Sometimes, we get a little bit curious on the ingredients of our make-up products and definitely you have come across parabens.
What is it anyway and should we be worried about it?
Let’s start with the list below that shows how parabens may be indicated in the ingredients of common skin care and cosmetic products we often buy, splurge on and go-gaga when we put it on our skin.
Common Types of Parabens:
- Methylparaben
- Butylparaben
- Propylparaben
- Ethylparaben
- Isobutylparaben
First and foremost, Parabens are not toxic, carcinogenic or sensitizing to humans.
Several studies were made in the past few years so as to discredit some allegations that parabens were the primary cause of cancer or attributed to some serious health risks.
But what are parabens actually?
Parabens are group of ingredients that are used as preservative in cosmetics, medicine and even food. Parabens are used as preservatives to extend the shelf life of products and it keeps some microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi, molds and other mircrobes away from the products that we use or ingest.
Moreover, parabens do not pose serious risk as at its maximum daily exposure it’s impossible to increase the risk associated with exposure to estrogenic chemicals one study cited.
Thus there is no legitimate reason to avoid skin care and make up products which use parabens. In the cosmetics industry, parabens are used at a very low concentration which is less than 1%.
So what is with parabens that they say are endocrine disruptors?
First, let us define what these mind-boggling words are– “endocrine disruptors”
Endocrine disruptors are chemicals that may interfere with the body’s endocrine system- responsible for hormone production and equilibrium. These disruptions have produced adverse developmental, reproductive, neurological and immune effects to humans- linking to cancer as one of the health risks.
As terrifying it may sounds, parabens are 100,000 times weaker than human estrogens.
Phytoestrogens, another set of compounds considered as endocrine disruptor, which mimic human estrogen are only 400 times weaker than human estrogens. Phytoestrogens are naturally-occurring plant nutrient that exerts an estrogen-like effect. Examples of plants found to contain phytoestrogens are soy products, sesame, garlic, green tea, tomatoes, oats, barley,buckwheat, flaxseed, sunflower to name a few.
So you must take 25,000 times dosage of parabens when compared to phytoestrogens before it can have an estrogenic effect on your body. That’s a lot to be honest!
To sum it all, we should study and do a full research on what we are putting on our skin same as to what take in to our body. As long as it is proven by science that is not posing any harm or serious threat to our health we are rest assured that we can rely in the efficacy and benefits of the products we are using. With or without parabens, what is important the products we use are safe for our skin!
Some helpful reading material if you want some in-depth study on the subject of recent research about parabens side effects:
No comments:
Post a Comment