Table of contents:
- What are parabens?
- Misunderstanding of parabens
- Should parabens in cosmetics be avoided?
- Are parabens officially considered safe or not?
Parabens are a hot topic discussed in the world of beauty and health in recent years. However, how many people really know what parabens are and what impact they have on health? Consumers need to read reliable information about parabens to clear up any confusion regarding whether the parabens in cosmetics are toxic and cause cancer.
What are parabens?
Parabens are used as preservatives in cosmetic and pharmaceutical products. Parabens help prevent mold and bacteria, protect consumers, and maintain product quality. In chemical terms, parabens are esters of p-hydroxybenzoic acid. The types of parabens that are most often used in cosmetic products are methylparaben, propylparaben, and butylparaben. Many care products contain parabens, such as shampoos, shaving gels, lubricants, pharmaceuticals, facial makeup, lotions and toothpastes.
Misunderstanding of parabens
Parabens were once thought to be xenoestrogent agents that imitate estrogen in the body. The adverse effects of estrogen are often associated with chest problems and regeneration. This news spread in the 1990s. After that, the researchers stated that parabens have a negative effect on health, especially cancer. In addition, in 2004 British researcher Philippa Dabre, Ph.D found parabens in dangerous breast tumors. According to the study, he suggested limiting the levels of parabens in cosmetics.
Consumers are starting to hear that parabens are the cause of allergic reactions, breast cancer, estrogenic activity and sun exposure. Cosmetics companies have suffered losses due to this paraben scandal, so they produce paraben-free organic cosmetics. However, to date, no professional research has proven that parabens cause cancer and other diseases.
Should parabens in cosmetics be avoided?
Should you avoid parabens in cosmetics? Of course, anything in excess can be dangerous. However, the small amount of parabens in your product will not harm your health. In 1984, the Cosmetic Ingredient Review organization stated that parabens are safe ingredients to use in cosmetic products. However, following a 2004 study, the Cosmetic Ingredient Review conducted another study in 2005 to prove the health effects of parabens. Many studies in babies and women have found that very small levels of parabens in products do not cause cancer or harm your health.
There are 2 ways parabens are absorbed into the body: through the skin and through the mouth. Cosmetics, beauty products, and treatments have parabens that enter the body through the skin. After that, the parabens are completely metabolized before entering the circulatory system and excreted in the urine. The conclusion is, it is unlikely that the small doses of parabens in skin care products cause cancer.
Are parabens officially considered safe or not?
Many international organizations have researched the effects of parabens on the skin. In the United States, the American Cancer Society and the FDA have looked at parabens from an experimental and medicinal point of view. They claim that parabens in cosmetics can neither damage health nor cause breast cancer. Consumers do not need to worry about this substance in their care products. Another organization, Health Canada, the FDA in Canada also stated that there was no evidence of a link between parabens and breast cancer.
Parabens in cosmetics are not always harmful to consumers as has been believed. Products containing organic content also contain parabens. Foods such as soybeans, nuts, flax, fruit, blueberries, carrots and cucumbers produce parabens. But there is no need to worry about these chemicals. Parabens are just common chemicals found in cosmetics without the health hazards mentioned so far. Be a smart consumer in receiving information on products.
