Parabens, are dangerous for health?
Parabens or parabens are chemical substances that are used as preservatives in all kinds of products for daily use, from toothpaste, deodorant, or the shower gel, to cosmetics such as makeup, nails, or moisturizers for face and body lacquer. Also used in the food industry because they prevent the development of fungi and yeasts, and can be found in the composition of some drugs (antacids, antibiotics, vaginal fungal and syrups...).
Manufacturers use them because they are an inexpensive way to protect your products against infection from microorganisms, and it is estimated that you between 70 and 90% of cosmetics include parabens in its composition, with names like: benzylparaben, butylparaben, ethylparaben (E214), isopropylparaben, isobutylparaben, methylparaben (E218) or propylparaben (E216).
Although the use of parabens is approved by European and Spanish health authorities who consider them safe for health because the human body is capable of metabolizing them and delete them unless they are toxic, from some time ago is being challenged if an overconsumption of these compounds could have harmful long-term consequences, and some dealers - as Eroski - are committed to removing parabens from their cosmetic products.
Although there are no conclusive studies that show that parabens are harmful to health, some distributors have already committed to eliminate them from your cosmetic products
At the moment there are no conclusive evidence supporting that parabens are harmful to health, and nowadays there are so many everyday products containing these compounds - usually accompanied by other chemicals-, that the problem may reside in their accumulation and consistent use of prolonged, while an application would be harmless.
The current legislation allows parabens in a concentration of 0.4% if it is a unique product, or 0.8% if it contains several mixed parabens. But if various hygiene and cosmetics products we use on a daily basis, and all include these compounds, we could be exceeding the limits considered advisable.
Certain symptoms such as dermatitis contact, itching, swelling, or redness of the skin, or dry after the shower, could be a reaction to Parabens, but it is not always true, so you can try to use these preservative-free products for a while to see if you notice any improvement.
Manufacturers use them because they are an inexpensive way to protect your products against infection from microorganisms, and it is estimated that you between 70 and 90% of cosmetics include parabens in its composition, with names like: benzylparaben, butylparaben, ethylparaben (E214), isopropylparaben, isobutylparaben, methylparaben (E218) or propylparaben (E216).
Although the use of parabens is approved by European and Spanish health authorities who consider them safe for health because the human body is capable of metabolizing them and delete them unless they are toxic, from some time ago is being challenged if an overconsumption of these compounds could have harmful long-term consequences, and some dealers - as Eroski - are committed to removing parabens from their cosmetic products.
Possible risks of parabens
In 2004, researchers at the University of Reading of Edinburgh analyzed cancerous tissue biopsies performed for women with breast cancer and found that 90% of these samples had traces of parabens or parabens. However, subsequent studies could not relate these products with this neoplasia.Although there are no conclusive studies that show that parabens are harmful to health, some distributors have already committed to eliminate them from your cosmetic products
At the moment there are no conclusive evidence supporting that parabens are harmful to health, and nowadays there are so many everyday products containing these compounds - usually accompanied by other chemicals-, that the problem may reside in their accumulation and consistent use of prolonged, while an application would be harmless.
The current legislation allows parabens in a concentration of 0.4% if it is a unique product, or 0.8% if it contains several mixed parabens. But if various hygiene and cosmetics products we use on a daily basis, and all include these compounds, we could be exceeding the limits considered advisable.
Certain symptoms such as dermatitis contact, itching, swelling, or redness of the skin, or dry after the shower, could be a reaction to Parabens, but it is not always true, so you can try to use these preservative-free products for a while to see if you notice any improvement.
Article contributed for educational purposes