What are Parabens?
Parabens are added to products like body care, hair care, and cosmetics because of their biodegradable nature. Without parabens, many of our self-care products will have a shortened shelf life due to potential growth of harmful bacteria and mold. They are a group of chemicals that are often used for their preservative properties.
Types of Products that Contain Parabens:
- Moisturizers
- Lotions
- Cleansers
- Sunscreen
- Deodorant
- Shaving cream/gels
- Toothpaste
- Makeup
- Shampoo
- Conditioners
The Effect Parabens on Us
Every product we apply on ourselves get absorbed into our body through our skin. When parabens are absorbed we metabolize them and they ultimately get excreted in urine and bile. However, when we become overly exposed to parabens it may have some negative effects on our bodies. Multiple studies were performed over the years where parabens have been linked to endocrine disruption, reproductive harm, and cancer.
In the body, parabens can act like estrogen. Because of this, they disrupt how our hormones normally function. This can have an effect on both the reproductive system of both males and females.
An animal study suggests that butylparabens have harmed the male reproductive system by decreasing sperm production and lowering testosterone levels. While a human study suggests that exposure to butylparabens decreases fertility, increases the changes of pre-mature birth and lower birth weight.
Over the years, scientists have raised concerns regarding the link of cancer and parabens. Breast cancer in particular may be due to the overexposure of propylparaben. Propylparabens have been known to alter the expression of genes and may expedite the growth of breast cancer cells. A study done at the University of California-Berkeley came to the conclusion that butylparaben worked together with other cell receptors to switch on cancer genes and escalate the growth of breast cancer cells.
Identifying Parabens:
There are different types of parabens and often times multiple parabens are used in conjunction with one another. Some are easily identifiable since they are commonly used. Different types of parabens have their own chemical composition. Shorter-chain parabens have been linked to weaker estrogenic activity, while longer-chain parabens have been linked to stronger estrogenic activity.
Types of Parabens (from shorter to longer chained):
- Methylparaben
- Ethylparaben
- Propylparaben
- Isopropylparaben
- Butylparaben
- Isobutylparaben