Parabens in Cosmetics: Is It Really Dangerous?

Medical Video: ARE PARABENS SAFE? DANGEROUS? Should I use paraben-free products? Science of parabens | LvL

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 how they affect health? Consumers need to read reliable information about parabens to straighten out confusion, because parabens are not toxic, not cancerous or mutagenic in humans.

What is a paraben?

Parabens are used as preservatives in cosmetic and pharmaceutical products. Parabens help prevent mold and bacteria from arising, protect consumers, and maintain product quality. In chemical terms, parabens are esters of p-hydroxybenzoic acid. The types of parabens most often used in cosmetic products are methylparaben, propylparaben, and butylparaben. Many care products that contain parabens, such as shampoos, shaving gels, lubricants, pharmaceuticals, facial makeup, lotions and toothpastes.

Misunderstanding of parabens

Parabens were once considered an xenoestrogent agent that imitates estrogen in the body. The bad 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 negative effects on health, especially cancer. In addition, in 2004 British researchers Philippa Dabre, Ph.D found parabens in dangerous breast tumors. According to the study, he suggested limiting paraben levels in cosmetics.

Consumers begin to hear that parabens are the cause of allergic reactions, breast cancer, estrogenic activity and sun exposure. Cosmetic companies suffered losses due to the scandal of this paraben, so they produce organic cosmetics free of parabens. However, until now, there have been no professional studies that prove that parabens cause cancer and other diseases.

Should parabens be avoided?

Do you need to avoid parabens? Of course, something excessive can be dangerous, but the small amount of parabens in your product will not interfere with your health. In 1984, the Cosmetic Ingredient Review organization stated that parabens are ingredients that are safe to use in cosmetic products. However, after research in 2004, Cosmetic Ingredient Review conducted research once again in 2005 to prove the impact of parabens on health. Many studies on infants and women have found that very small levels of parabens in the product do not cause cancer or endanger 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, parabens are metabolized perfectly before they enter the circulatory system and are excreted in the urine. The conclusion is, it is unlikely that parabens in small doses in skin care products can cause cancer.

Are parabens officially considered safe or not?

Many international organizations have examined the effects of parabens on the skin. In the United States, the American Cancer Society and the FDA have seen parabens from an experimental and treatment standpoint. They stated that parabens in cosmetics cannot damage health or cause breast cancer. Consumers do not need to worry about these substances in their care products. Another organization, Health Canada, the FDA in Canada also stated that there was no evidence of an association between parabens and breast cancer.

Parabens do not endanger consumers as long as they are trusted. Products that contain organic ingredients also contain parabens. Foods such as soybeans, nuts, flax, fruits, blueberries, carrots and cucumbers produce parabens. But do not need to worry about these chemicals. Parabens are just a common chemical found in cosmetics without health hazards as mentioned so far. Be a smart consumer in receiving information about products.

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