Parabens. Are they really bad?

Are parabens bad for you?

Parabens, free from parabens, paraben-free.

These words are being seen glaringly on more and more skincare and beauty products.

The way the word is being used, makes it sound as if parabens are very bad and that you should only be using products free from parabens.

There is undoubtedly a lot of controversy around the use of parabens in cosmetics and skincare products.

But what exactly are parabens?

They are a family of related chemicals commonly used as preservatives in cosmetic products which prevent the growth of harmful bacteria, mold and other nasty stuff.

Basically, they can be used in any product that contains water. These include moisturizers, shampoo, conditioners as well as make-up.

Despite what’s said, parabens are considered as really good preservatives. They extend the shelf life of products.

They are also used to preserve food and drinks. Parabens are odorless, tasteless and colorless. They

are effective in low concentrations in products and are cheap. They have been used in cosmetics and other products since the 1920s.

Why are people scared of parabens?

The paraben scare follows two papers, one in 1998 and the other in 2004.

The first study found that parabens were weakly estrogenic in rats. They bind to estrogen receptors and can act as female sex hormones. The excessive exposure to estrogens has been linked to the development of breast cancer and reproductive disorders.

Since rats were used in the study, it does not give an adequate finding on how it affects human beings.

The rats were either injected or ingested with very large amounts of parabens, more than what is found in cosmetic products.

The 2004 report showed parabens present in different human breast tumors. However, all the patients already had cancer. The study did not include women who did not have breast cancer to compare it to those who had breast cancer.

The commentary in the paper said a lot about how the study supported a potential link between parabens and breast cancer. However, after a lot of criticism from other scientists, the authors clarified,

“Nowhere in the manuscript was any claim made that the presence of parabens had caused the breast cancer, indeed the measurement of a compound in a tissue cannot provide evidence of causality.”

Basically, they are unable to say that parabens cause breast cancer.

Most common parabens

They include:

• methylparaben
• ethylparaben
• propylparaben
• butylparaben
• isopropylparaben
• isobutylparaben.

Paraben free preservatives include:

• Liquid Germall Plus
• Phenoxyethanol
• Sodium Benzoate
• Potassium Sorbate
• Optiphen Plus.

These are the names to look out for on the ingredients list of your product if you decide to stay clear of parabens.

Takeaways

Given the current research, there is not enough information showing that parabens, as used in cosmetics, have an effect on human health.

But, then again, if you think about it, there is also not enough research to say they are 100 percent safe.

At the end of the day it’s a matter of preference whether or not you want to use products which contain parabens or not.

That said, it also must be taken into consideration that various regulatory bodies around the world have given the green light for parabens to be used, up to a certain percentage.

What’s known about parabens is that they are absorbed through the skin when using personal care products that contain them.

This article was first published on News 24

https://www.news24.com/witness