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Home | Articles | Dangers of Parabens
Scientists Believes That Parabens Can Cause Cancer
What Are Parabens And Why Are They Dangerous?

You may have read or heard that one should avoid the products which contain 'parabens'. We are sure that you might be wondering why you should do so. Before we explain what actually parabens are and why they are harmful, let us know what products they are normally in.

Some common products that contain paraben are shampoos, shaving gels, cleansing gels, moisturizers and cosmetics, personal lubricants, topical pharmaceutical creams/lotions and toothpaste. So many products that we use everyday contain some form of paraben. Infact they are also used as food additives in some products.

What are Parabens?
Parabens are chemicals used as preservatives in the cosmetic and pharmaceutical products. Parabens are effective preservatives in many types of formulas. These compounds, and their salts, are used mainly because of their bactericidal and fungicidal properties. Parabens are esters of para-hydroxybenzoic acid, from which the name is derived. Common parabens include methylparaben, ethylparaben, propylparaben and butylparaben. Less common parabens include isobutylparaben, isopropylparaben, benzylparaben and their sodium salts.

What Are The Dangers Of Parabens?
Breast Cancer
Because of their efficacy as preservatives and low cost, parabens are so common. However, their use has become increasingly controversial because some section of scientists believes that parabens can cause cancer. For starters, parabens can mimic the hormone estrogen, which is known to play a role in the development of breast cancers.

UK scientists have claimed that Parabens used in underarm deodorant, cream or body spray were found in the samples of breast tumours. "Given that breast cancer is the largest killer of women and a very high percentage of young women use underarm deodorants, I think we should be carrying out properly funded, further investigations into parabens and where they are found in the body," says Philip Harvey, an editor of the Journal of Applied Toxicology, which published the research.

Early Puberty
Since parabens can mimic other harmones, they are now known as endocrine disruptors - chemicals that adversely affect the endocrine system. The harmones that are released by the endocrine system in the blood are responsible for functions related to reproduction, excretion, digestion and metabolism. According to a report published by the New York Times, endocrine disruptors such as parabens can lead to early puberty in adolescent girls and boys. The average age of puberty is decreasing in the past several decades and girls as young as eight develop breast and pubic hair. Endocrinologists say that endocrine disrupters can also lead to testicular enlargement and breast development in young boys.

Decreased Sperm Levels in Males
A Japanese research linked the estrogenic activity of parabens has reported that parabens can also harm the male reproductive system, including low sperm count and decreased testosterone levels. The frightening part of the findings was that the damage occurred at doses well below the accepted daily intake. High paraben concentrations in males can also lead to more body fat, lower muscle mass, and gynecomastia (the development of breasts in men).

Skin Disorders & Allergies
Researchers from Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine in Japan discovered that when they applied methylparabens to skin in amounts similar to what generally found in cosmetics, the aging process of skin increased. Paraben can, therefore, make your skin look older, diminish skin tone and accelerate the formation of wrinkles and age spots. Parabens can also cause skin irritation and contact dermatitis and rosacea in individuals with paraben allergies.

How to Identify Parabens
If you are concerned about parabens in your products, be sure to scan the ingredient list. Methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl, isopropyl and isobutylparaben are commonly occurring paraben ingredients.


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