If you ever paid attention to the formulation of skincare products and skimmed through details of every ingredient, you would have come across the terms ‘No parabens’ (or) ‘Free of parabens’
Right?
Have you ever mulled over what are these parabens and why is it good news if your face wash or moisturizer doesn’t have it?
As a matter of fact, we only know about these are chemicals that can spoil our skin. But how sure are we if it is a myth or a fact?
To elucidate necessary information at the right time here’s an article that explains parabens, their side effects, and how to identify them in your products.
What are Parabens?
The story of these (R) began 100 years back but it is commercially being used for 70 years now. These chemicals are preservatives made with the purpose of extending the life of any product (food or beauty products) to keep it away from molds and bacteria.
The presence of parabens makes products last for years.
According to the US Food and Drug Administration(R) – these preservatives are chemicals that act as a shield to protect a product and consumer from harmful bacteria.
A.Origin of Parabens
These are found naturally and these are chemically made too.
These Parabens found naturally and the ones that are chemically made are replica of each other.
Parabens are found in cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and foods. This is found in a chemical named para-hydroxybenzoic acid(R).
According to research, parabens are found in 90% of grocery items. This means, even if you use paraben-free products, you are consuming parabens through groceries and these chemicals somehow enter your bloodstream.
These chemicals come from fruits and vegetables such as blueberries and carrots. Interestingly, PHBA.
Not just plants or vegetables, this chemical is found even after the human body breaks down amino acids.
Parabens were declared safe after Cosmetic Ingredient Review and the FDA partnered declaring parabens to be safe because of their anti-microbial properties.
It is used in detergents, medicines, moisturizers, shampoos, toothpaste, serums, lotions, syrups, sauces, desserts, soft drinks, jams, pickles, processed vegetables, and frozen dairy products.
B. Types of Parabens
There are six types of parabens. Those are methylparaben, ethylparaben, propylparaben, butylparaben, isopropylparaben and isobutylparaben. These are either have shorter or longer chains.
The paraben propylparaben was considered safe and would be added as a preservative in foods. However, this was further studied and now it is not considered safe.
Why Are Parabens Bad for You?
If parabens were good, would beauty products call ‘free of parabens’ a benefit?
No, it would confidently be there as an advantageous formula. Isn’t it?
In point of fact, parabens are bad for the body and environment as well. Consequently, let us study why are these parabens bad for us.
Parabens are bad because these chemicals disturb your hormones by playing the duplicate role of estrogen or it affects the testosterone levels in the body.
When these chemicals enter into water bodies, it affects creatures living in them. However, it spreads a little amount of toxicity.
Is it all?
No!
Let’s see what are the side effects of these in your body!
- Excessive parabens increase the growth of tumors (R) and divide the breast cells.
- Disturbs fertility and hormones. It brings down the testosterone levels in men.
- Parabens cause skin irritation (R) and allergic reactions if it doesn’t suit your skin.
- Increases the risk of skin cancer(R). Especially when your skin is exposed to sunlight.
- Affects fertility and disrupts reproductive organs.
- It is not safe for pregnant women and causes birth complications because it can get into the breast milk.
- Parabens can affect the breast tissue of women already suffering from cancer.
All in all, parabens are in no way good to the body except for the fact that it increases the longevity of a product by saving it from fungus and bacteria.
All in all, parabens increase estrogenic activity in the body only to an extent in the cosmetic form. Therefore, it is not too unsafe for your skin unless you are ready to take a risk.
Having said, if your skin is sensitive, don’t take the risk of using cosmetic products that contain parabens(R). This can cause other skin complications such as dermatitis.
Read: 10 Best Organic Body Washes For Good Skin
Research Studies On Parabens
To understand the ill-effects of parabens with proved researched points, read through the information mentioned below!
Study 1
Parabens get into your tissues through the skin
In 2004 there was a study conducted on how many women had parabens in their bodies. Around 20 women participated in this study and they found 5 parabens in the breast tissue of 19 participants. Finally, they understood that parabens can come into your body through the skin and these chemicals stay in your tissues.
So far, there is no information or evidence on how they are present in the environment can affect your body.
Study 2
Earlier, parabens were used to prevent bacteria and molds in foods. Even now, these are used as antimicrobials to prevent food spoilage.
According to CDC (R), In 1984 an industry undertaking Cosmetic Ingredient Review stated that they can be used in cosmetics and in food. They mentioned food to prevent it from getting spoilt.
