A while back someone asked me what I thought about parabens. Honestly, I never thought anything about them. So this research was truly a learning experience for me.
Parabens
Parabens are a class of chemicals widely used as preservatives in the cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries and are used as preservatives in many types of formulas. Paraben compounds are used in products for their bactericidal and fungicidal properties.
Where can they be found?
-shampoos
-commercial moisturizers
-shaving gels
-personal lubricants
-topical pharmaceuticals
-toothpaste
-food additives
A small percentage of the population is actually allergic to parabens and can suffer from skin irritation if exposed.
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in their report "Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products in the Environment: Agents of Subtle Change?" reported that parabens displayed estrogenic activity in several tests.
What does that mean?
Parabens can mimic your body´s own hormones and can result in an endocrine-disrupting action when they are rubbed into your body or washed down the drain into your drinking water. This can result in interference with your body´s endocrine system: your hypothalamus, your ovaries, your thyroid. I actually have a friend that was told by her health care professional to stop using products with parabens because they were making her sick.
Parabens have been proven to penetrate the skin and can be traced in the blood minutes after application, it is theorized that they may have adverse effects on the body. A major issue that struck a cord with me (and many of us know already) is that the FDA has no ability to regulate the ingredients in cosmetics - they can only publish lists of additives they consider harmful and rely on the manufacturers to make changes themselves.
In sum, you must make the decision for yourself regarding whether or not you will continue to use products that contain ingredients that may or may not be safe for continuous human use. Always do your own research utilizing reliable sources so that you can make an informed decision.
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