Are Parabens Used in Skin Creams Harmful?
Parabens are a class of chemical preservatives and are most commonly used in lotions, shampoos and other body products. Preservatives are used to guard against microbes and protect the product. There are serious health concerns associated with parabens.
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Function
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Parabens are endocrine-disruptors. Parabens mimic the release of estrogen, which can cause breast cancer in women, along with early onset puberty in females. Parabens can also affect thyroid and hypothalamus function.
Types
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There are several varieties of parabens, including butylparaben, methylparaben and propylparaben. When checking the product labels, look for any ingredient listing paraben.
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Expert Insight
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A study conducted by Dr. S. Oishi of the Department of Toxicology at the Tokyo Metropolitan Research Laboratory of Public Health, and published in the July 2002 issue of Archives of Toxicology, demonstrated that newborn male mammals exposed to butylparaben had disruption of testosterone levels and abnormal reproductive development.
Safe Levels
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Studies conducted on parabens in 1984, 2003 and 2005, have led the Cosmetic Ingredient Review, which is responsible for certifying and vetting ingredients used in cosmetics, to classify paraben levels up to 25 percent as safe. Most products contain no more than 0.03 percent parabens.
Considerations
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The Environmental Protection Agency considers parabens released into the groundwater through showers, baths and washing hands with products containing parabens to be a health risk to aquatic organisms.
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