What Are the Side Effects of Paraben?

Parabens are preservatives used in food and cosmetics.

According to the Food and Drug Administration, parabens are a group of preservatives used in cosmetics, food and drugs. Usually multiple parabens are used together or with other preservatives. The most common parabens include methylparaben, propylparaben, and butylparaben.

Function

Parabens stop or slow microbes and bacteria from growing in cosmetics.

Side Effects

No side effects of parabens have been reported in medical literature or by the FDA.

Safety

According to the Cosmetic Ingredient Review, parabens are safe, with no side effects, in cosmetics at levels up to 25 percent. Cosmetics usually contain less than 3 percent parabens. As of 2008, the FDA believed there was no cause for consumer concern regarding parabens in cosmetics.

Controversy

According to a 1998 study published in "Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology," parabens were found in breast tumors. However, the study did not find any connection between parabens and side effects such as breast cancer, according to the FDA.

Paraben-Free

Some cosmetics manufacturers used the information from the breast tumor study to market new lines of paraben-free cosmetics.

References

• Food and Drug Administration: Cosmetics
• Breast Cancer Action