 in the Journal of Applied Toxicology that detected five types of intact parabens in 18 of 20 samples of breast tumors. The study discusses this finding in the context of the estrogen-like properties of parabens and the influence of estrogen on breast cancer. According to the lead researcher, Philippa Darbre, the chemical form of the parabens found indicated that they had been absorbed through the skin (via deodorants, lotion, and other personal care products). The presence of intact parabens in tumor tissue shows not only that these chemicals are absorbed through the skin, but that they also persist and accumulate in breast cancer tissue without? degradation. This is the study that most likely started the “deodorants cause breast cancer” scare—and while we take that risk very seriously, the study didn’t draw a firm connection between breast cancer and personal care products.
Safe or scary?
Both the FDA and the European Union have revisited the safety issue of parabens and have deemed them safe for consumers, but many people agree that more research needs to be conducted. Many people believe that there is enough evidence to warrant caution in the use of products containing parabens. Here’s our take. The level of parabens in one lotion may (or may not) be okay—but consider this: Parabens are found in shampoos, moisturizers, shaving gels, cleansing gels, sunscreens, topical pharmaceuticals, toothpaste, and many more personal care items. In fact, parabens are found in tens of thousands of personal care products. Parabens are just one type of xenoestrogen to which women are exposed, so we can only imagine both the cumulative effect and the interaction of parabens with other xenoestrogens, and with the body’s own estrogens – all of which affect endocrine function. Yipes.
Because of this, many companies have adopted a “precautionary principal” and have removed parabens from their products. With so many questions about parabens left unanswered, why not compare labels next time you’re shopping for personal care products? The paraben names are easy to spot, and a good ingredient to avoid. True parabens do extend the shelf life of a product. But, personally, my hormones are quite content as they are—they don’t need a flood of estrogen-costumed synthetic chemicals coming in to crash the party. Paraben-free is sounding better and better.
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22 comments
add your comment »really interesting article, there is a great resource you can use to find out about the level of toxicity in skincare and cosmetics
http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/wordsearch.php?query=odacite
Also i found this great discount for skincare. for less than 100$ you get 5 products.
http://odacite.com/about/specials/no-parabens-no-fragrance/
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Exederm make ultra hypoallergenic skin care products for adults and kids with eczema or dermatitis
The 3 step system is color-free, fragrance-free, parabens-free, sls-free, lanolin-free and formaldehyde-free
There's lots of useful tips and advice on dealing with eczema
www.exederm.com
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Aubrey Organics makes all sorts of beauty and shower products that are all-natural and contain organic ingredients, too. For soaps, I love A Wild Soap Bar's handmade and exotic soaps.
http://www.thegreatergreen.com/aubrey.html
http://www.thegreatergreen.com/naturalbeauty/handbodysoaps/wildflower%20soap.html
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It seems it would be a diffcult job to filter out all the different names the parabens may hide behind... Check at the bottom of this article:
http://www.nicnas.gov.au/media/latest_news/archive/parabens.doc
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thank you.its very significant for me
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I use 100% natural shampoos and conditioners with grapefruit seed extract as a preservative, or Vitamin C-- and though these may break down after a certain period, I use them up before they have a chance to degrade.
The thing we all have to remember is-- just buy what you will use for a month , then buy more after that is finished.
Stocking up is good with some things that contain food grade alcohol, but in most natural things,-- just as picking a healthy organic apple off of the tree- you use fresh and uncorrupted then your body will thank you for it later.
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My question is this? What type of bacteria are we talking about that are so dangerous that we risk breast cancer and serious consequences of synthetics to the environment? We've only begun to get a sense of what the impact is. Not all bacteria are pathogens, cause illness or 'blindness'. Bacteria are part of our daily lives. Some of them are beneficial, as we learned form over using antibiotics. Some are destructive. In our effort to completely eradicate evil 'germs' are we creating super bugs that are more harmful, allergies, and who knows what else? I honestly am asking what these bacteria are and what they do to us...
anyone know solid sources of information on this, more than hearsay? Thanks.
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Thank you so much for this insightful article
I used to buy body shop products until I started seriously reading the labels..sodium laureth sulfate etc..scary!
I've been making my own skin care products for over a year, after much research and experimentation, I actually sell my products at markets and to friends, I make them all in my kitchen, then I know for sure what's in them
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This an important article. I am an independent distributor of USANA Health Sciences products, and USANA has addressed this issue by creating a paraben free skin care line called Sensé. They recently received a patent on their manufacturing process which creates a "self preserving" formula which has a 2 year shelf life. To learn more about this line which is also known as "Beautiful Science" you may browse under products at www.vitalitymarketing.net
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I guess I'll clairify because you said the same thing I did...Natural preservatives, if done correctly can have a shelf life for about four months. Unfortunately most natural products, like "all natural cosmetics" as was mentioned, were poorly preserved and they claimed a two year shelf life on it! Just wanted consumers to be aware, because there is no saftey regulations for cosmetics, you have to take action yourself and ask questions.
I work closely with therapists and naturopathic doctors, providing therapeutic herbal and aromatherapy treatments. I too educate the public about the concerns in today's food and cosmetics, and have done extensive research in lab testing hundreds of natural products on the market and only 5% make the grade, free of bacteria and fungus. Consumer Beware! Sounds like from what you said...we agree!
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