In 2006, they wanted to review what was studied in 1984 and with the purpose of ensuring safety, they wanted to see if there were changes required for the use of it or not.
So, the industry-led Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) partnered with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to understand this and they concluded that there would be no changes in what was mentioned in the year 1984 and they continued to add these in food or food packaging as antimicrobials to prevent food spoilage.
Read: 16 Best Products For Low Porosity Hair – Revitalise Your Hair!
Study 3
Parabens disturb the ecological system according to laboratory tests
In 2008, a laboratory named Danaovaro tested the effects of these on water bodies and fishes. When parabens mix with tap water a number of chlorinated products form. Toxicity in these products is not fully known. However, the toxicity is more in humans.
Study 4
The National Health and Nutrition Examinations Surveys (R), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC experimented on these, and here’s what they found
- Propylparaben to be 92 percent greater in Americans
- Butylparaben is about 50 percent of those tested
- In HERMOSA 2016 study, they found similar results in adolescents. During this study, the girls were asked to avoid products having parabens. Once they did so, the propylparaben levels in their urine dropped by about 45 percent
- After compiling many studies, it was observed that these were seen in infants, older children, adults, and pregnant women. This means, anyone can be exposed to and their effects continue to be there at any stage in life.
Study 5
One of the scientific studies has claimed that the estrogenic activity of parabens depends on two factors. One, the length of parabens. Two, its branching side chains.
Study 6
An animal study proves that parabens are disrupting your hormones.
This test was done on rats. Butylparaben turned out to be a harmful paraben on female reproductive organs. On the other hand, the exposure of Butylparaben on male hormones is bad because it decreases sperm production and lowers testosterone levels. On rats, the sperm count reduced by 10 mg/kg of the bodyweight each day.
Study 7
This human study proved that Butylparaben and urinary propylparaben decrease the length of the menstrual cycle and the weight of the baby during pre-term birth decreases.
Harvard T.H Chan School of Public Health tested the effect of parabens on the human body by inducing Butylparaben in the blood.
It showed that butylparaben impacts fertility and decreases the length of the menstrual cycle and the Butylparaben in the mother’s urine and levels in cord blood affected pre-term birth by reducing the baby’s birth weight.
Read: 14 Best Drugstore Contour Palette For A Sculpted Face
How to Identify Parabens in Products?
There are two ways of identifying in your product.
- Look for paraben related information on your product.
- Go on the ECOCERT website to find out if the product is organic or not.
A few companies would genuinely talk about the ingredients they include. While a few others would fabricate information to market their product.
Read what’s mentioned and get your facts checked on ECOCERT.
If you choose to go by what’s mentioned in the product. Then do the following
- Besides terms like ‘paraben-free’ or ‘free of parabens’. See if the product has ingredients such as methylparaben, propylparaben, isoparaben, or butylparaben. If the product has one of these ingredients and you are specific that you don’t want parabens in your product, skip buying it.
- And If you are skeptical about the details mentioned on the product and want to get better clarity, you can always email or call the company to check if the product contains or not
- Also If you don’t want to rely on ingredients mentioned on products, directly choose your ingredients from paraben-free drugstores to be safe.
Precautions Taken On The Use Of Parabens
Now the authorities have understood the risk involved in using these and are focused on limiting their usage in most of the products.
Some of the committees have given strict instructions on the usage of parabens. They are not allowed to use more than 0.8% of parabens in their product.
A few companies aren’t allowed to use parabens in products sold for infants.
All in all, these measures are good enough to control the usage of parabens and stay safe. If not, the other best alternative is to use completely paraben-free products.
Read: 15 Best Paraben-Free Products For Your Hair And Skin – A Safe Deal!
Conclusion
Parabens are chemical preservatives added to products to give them a long life and shield it from bacteria or molds. However, studies claim that these chemicals are not healthy and companies should use alternatives or make products adding a small percentage of parabens in them.
Apart from this, CIR states that parabens in cosmetics are not as risky as you think of them to be as their estrogenic activities are lesser. But it is not concluded totally safe.
Whether to use a paraben-free product or not is an individual choice.
If you think your skin is too sensitive or your body is not good with accepting an allergic reaction because of a chemical, it is best to be safe and choose paraben-free products.
Hope this article could give you a real picture of parabens!
